Chapter 5  
Cognitive Development During the First Three Years
Focus: William Erasmus Darwin
Studying Cognitive Development: Classic Approaches
•	Behaviorist Approach

•	Psychometric Approach

•	Piagetian Approach
Studying Cognitive Development: Classic Approaches
•	Behaviorist Approach
•	classical conditioning
•	operant conditioning
•	infant memory

Psychometric Approach

•	Can infants’ and toddlers’ intelligence be measured and how can it be improved?

Studying Cognitive Development: Classic Approaches
•	Psychometric Approach
•	Bayley Scales of Infant Development
•	Home observation for measurement of the environment
•	Socioeconomic status, parenting practices,  and IQ
•	Early Intervention

Piagetian Approach: The Sensorimotor Stage

Key Developments of the Sensorimotor Stage

Studying Cognitive Development: Newer Approaches
•	information-processing approach
•	cognitive neuroscience approach
•	social-contextual approach

Information-Processing Approach

How do we measure infants’ ability to process information, and how does this ability relate to future intelligence?
Cognitive-Neuroscience Approach

What can brain research reveal about the development of cognitive skills?
Social-Contextual Approach

How does social interaction with adults advance cognitive competence?
Language Development 
•	Sequence of Early Language Development 
•	recognizing language sounds
•	gestures
•	first words
•	first sentences

Language Development 
•	Characteristics of Early Speech 
•	understand grammatical relationships they cannot yet express
•	underextend word meanings
•	overextend word meanings
•	overregularize rules
	
Classic Theories of Language Acquisition: The Nature-Nurture Debate
•	 Checkpoint: Can you…
Summarize how learning theory and nativism seek to explain language acquisition, and point out strengths and weaknesses of each?
Language Development 
•	Influences on Early Language Development 
•	Maturation of the Brain
•	Social Interaction: The Role of Parents and Caregivers
•	Child-Directed Speech	
Language Development 
•	Preparing for Literacy: The Benefits of Reading Aloud 
•	describer style
•	comprehender style
•	performance-oriented style	
Window on the World
Playing Peekaboo
Digging Deeper
Can Toddlers “Read” Others’ Wishes?