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A not B error
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error in which an infant searches for an object in the original rather than the new hiding place
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accommodation
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process by which we alter an existing schema to fit new information
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assimilation
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process by which we incorporate new information into an existing schema
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babbling
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repeated sequence of consonant-vowel sounds
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biopsychosocial
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change influenced by biological, psychological, and social factors
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child-directed speech
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speech with a sing-song intonation, simple words, and exaggerated pronunciation
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circular reaction
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repeated movement observed during the sensorimotor stage
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co-sleeping
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practice in which caregivers share a bed or a room with the infant or toddler
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cooing
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deliberate generation of vowel sounds
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deferred imitation
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repetition of a behavior after some time has passed
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dynamic systems theory
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theory that developmental behaviors and milestones are the result of interactions between systems, including those within the individual
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electroencephalogram (EEG)
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test that measures electrical activity in the brain
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explicit memory
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type of memory that we consciously try to remember and recall
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expressive style
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use of language for social reasons, to express feelings and needs
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fast mapping
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process by which children quickly connect words and their meanings
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fine motor skills
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coordinated movements performed by small muscles to manipulate and control objects or perform precise tasks like reaching for and grasping an object
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frontal lobe
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portion of the brain that controls thinking, planning, memory, and judgment
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gray matter
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outer layer of the brain
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gross motor skills
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voluntary movements that rely on large muscle groups and typically activate the arms, legs, head, and torso
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growth chart
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chart used to identify typical weight, height, and head circumference for boys and girls
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habituation
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decreased interest in and response to repeatedly presented stimuli
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holophrase
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speech that uses a single word to express an idea
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implicit memory
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type of memory that is not part of our consciousness
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infant mortality
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death before the age of one year
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infinite generativity
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capacity to create an unlimited number of meaningful messages
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interactionist approach
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approach to language development highlighting the complex interactions between the biological readiness of children and the environment in which they are raised
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intermodal perception
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awareness of the world gained through multiple senses at the same time
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kwashiorkor
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severe malnutrition, with a loss of appetite and swelling of the abdomen as the body breaks down organs as a source of protein
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language
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communication system that uses words and rules to allow the transmission of information between individuals
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lateralization
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process in which different functions become localized to one side of the brain
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learning approach
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approach to language development that highlights the contribution of caregivers
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long-term memory
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relatively permanent storage of information
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marasmus
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starvation due to lack of calories and protein
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morpheme
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smallest meaningful unit of language
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myelination
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process by which the axon develops the myelin sheath
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nativist approach
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approach to language development asserting that humans are born with the innate ability to learn language and that experience plays a very limited role
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neurogenesis
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development of new neurons
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neuron
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cell in the brain that sends messages
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NREM
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non–rapid eye movement sleep, characterized by slowed heart rate and respiration
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object permanence
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ability to recognize that an object exists even when we cannot observe it
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occipital lobe
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portion of the brain that processes visual information
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overextension
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tendency of young children to use words to inappropriately name something else
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parietal lobe
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portion of the brain that processes sensory information such as touch and spatial awareness
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perception
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interpretation of sensory information
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phoneme
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smallest unit of sound
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plasticity
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brain’s ability to change, physically and chemically, in response to environmental input and to compensate for injury
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prefrontal cortex
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front of the frontal lobe that regulates emotions and is involved in planning and judgment
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referential style
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use of language to talk about objects and things
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reflex
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involuntary movement in response to a stimulation
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REM
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rapid eye movement sleep, sometimes called active sleep
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schema
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a mental framework used to organize and interpret information
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sensation
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detection of sensory stimuli
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sensorimotor development
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first stage of Piaget’s theory of cognitive development theory, focused on children’s early experiences of the world
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smell
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perception of odors via the nose and part of olfactory system
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social referencing
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process in which children use information from another to determine their own response
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sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
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death of a healthy infant that is sudden and unexpected and cannot be explained
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sudden unexpected infant death (SUID)
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death from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), accidental suffocation or strangulation, or an unknown cause
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sustained attention
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extended focus on an activity or stimulus
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symbolic thought
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ability to mentally represent objects, people, or events that are not present
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synapse
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gap between neurons where neurotransmitters are released from the axon to the dendrite of the next neuron
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synaptic pruning
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process by which unused connections of neurons die off
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synaptogenesis
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process in which neurons connect with other, nearby neurons
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taste
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perception of flavor from receptors in mouth and tongue
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telegraphic speech
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speech that uses few words and does not rely on grammar rules
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temporal lobe
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portion of the brain associated with hearing and language
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underextension
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tendency of young children to inappropriately restrict the use of a word
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undernutrition
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intake of inadequate calories and/or nutrition
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universal listener
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infant who can distinguish the sounds of both native and non-native languages
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visual cliff
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test of depth perception that uses a table with the appearance of a drop-off from a shallow to deep surface
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white matter
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brain matter composed of many bundles of axons that connect neurons to different regions with functional circuits/pathways