Cognitive Development

1. Cognitive Development Q2: Discuss how social & environmental variables may affect cognitive development.

2. Approach Intro • Background- social and environmental variables • Social: SES- family income and education, parental nurturance • Positive environmental variables: stimulation, enrichment, nutrition • Negative environmental variables: pollution, malnutrition. stress • Thesis: Social and environmental variables may affect cognitive development. Body • Social- SES • Environmental- enrichment and nurturing Conclusion

3. Social VariablesSES- linked to parenting & enrichment • One of the main risk factors in children’s cognitive development • Tied to poor nutrition, stressful home environment, exposure to crime, lack of access to quality education • Application: need for prenatal care and school lunch programs • National Center for Children in Poverty (2002) • 1/3rd of children from low-income communities who enter kindergarten are behind their peers • By their 4th year, 50% are don’t meet standard reading proficiency • Moscovici(1993)- lay claim to the higher wisdom of common sense • Children who are loved and well cared for will given healthy food and opportunities • Isolating one variable (parenting, poverty) and attributing it to cognitive development lacks some degree of validity • Bhoomika (2008)- effect of malnutrition on cognitive performance in 20 Indian children (but older children showed less impairment) • Parental participation was twice as predictive of academic success as socioeconomic status • Reading at home enhances success (Tizard, 1982)

4. SES continued • Wertheimer (2003) Children from poor families are • less likely to be labeled as academically gifted • Less likely to participate in extra-curricular activities • more likely to repeat grades • More likely to suffer from learning disabilities • Generally less likely to attend university • Schoon (2002)- British study found increased risk of poor academic performance in poor families

5. Environmental Variables-enrichment and nurturing • Animal research-enrichment environments increases dendritic branching and stress interferes with normal brain development • Rosenzweig, Bennet and Diamond, 1972 • Liu, 2000-prolonged maternal separation affected stress regulation and memory (hippocampus) • Farah, 2008 • Aim: To investigate the relationship between environmental stimulation and parental nurturance on cognitive development • Longitudinal study of 110 AA MS children • Positive correlation between environmental stimulation and language development and between parental nurturance and memory • Abecedarian Project (Pungello, 2006) • 111 infants enrolled from 1972-1977 • Half received enrichment; other half as a control • Demonstrated beneficial effects of health care, nutrition and education

6. Evaluation • Strengths • Evidence • Application • Government funding of early childhood education and nutrition programs • Limitations- no clear cause and effect • Link between socio-economic status and individual development is still not fully understood • Seems to be a cumulative effect • Privileged children have more educational opportunities • access to role models and greater expectations • Poverty does not determine one’s success in life • Werner & Smith (1992)- longitudinal study of high-risk children: 1/3rd had adjusted well to adult life