PSYC 304 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Patellar Reflex, Moro Reflex, Primitive Reflexes
3 Dec 2018
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Motor development: reflexes, two key types of movements, reflexes. Fixed, automatic, triggered in response to a specific sensory stimulus. Newborn"s mouth moves towards brush on cheek. Newborns grab onto anything in their hand. Baby will walk when lowered on the surface. Arms move to side when baby is unsupported: voluntary movements (our focus) Initiated entirely within the central nervous system. Newborns: can only move head if supported. 5-10 weeks: lift head and chin off floor. 3 months: can hold head steady while propping themselves up on arms, or held by a parent. 3 months: rolling over: two theories of motor development, maturational theory. Motor development depends entirely on the development of the cortex. Babies can"t walk before one year of age because the brain is not mature enough yet. As the cortex develops, it begins to override these early reflexes. Practice has little effect on the age at which children begin walking.
