| Most current mainstream theories of child | | | | rooted in the biology of the brain. They are part |
| development build on Piaget's thinking. One such | | | | of the survival mechanisms we share with all |
| description of learning has been offered by | | | | mammals. We know, for example, that there is a |
| Annette Karmiloff-Smith, a cognitive psychologist | | | | bias toward human faces built into the sub-cortex |
| from the University of London. Karmiloff-Smith | | | | of a baby's brain. A baby pays specific attention |
| suggests that babies construct their own view of | | | | to human faces because his brain is predisposed |
| the world, just as Piaget argued, but she extends | | | | to prefer the particular pattern of two eyes, a |
| Piaget's model by noting that babies are born with | | | | nose and a mouth. As a result, there is a greater |
| innate predispositions to help them learn certain | | | | chance that he is going to prefer you, and |
| things at certain stages of development. This | | | | become attached to you, rather than to that |
| model of learning goes something like this:o Paying | | | | floor lamp in the corner.o Constructing a View: |
| Attention: Human nature sets babies up to pay | | | | When a baby's world delivers the things his brain |
| specific attention to certain things they might | | | | was set up to find, he is able to construct a view |
| expect to find in their world. These include such | | | | of the world. This view develops with |
| things as people, language and cause-and-effect | | | | experience.o Efficiency: The experiences a baby |
| relationships. A baby is also born with certain | | | | has, in turn, improve the structure of the baby's |
| cognitive skills, such as being able to deduce things | | | | brain, enabling him to deal with life more efficiently. |
| about the world.o Biology: These innate skills are | | | | |