discontinuities in growth are found for specific domains at specific ages (Dawson & Fischer, 1994).
Both competition and coordination between neurons and neural networks, interact in brain and behavioral development. Neurons and neural network connections compete to survive. Those that receive less input and are not active, are pruned away. Development then moves from competition to coordination as children construct new understandings. Research showing relations between cortical functioning and cognitive developments, demonstrates ways that coordination is mediated cortically (Dawson & Fischer, 1994).
It is hypothesized that major developmental changes involve coordination of components of brain and behavior into higher-order control systems, and are called dynamic skills. These skills are composed of elements which interact according to the principles of dynamic systems; before this coordination, the connections are weak. With coordination, the connections become strong and then influence the shape of growth functions for those skills. Neuronal networks that support these systems or skills follow principles of parallel, distributed, and resonant processing. The networks are composed of connected components distributed across brain areas which operate in parallel. Components interact and function as a system; they are regulated through feedback which included neurons, and input from body parts and environmental contexts relevant to functioning. For example, to reach for an object, involves arm and hand structure, the eyes, and the nature of the object (Dawson & Fischer, 1994).
Growth patterns include periods of rapid growth with alternations of periods of slower growth. Growth curves are also common for psychological development. For example, growth of a complex reasoning called reflective judgment (considering knowledge dilemmas where there is no simple answer), is found at later stages. Studies show there a...