How does the brain develop before birth and in early childhood?
Early brain development: the development of the brain in the womb and early years, the role of nature and experience, and Willatts' study of the development of means-end behaviour in infants.
A focused answer to AQA GCSE Psychology 3.3, covering how the brain develops before birth and in the early years, the roles of nature and experience, and Willatts' study of the development of means-end behaviour in infants.
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What this dot point is asking
AQA wants you to describe how the brain develops in the womb and the early years, explain how nature and experience both shape development, and describe Willatts' study of means-end behaviour in infants. This sits in the Development topic of Paper 1 (Cognition and behaviour), where named studies and the nature-experience interaction are common question targets.
How the brain develops
The brain starts to form within weeks of conception and continues to develop quickly after birth. Nerve cells (neurons) multiply and form connections (synapses) at an enormous rate in infancy. A key principle is synaptic pruning: connections that are used become stronger, while connections that are not used are lost. This means both an inherited plan and the child's experiences shape the developing brain.
Means-end behaviour and Willatts
Willatts (1989) tested infants by placing a toy out of reach on a cloth, sometimes with a barrier in the way. He found that by around nine months infants could perform a planned sequence of actions, such as pulling the cloth and removing the barrier, to get the toy, and that they did so intentionally rather than by chance. This showed that the ability to plan and carry out goal-directed behaviour develops in the first year, supporting the idea that cognitive abilities emerge in a predictable developmental sequence.
Try this
Q1. Define means-end behaviour. [2 marks]
- Cue. Using one action as a means to reach a separate goal.
Q2. At roughly what age did Willatts find means-end behaviour appears? [1 mark]
- Cue. Around nine months.
Q3. Explain how both nature and experience shape early brain development. [3 marks]
- Cue. Nature provides a genetic plan for the structure; experience and stimulation strengthen the connections that are used while unused ones are pruned.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of AQA exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
AQA 20184 marksDescribe what Willatts (1989) found in his study of the development of means-end behaviour in infants. (Paper 1, Section C)Show worked answer →
A 4-mark Describe item rewards the method and the findings, with enough detail to show understanding rather than a one-line summary.
Willatts placed an attractive toy out of an infant's reach on a cloth, with a barrier (such as a foam block) in front of it. To get the toy the infant had to carry out a sequence of separate actions: move the barrier and pull the cloth to bring the toy within reach. He found that by around nine months infants could perform this planned sequence intentionally, rather than by accident, showing the emergence of means-end behaviour (using one action as a means to a separate end).
Markers reward the method (toy on a cloth with a barrier), the age (around nine months), and the conclusion (infants can plan a sequence of actions to reach a goal).
AQA 20213 marksExplain how both nature and experience are involved in early brain development. (Paper 1, Section C)Show worked answer →
A 3-mark Explain item rewards a point about nature, a point about experience, and a link between them.
Nature provides a genetically programmed sequence that builds the brain's basic structure before birth and in the early years, so development follows a predictable order. Experience then shapes which connections survive: connections that are used repeatedly are strengthened, while unused ones are pruned away. The two work together, which is why a stimulating early environment, acting on a genetically prepared brain, supports healthy development.
Markers reward the genetic plan (nature), the strengthening and pruning of connections through use (experience), and the statement that they interact.
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Sources & how we know this
- AQA GCSE Psychology (8182) specification — AQA (2017)