Module 5: Middle childhood

Question 1

Categorize the following symptoms as either a symptom of Inattention or Hyperactivity-Impulsivity:
Blurts out answers before the question is fully asked.

Answer 1

Hyperactivity-Impulsivity

Question 2

__________ is the term that Piaget used for a child’s ability to order objects in a row.

Answer 2

Seriation

Question 3

Categorize the following symptoms as either a symptom of Inattention or Hyperactivity-Impulsivity:
Has great difficulty waiting for his/her turn while playing games

Answer 3

Hyperactivity-Impulsivity

Question 4

Children in which peer status are at the greatest risk for social and behavioral difficulties?

Answer 4

Rejected Status

Question 5

True or false? Research indicates that girls have more negative consequences when growing up in a single parent household, compared to boys.

Answer 5

False

Question 6

By what methods did Lawrence Kohlberg study moral development? Be specific in your answer.

Answer 6

By interviewing children and adolescents and giving them moral dilemmas.

Interviewing Method Moral Dilemma He used the Interviewing method to study moral development . He introduced a moral dilemma in the form of a story and got responses from his subjects focusing more on the ‘ Why “ than on the moral reasoning based on right or wrong that is if Heinz was right in stealing the drugs to cure his wife.

Question 7

Describe the cultural critique of Piaget’s theory of cognitive development. What is the issue? Be specific.

Answer 7

Piaget failed to realize that cultural and educational experiences were enormous and important when it came to cognitive development. Piaget thought more as a biologist and proposed that children’s thinking and thought pattern evolves as they mature in age. He believed that children in the concrete operational stage should have been able to learn scientifically. whereas, if children are not taught a certain thing they do not get to develop that aspect of their thinking. Also, in some cultures children are taught different things and their cognitive development is geared towards the area they are taught. Hence its possible that not all children will be able to operate in same ways as Piaget proposed that they develop in their thinking as they mature

Question 8

Describe the cultural critique of Piaget’s theory of cognitive development. What is the issue? Be specific.

Answer 8

Piaget’s model did not take into account the influence of a child’s cultural and social upbringing on their cognitive development. His research was limited to Western society and hence excluded children from other cultures.

While Piaget assumed that abilities developed organically, contemporary evidence suggests a more “nurture” explanation. Children from cultures that do not place a high priority on scientific thinking will lack the sort of mentality that Piaget defined as the concrete operational stage.

Answers need to include two points: a) Piaget assumed that abilities naturally unfolded, but current research supports more “nurture” explanations and b) cultures that don’t heavily emphasize scientific thinking will have children that don’t achieve the type of thinking that Piaget assessed in the concrete operational stage.

Question 9

True or false? In early childhood and the beginning of middle childhood, boys tend to show more advances in fine motor skills compared to girls.

Answer 9

False

Question 10

Describe the following two social categories of children: Prosocial popular children and Antisocial popular children.

Answer 10

Prosocial Popular Children: These are children who are liked by their peers. They get high positive votes and they have really good social skills. They are good listeners, get along with their peers and they do not use their popularity or social skills towards harm.

Antisocial Popular Children These children on the other hand use their social skills and popularity in a harmful way. They could use their popularity to bully others, including gossiping and bringing down others to get popular

Prosocial: good communication skills, very social. Antisocial: good communication and social skills, but also aggressive and antagonistic.

Question 11

What can parents do to increase the likelihood that children will cope optimally with a divorce? Provide two suggestions, based on the module.

Answer 11

Your Answer : To help children cope Optimally with divorce , parents could ; Adopt good and balanced parenting style that is the authoritative parenting style . Parents should also interact and communicate warmly with their children

Continue good parenting practices, provide warm parent-child interactions.

Question 12

Alex recently moved to a new middle school and doesn’t feel like he fits in with any of the cliques. Few kids know his name, and most people ignore him. By the end of the year, not much has changed. Marcus, however, has attended this middle school for many years. He is frequently picked on by bullies, although he in turn picks on other children. What would be the most appropriate peer status label for Marcus, and then for Alex?

Answer 12

Appropriate Peer Status for label for ; Marcus - The Rejected Status Alex - The Neglected status

Marcus : rejected . Alex : Neglected .

Question 13

Your module and the linked readings provided information on childhood obesity. What are possible psychological and physical consequences of childhood obesity? Describe in detail two examples of each. Name at least three reasons for the rise in childhood obesity today. Finally, discuss in detail three recommendations for families combating childhood obesity. Your answers should expand upon ideas presented in module readings; that is, your answers should be informed but also reflect your own ideas on the topic

Answer 13

Child obesity is when a child is way above the normal healthy weight for his or her age and height. The possible psychological and physical consequences of childhood obesity are; Psychological Consequences
Low self esteem
depression
social exclusion

Physical Consequences
Children with obesity have the risk of high blood pressure and high cholesterol which can lead to cardiovascular diseases
Joint and musculoskeletal discomforts The risk of having type two diabetes, Fatty liver diseases amongst others Breathing problems like asthma and sleep apnea
They are also prone to having heart burn.
Social Exclusion: Children with obesity have a high risk to be socially excluded because they are stigmatized and somewhat made fun of because they are too fat. Also, because of this health challenge they are unable at their age to comfortably undergo activities with other children in their age bracket and so they are sidelined and or excluded from most activities
Low Self Esteem: Children that are obese most often do not like how they look and so they tend to compare themselves with other social standards of beauty that they see in others in terms of how their body looks. Also, because they are prune to be body shamed they begin to dislike how they look, they become withdrawn and lose confidence in themselves.
Joints and Musculoskeletal Discomfort: This consequence results due to the fact that they have high body mass and are unable to move or undergo physical activities which could help make their joints flexible. Because they are usually in a place do not have ease of movement they feel discomfort in their joints. Breathing problems and Sleep Apnea; Sleep apnea is when they stop breathing in their sleep for a while and its due to the high fatty tissues around their heart that makes it difficult for blood to flow freely. Also, this leads to them being asthmatic because its also a breathing issue that results from being overweight
Three reasons for the rise in childhood obesity are;
Genetics
Socioeconomic status
Less of physical activity
Three recommendations for families combating childhood obesity are; Education and training families on healthy behavioral life style: Childhood obesity can be battled behaviorally. Most times obesity in a child occurs because of poor behavioral habits like eating foods high in calories and living a sedentary life. Also, because obesity is partially a family problem, educating and training families about the need to adopt a healthy life style especially eating right and engaging in physical activities would go a long way to combat child obesity. Eating Less of high calorie foods and more of foods rich in Nutrient; Eating high Calorie foods and food and beverages that are not nutritious to the body is also a cause for concern when it comes to child obesity. Proper meals should be chosen. Meals that contain more of fruits and vegetables, including foods that have high fiber should be introduced and less of fatty meals; fast foods should be cut down to the barest minimum. More of Physical Activities Living a sedentary life like staying long in front of the television or screens generally can be seen as one of the major cause of obesity in kids in this era of technology. If children could eat healthy and are able to play, indulge in physical activities, they would be able to burn out excess calories and stay healthy. More physical activities should be introduced like getting enrolled in sporting activities, taking long walks and having recreational play would help the children keep in good and healthy shape

Question 14

Your module and the linked readings provided information on childhood obesity. What are possible psychological and physical consequences of childhood obesity? Describe in detail two examples of each. Name at least three reasons for the rise in childhood obesity today. Finally, discussing detail three recommendations for families combating childhood obesity. Your answers should expand upon ideas presented in module readings; that is, your answers should be informed but also reflect your own ideas on the topic.

Answer 14

2 pts for discussing psychological consequences: low self-esteem, depression, social exclusion. 2 pts for discussing physical consequences: diabetes, heart failure, asthma. Three reasons for increase: increased TV watching means less physical activity, unhealthy food marketed to kids, expensive and inaccessible healthy food, lack of physical activity, increased portion sizes, exposure to high calorie beverages. 3pts for ideas for helping families: eating healthier, limiting high calorie beverages, reducing TV time, encouraging physical activity, making better food purchases, decrease portion sizes, promoting healthy lifestyles overall, parents modeling healthier eating and healthier behaviors, seeking help and reaching out to others for accountability.

Question 15

Categorize the following symptoms as either a symptom of Inattention or Hyperactivity-Impulsivity:

Frequently forgets things.

Answer 15

Inattention

Question 16

True or false? It is currently hypothesized that drug use during pregnancy may increase the likelihood of a child having ADHD.

Answer 16

true

Question 17

Ritalin, a common treatment for ADHD, is an example of a/an [CHOOSEONE: Stimulant, Opiate, Depressant] drug.

Answer 17

stimulant

Question 18

True or false? The effects of divorce on a child are partly dependent on the child’s temperament and other social situations in the child’s life.

Answer 18

true

Question 19

While movies may portray popular children as being obnoxious, research finds that children in this peer status tend to be skilled in what area

Answer 19

social skills

Question 20

What is the most probable reason for why ADHD is typically diagnosed during the early elementary years?

Answer 20

Children must now sit still in school, and inattentive and impulsive behaviors may be more obvious then.

Question 21

Describe the cultural critique of Piaget’s theory of cognitive development. What is the issue? Be specific

Answer 21

Answers need to include two points: a) Piaget assumed that abilities naturally unfolded, but current research supports more “nurture” explanations and b) cultures that don’t heavily emphasize scientific thinking will have children that don’t achieve the type of thinking that Piaget assessed in the concrete operational stage.

Question 22

True or false? In early childhood and the beginning of middle childhood, boys tend to show more advances in fine motor skills compared to girls.

Answer 22

false

Question 23

Describe the following two social categories of children: Prosocial popular children and Antisocial popular children.

Answer 23

Prosocial: good communication skills, very social.
Antisocial: good communication and social skills, but also aggressive and antagonistic.

Question 24

What can parents do to increase the likelihood that children will cope optimally with a divorce? Provide two suggestions, based on the module.

Answer 24

Continue good parenting practices, provide warm parent-child interactions.

Children can cope to their parents divorce, this like any other form of separation causes children some kind of anxiety, sadness, and can harm their well being. But there are ways on how a child can cope with their parents divorce and one of the most important ways parents can reassure their children in these times of great uncertainty is to affirm their abiding love for them. Although at various developmental stages children may appear not to need this reassurance or even to reject expressions of strong emotion, they all benefit from frequent, genuine manifestations of their parents’ love. In addition to words, parents can show their affection through physical gestures - snuggling with young children and bear hugs for older ones, for example - and through making the time to simply be with them. Creating routines of shared activities and being empathetic and responsive to verbal and nonverbal clues about children’s feelings all help to show warmth and nurturance. By this, the parents are showing an effective parenting style, which means quality parenting that is a powerful protective factor and a modifiable source of childhood resilience. High quality is defined as a combination of warmth and nurturance with effective discipline and limit setting. This kind of parenting is shown consistently to relate to better outcomes for children. Hence, being sensitive to child’s temperament is also important since it will help the parents identify the child’s own way of coping and understanding the possible repressed feelings of the child.

Question 25

Alex recently moved to a new middle school and doesn’t feel like he fits in with any of the cliques. Few kids know his name, and most people ignore him. By the end of the year, not much has changed. Marcus, however, has attended this middle school for many years. He is frequently picked on by bullies, although he in turn picks on other children. What would be the most appropriate peer status label for Marcus, and then for Alex?

Answer 25

Marcus: rejected.
Alex: Neglected

Question 26

Your module and the linked readings provided information on childhood obesity. What are possible psychological and physical consequences of childhood obesity? Describe in detail two examples of each. Name at least three reasons for the rise in childhood obesity today. Finally, discuss in detail three recommendations for families combating childhood obesity. Your answers should expand upon ideas presented in module readings; that is, your answers should be informed but also reflect your own ideas on the topic.

Answer 26

2 pts for discussing psychological consequences: low self-esteem, depression, social exclusion.

2 pts for discussing physical consequences: diabetes, heart failure, asthma.

Three reasons for increase: increased TV watching means less physical activity, unhealthy food marketed to kids, expensive and inaccessible healthy food, lack of physical activity, increased portion sizes, exposure to high calorie beverages.

3pts for ideas for helping families: eating healthier, limiting high calorie beverages, reducing TV time, encouraging physical activity, making better food purchases, decrease portion sizes, promoting healthy lifestyles overall, parents modeling healthier eating and healthier behaviors, seeking help and reaching out to others for accountability

Question 27

True or false? ADHD diagnoses are supposed to factor in the degree to which a child’s behavior is more severe than other children at the same age.

Answer 27

true

Question 28

True or false? It is currently hypothesized that drug use during pregnancy may increase the likelihood of a child having ADHD.

Answer 28

true

Question 29

True or false? According to Piaget, children in the Concrete Operational stage can use logic but still struggle with abstract thought.

Answer 29

true

Question 30

True or false? Children whose parents divorced are more likely to themselves get divorced, compared to other individuals.

Answer 30

true

Question 31

Mark says that people shouldn’t steal because they’ll get in trouble and go to jail. At what level would Kohlberg most likely categorize this response, according to his theory of moral development?

Answer 31

Pre-Conventional

Question 32

What is the most probable reason for why ADHD is typically diagnosed during the early elementary years?

Answer 32

Children must now sit still in school, and inattentive and impulsive behaviors may be more obvious then.

Question 33

Name and describe two improvements from the Preoperational to Concrete Operational stages.

Answer 33

Two of the following need to be named and described:
Conservation (volume and matter stays the same if nothing is added or removed);

Seriation—ordering objects in a row;

Classification—of animals, objects, etc.

Question 34

True or false? In middle childhood, children’s heads become more proportionate with the rest of their bodies.

Answer 34

true

Question 35

Describe Kohlberg’s theory of moral development. Describe the Preconventional, Conventional, and Postconventional levels, being sure to focus on the key features of each stage. Then, choose one of these levels and provide a detailed example of a specific child reasoning at that level. Be sure to focus on the why behind the child’s reasoning, just like Kohlberg did. Finally, Kohlberg’s theory has been critiqued for a number of reasons. Describe one of these reasons. Then, indicate whether you think that this critique is valid, and explain why or why not

Answer 35

3 points for describing the stages: Preconventional (focus is on self—punishment and reward;
Conventional (focus is on others—such as obeying others and fulfilling expectations);
Postconventional (higher focus, as well as group and personal values).

3 points for an example that successfully illustrates one level.

2 points for accurately describing a critique, and in sufficient detail.

2 points for the student’s evaluation of the critique—needs to be sufficiently detailed and accurately reflective of the critique as well as Kohlberg’s theory

Question 36

Describe Kohlberg’s theory of moral development. Describe the Preconventional, Conventional, and Postconventional levels, being sure to focus on the key features of each stage. Then, choose one of these levels and provide a detailed example of a specific child reasoning at that level. Be sure to focus on the why behind the child’s reasoning, just like Kohlberg did. Finally, Kohlberg’s theory has been critiqued for a number of reasons. Describe one of these reasons. Then, indicate whether you think that this critique is valid, and explain why or why not

Answer 36

The stages of moral development that are described by Kohlberg’s theory are referred to as the Preconventional, Conventional, and Postconventional stages, respectively.

A preoccupation with one’s own best interests defines the Preconventional level of development. Egocentric reasoning is usual for youngsters of this age, which means that they are exclusively concerned with their own point of view at this point. They are also not yet capable of understanding or taking into consideration the viewpoints of others. The Preconventional level is further subdivided into two stages: the first stage is known as the Obedience and Punishment stage, while the second stage is known as the Instrumental Relativist stage.

During the Obedience and Punishment stage, there is generally an emphasis placed on finding ways to sidestep being punished. Children that have reached this age believe that the rules are set in stone, cannot be altered, and that they must be followed regardless of the situation. They are of the opinion that there is no other consequence for breaching rules save being punished.

The focus on the results of one’s activities is characteristic of the Instrumental Relativist stage of the evolution of relativity. Children who have reached this point in their development are beginning to consider the points of view of others and to reason in a more rational manner. They are aware that regulations are not always absolute and that it is possible to break rules if doing so is in one’s own best advantage to do so.

At the Conventional level, there is an emphasis placed on conformity as well as receiving approval from other people. When children are at this developmental stage, they typically reason morally in terms of the norms and expectations of society. They are of the opinion that there is a proper way to conduct oneself in each circumstance, and that it is necessary to adhere to social rules in order to keep the peace and prevent disorder. The Conventional level is further subdivided into two stages: the first stage is known as the Interpersonal Accord and Conformity stage, while the second stage is known as the Law and Order stage.

The Interpersonal Accord and Conformity stage is distinguished by an emphasis on conforming to the expectations of others and fitting in socially. Children who are in this stage of development are concerned with how others perceive them, and as a result, they adjust their actions to comply to what they believe to be the norms of society.

The emphasis that is placed throughout the Law and Order stage on following the law and preserving social order is one of the defining characteristics of this stage. Children who have reached this age believe that it is critical to abide by rules and laws in order to keep a society that is able to function properly. They have a healthy regard for those in positions of authority and expect others to do the same.

At the Postconventional level, there is an emphasis placed on one’s own set of guiding principles and ideals. At this point in their development, youngsters think about right and wrong in terms of general ideas rather than specific guidelines. They create their own code of ethics and are less concerned about the acceptance of others in society. The Postconventional level is further subdivided into two levels called the Universal Ethical Principles stage and the Social Contract and Individual Rights stage.

The stage known as the Social Contract and Individual Rights stage is distinguished by an emphasis placed on the necessity of social agreements in order to keep a society working properly. Children that have reached this developmental milestone have the perspective that everyone possesses certain rights that must be respected, and that it is essential to adhere to social contracts in order to keep the order that has been established.

At the Universal Ethical Principles stage, the focus is on universal ethical values, such as the idea of “do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” This stage is distinguished by its attention to these principles. At this point in their development, children reason about right and wrong in terms of these more general concepts, and they believe that these rules should be adhered to regardless of the situation.

The argument put forward by Kohlberg has been criticized for a variety of different reasons. One of the complaints is that it is overly focused on Western culture. Kohlberg established his idea based on studies he conducted with children from Western cultures, and it is possible that it may not apply to children from other cultures. One such complaint is that it places too much emphasis on men. The majority of Kohlberg’s studies were carried out on male participants, hence it is unclear whether or not his hypothesis can be applied to females.

I believe that these are all legitimate points of critique. When establishing a theory of moral growth, it is essential to take into account the perspectives and experiences of people from a variety of cultures. Kohlberg’s thesis does not appear to be relevant everywhere. In addition, it does not appear that Kohlberg’s theory applies in the same way to young men and women in the same ways. The theory of Kohlberg does not appear to take into consideration the fact that girls and boys often develop their moral reasoning in distinct ways.

The following is an illustration of the type of thinking that would be appropriate for a child operating at the Preconventional level:

A toddler is having fun playing with a toy truck that they have. Another child approaches and makes a grab at the truck, attempting to take it away from him. The first kid seizes hold of the truck, and he or she shows no sign of letting go. The crying continues with the second child.

The first child’s line of thinking is completely egocentric, and he is only thinking about things from his own point of view. He does not yet possess the capacity to consider things from the viewpoint of the other youngster. In addition to this, he does not take into account the results of his activities. He has only one goal in mind, and that is to keep the truck for himself.

Question 37

Describe Kohlberg’s theory of moral development. Describe the Preconventional, Conventional, and Postconventional levels, being sure to focus on the key features of each stage. Then, choose one of these levels and provide a detailed example of a specific child reasoning at that level. Be sure to focus on the why behind the child’s reasoning, just like Kohlberg did. Finally, Kohlberg’s theory has been critiqued for a number of reasons. Describe one of these reasons. Then, indicate whether you think that this critique is valid, and explain why or why not

Answer 37

Kohlberg’s theory of moral development is a cognitive-developmental theory that focuses on the growth of moral reasoning. This theory has three levels: the Preconventional level, the Conventional level, and the Postconventional level. The Preconventional level is characterized by a focus on self-interest, while the Conventional level is characterized by a focus on conformity to societal norms. The Postconventional level is characterized by a focus on individual rights and principles.

A specific child reasoning at the Preconventional level might, for example, refuse to share a toy with another child because they believe that doing so would mean that they would not have any toys left for themselves. The child is reasoning at this level because they are focused on their own self-interest and are not considering the needs of others.

One critique of Kohlberg’s theory is that it is ethnocentric, meaning that it focuses on the moral development of people from Western, industrialized cultures and does not consider the development of people from other cultures. This critique is valid because Kohlberg’s theory does not consider the cultural context in which moral development takes place.