Theory 1 Flashcards
Child Development
an area of study devoted to understanding constancy and change from conception through adolescence
Developmental Science
includes all changes we experience throughout the lifespan
Explain the difference between “child development” and “developmental science”.
Child development only covers the changes experienced up through adolescence but developmental science covers the entire lifespan.
What is the common goal of child development investigators?
to describe and identify those factors that influence the consistencies and changes in young people during the first two decades of life
In what ways are questions about child development applied and stimulated by social pressures?
the beginning of public education led to a demand for knowledge about what and how to teach children of different ages
pediatricians’ interest in improving children’s health required an understanding of physical growth and nutrition
the social service profession’s desire to treat children’s anxieties and behavior problems required information about personality and social development
What does it mean to say the field of child development is interdisciplinary?
it has grown through the combined efforts of people from many fields
because of the need to solve everyday problems concerning children, researchers from psychology, sociology, anthropology, biology, and neuroscience have joined forces with professionals from education, family studies, medicine, public health, and social service
What are Berk’s domains of development?
physical
cognitive
emotional & social
How do Berk’s domains compare with the domains we discussed in class?
…
What does it mean to say that the domains are not distinct, but “combine in an integrated, holistic fashion”?
they overlap and interact to yield the living, growing child
Prenatal Period
from conception to birth
the most rapid time of change, a one-celed organism is transformed into a human baby with remarkable capacities for adjusting to life in the surrounding world
Infancy and Toddlerhood
from birth to 2 years
dramatic changes in the body and brain that support the emergence of a wide array of motor, perceptual, and intellectual capacities; the beginnings of language; and first intimate ties to others; first independent steps, marking a shift to greater autonomy
Early Childhood
from 2 to 6 years
body becomes longer and leaner, mother skills are refined, and children become more self-controlled and self-sufficient; make-believe play blossoms; thought and language expand; a sense of morality becomes evident; establish ties with peers
Middle Childhood
from 6 to 11 years
master new responsibilities; improved athletic abilities; participation in organized games with rules; more logical thought processes; mastery of fundamental reading, writing, math, and other academic knowledge and skills; and advances in understanding the self, morality, and friendship
Adolescence
from 11 to 18 years
transition to adulthood; adult-sized body and sexual maturity; thought becomes abstract and idealistic; schooling is increasingly directed toward preparation for higher education and the world of work; begin to establish autonomy from the family and define personal values and goals
Emerging Adulthood
from 18 to 25 years
have not fully assumed adult roles; intensify exploration of options in love, career, and personal values before making enduring commitments
When did scientific research on child development begin?
didn’t begin until the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries
Theory
an orderly, integrated set of statement that describes, explains and predicts behavior
What are the two reasons why theories are vital tools to child development research?
they provide organizing framework for out observations of children
theories that are verified by research often serve as a sound basis for practical action
What is the key way that theories differ from opinion or belief?
a theory’s continued existence depends on scientific verification; this means that the theory must be tested using a fair set of research procedures agreed on by the scientific community, and its findings must endure, or be replicated over time
Why would it be inappropriate to say that a child development theory was “just” a theory and not more correct than personal belief or opinion?
because a theory’s continued existence depends on scientific verification
What are the 3 Basic Issues in child development on which most theories take a position?
Is the course of development continuous or discontinuous?
Does one course of development characterize all children, or are there many possible courses?
What are the roles of genetic and environmental factors - nature and nurture - in development?
What does it mean to say that development is “continuous”?
it is a process of gradually adding more of the same types of skills that were there to begin with
What does it mean to say that it is “discontinuous”?
it is a process in which new ways of understanding and responding to the world emerge at specific times
Explain what discontinuous theories mean by saying that development takes place in “stages”.
children change rapidly as they step up to a new level and then change very little for a while; with each step, the child interprets and responds to the world in a qualitatively different way
How is discontinuous development different from continuous theories?
continuous theories explain child development as a smooth continuous process rather than happening in steps of stages
What does it mean for a theory to say there is one course of development?
people everywhere follow the same sequence of development
What are “contexts”?
unique combinations of person and environmental circumstances that can result in different paths of change
How might contexts influence development?
different circumstances foster different cognitive capacities, social skills, and feeling about the self and others
Why would an awareness of contexts make theorist more likely to advocate many course of development?
they regard the contexts that mold development as many-layered and complex
Describe the “nature-nurture controversy”.
by nature we mean inborn biological givens
by nurture we mean the complex forces of the physical and social world that influence our biological makeup and psychological experiences before and after birth
How do theories’ positions on nature/nurture inform us of their attitude towards stability vs. change?
it affects how it explains individual differences
Resilience
the ability to adapt effectively in the face of threats to development
What might resilience look like?
a strong bond with at least one parent who combines warmth with appropriate expectation for maturity can shield children from the damaging effects of stressful life conditions
Describe and provide examples of each of the 4 broad factors that contribute to resilience.
Personal Characteristics
a child’s biologically endowed characteristics can reduce exposure to risk or lead to experiences that compensate for early stressful events
Describe and provide examples of each of the 4 broad factors that contribute to resilience.
A Warm Parental Relationship
a close relationship with at least one parent who provides warmth, appropriately high expectations monitoring of the child’s activities, and an organized home environment fosters resilience
Describe and provide examples of each of the 4 broad factors that contribute to resilience.
Social Support Outside the Immediate Family
for children who do not have a close bond with either parent, a grandparent, aunt, uncle, or teacher who form a special relationship with the child can promote resilience
Describe and provide examples of each of the 4 broad factors that contribute to resilience.
Community Resources and Opportunities
good schools, convenient and affordable health care and social services, libraries, and recreation centers foster both parent’s and children’s well-being; opportunities to participate in community life help older children and adolescents overcome adversity
Medieval Times
6th through 15th centuries
children younger than 7 or 8 and young teenagers were recognized as not fully mature; laws recognized that children needed protection from people who might mistreat them and courts exercised leniency with lawbreaking youths
The Reformation
16th century
belief was that children were born evil and stubborn and had to be civilized; restrictive child-rearin practices were recommended; disobedient students were routinely beaten by their schoolmasters; eventually just tried to teach their children right from wrong; gradually adopted a moderate balance between severity and permissiveness
The Enlightenment 1
17th and 18th centuries
conceptions of childhood were more humane that those of the past
Describe Locke’s approach to child development.
believed that children were born as blank slates; characters are shaped entirely by experience; recommended the use of praise and approval as rewards, rather than money or sweets; opposed physical punishment; viewed children as having little influence over their destiny
Where does Locke fall on the 3 Basic Issues in child development? What aspects of Locke’s perspective are supported by modern research? What aspects have been rejected?
continuous; nurture; many courses of development; high plasticity at later ages
his child-rearing practices
that children are born as a”blank slate”
How did Rousseau view children?
not blank slates; they are noble savages, naturally endowed with a sense of right and wrong and an innate plan for orderly, healthy growth; believed that children’s built-in moral sense and unique ways of thinking and feeling would only be harmed by adult training; the adult should be receptive to the child’s needs at each of four stages: infancy, childhood, late childhood, and adolescence
Where does Rousseau fall on the 3 Basic Issues in child development? Which two concepts in child development did Rousseau introduce? Describe them.
discontinuous; stagewise; single unified course; nature
stage - qualitative changes in thinking, feeling, and behaving that characterize specific periods of development
maturation - refers to a genetically determined, naturally unfolding course of growth
The Scientific Revolution
late19th and 20th centuries
early observations of children were soon followed by improved methods and theories
