Psychology: A Modular Approach to Mind and Behavior, Tenth Edition, Dennis Coon Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Child Development

Psychology: A Modular Approach to Mind and Behavior, Tenth Edition, Dennis Coon Chapter 3

Heredity and Genes

• • • Developmental Psychology: The study of progressive changes in behavior and abilities from conception to death Heredity (Nature): Transmission of physical and psychological characteristics from parents to their children through genes DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid): Molecular structure, shaped like a double helix that contains coded genetic information

Psychology: A Modular Approach to Mind and Behavior, Tenth Edition, Dennis Coon Chapter 3

Genes

• Specific areas on a strand of DNA that carry hereditary information – Dominant: The gene’s feature will appear each time the gene is present – Recessive: The gene’s feature will appear only if it is paired with another recessive gene • Polygenic: Characteristics that are controlled by many genes working in combination

Figure 3.2

Psychology: A Modular Approach to Mind and Behavior, Tenth Edition, Dennis Coon Chapter 3

Figure 3.3

Psychology: A Modular Approach to Mind and Behavior, Tenth Edition, Dennis Coon Chapter 3

Table 3.1

Psychology: A Modular Approach to Mind and Behavior, Tenth Edition, Dennis Coon Chapter 3

Psychology: A Modular Approach to Mind and Behavior, Tenth Edition, Dennis Coon Chapter 3

Temperament

• Temperament: The physical “core” of personality – Includes sensitivity, irritability, distractibility, and mood

Psychology: A Modular Approach to Mind and Behavior, Tenth Edition, Dennis Coon Chapter 3

Newborns’ Temperaments

• • • • Easy Children: 40 %; relaxed and agreeable Difficult Children: 10 %; moody, intense, easily angered Slow-to-Warm-Up Children: 15 %; restrained, unexpressive, shy Remaining Children: Do not fit into any specific category (Chess & Thomas, 1968)

Psychology: A Modular Approach to Mind and Behavior, Tenth Edition, Dennis Coon Chapter 3

Environment (“Nurture”)

• • All external conditions that affect development, especially the effects of learning Sensitive Periods: A period of increased sensitivity to environmental influences; also, a time when certain events must occur for normal development to take place

Psychology: A Modular Approach to Mind and Behavior, Tenth Edition, Dennis Coon Chapter 3

Developmental Problems

• • Congenital Problems: Problems or defects that occur during prenatal development; “

birth defect

” Genetic Disorder: Problem caused by inherited characteristics from parents or defects in genes

Psychology: A Modular Approach to Mind and Behavior, Tenth Edition, Dennis Coon Chapter 3

Teratogens

• Anything capable of causing birth defects (e.g., narcotics, radiation, cigarette smoke, lead, and cocaine) in a developing fetus – Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS): Caused by repeated heavy alcohol consumption during pregnancy

Psychology: A Modular Approach to Mind and Behavior, Tenth Edition, Dennis Coon Chapter 3

Deprivation and Enrichment

• • Deprivation: Lack of normal stimulation, nutrition, comfort, or love during development Enrichment: When environments are deliberately made more complex, intellectually stimulating, and emotionally supportive during development

Psychology: A Modular Approach to Mind and Behavior, Tenth Edition, Dennis Coon Chapter 3

The Mozart Effect: Fact or Fiction?

• Rauscher & Shaw (1998) claimed that after college students listened to Mozart they scored higher on a spatial reasoning test • Original experiment done with adults; tells us nothing about children

Psychology: A Modular Approach to Mind and Behavior, Tenth Edition, Dennis Coon Chapter 3

The Mozart Effect: Hypothesis and Conclusion

• What effect would listening to other styles of music have?

• Most researchers unable to duplicate the effect • Conclusion: Those who listened to Mozart were just more alert or in a better mood

Psychology: A Modular Approach to Mind and Behavior, Tenth Edition, Dennis Coon Chapter 3

Developmental Level

• An individual’s current state of physical, emotional, and intellectual development

Psychology: A Modular Approach to Mind and Behavior, Tenth Edition, Dennis Coon Chapter 3

Newborns (Neonates) and Their Reflexes

• • Grasping Reflex: If an object is placed in the infant’s palm, she’ll grasp it automatically (all reflexes are automatic responses; i.e., they come from nature, not nurture) Rooting Reflex: Lightly touch the infant’s cheek and he’ll turn toward the object and attempt to nurse; helps infant find nipple or food

Psychology: A Modular Approach to Mind and Behavior, Tenth Edition, Dennis Coon Chapter 3

More Neonatal Reflexes

• • Sucking Reflex: Touch an object or nipple to the infant’s mouth and she’ll make rhythmic sucking movements Moro Reflex: If a baby’s position is abruptly changed or if he is startled by a loud noise, he will make a hugging motion

Figure 3.7

Psychology: A Modular Approach to Mind and Behavior, Tenth Edition, Dennis Coon Chapter 3

Psychology: A Modular Approach to Mind and Behavior, Tenth Edition, Dennis Coon Chapter 3

Maturation

• • Physical growth and development of the body, brain, and nervous system Increased muscular control occurs in patterns – Cephalocaudal: From head to toe – Proximodistal: From center of the body to the extremities

Psychology: A Modular Approach to Mind and Behavior, Tenth Edition, Dennis Coon Chapter 3

Readiness

• Exists when maturation has advanced enough to allow rapid acquisition of a particular skill

Psychology: A Modular Approach to Mind and Behavior, Tenth Edition, Dennis Coon Chapter 3

Basic Emotions

• Anger, fear, joy – Take time to develop – Appear to be innate

Psychology: A Modular Approach to Mind and Behavior, Tenth Edition, Dennis Coon Chapter 3

Emotional and Social Development

• • Social Smile: Smiling elicited by social stimuli; not exclusive to seeing parents; occurs at 2-3 months Social Development: Development of self awareness, attachment to parents or caregivers, and relationships with other children and adults

Psychology: A Modular Approach to Mind and Behavior, Tenth Edition, Dennis Coon Chapter 3

More on Social Development

• Self-Awareness: Awareness of oneself as a person; can be tested by having infants look in a mirror and see if they recognize themselves; occurs at about 15 months • Social Referencing: Observing other people in social situations to get information or guidance

Psychology: A Modular Approach to Mind and Behavior, Tenth Edition, Dennis Coon Chapter 3

Figure 3.10

Psychology: A Modular Approach to Mind and Behavior, Tenth Edition, Dennis Coon Chapter 3

Separation Anxiety

• Crying and signs of fear when a child is left alone or is with a stranger; generally appears around 8-12 months

Psychology: A Modular Approach to Mind and Behavior, Tenth Edition, Dennis Coon Chapter 3

Mary Ainsworth and Attachment

• Quality of Attachment – Secure: Stable and positive emotional bond – Insecure-Avoidant: Tendency to avoid reunion with parent or caregiver; anxious or emotional bond – Insecure-Ambivalent: Desire to be with parent or caregiver and some resistance to being reunited; also anxious emotional bond

Psychology: A Modular Approach to Mind and Behavior, Tenth Edition, Dennis Coon Chapter 3

Figure 3.11

Psychology: A Modular Approach to Mind and Behavior, Tenth Edition, Dennis Coon Chapter 3

Play and Social Skills

• • Solitary Play: When a child plays alone even when with other children Cooperative Play: When two or more children must coordinate their actions

Psychology: A Modular Approach to Mind and Behavior, Tenth Edition, Dennis Coon Chapter 3

Optimal Caregiving

• • • Proactive Educational Influences: A parent’s warm, educational interactions with her child Goodness of Fit (Chess & Thomas, 1986): Degree to which parents and child have compatible temperaments Paternal Influences: Sum of all effects a

father

has on his child

Psychology: A Modular Approach to Mind and Behavior, Tenth Edition, Dennis Coon Chapter 3

Figure 3.13

Psychology: A Modular Approach to Mind and Behavior, Tenth Edition, Dennis Coon Chapter 3

Parenting Styles (Baumrind, 1991)

• Authoritarian Parents: Enforce rigid rules and demand strict obedience to authority; children tend to be emotionally stiff and lacking in curiosity • Overly Permissive: Give little guidance, allow too much freedom, or don’t hold children accountable for their actions; children tend to be dependent and immature and frequently misbehave

Psychology: A Modular Approach to Mind and Behavior, Tenth Edition, Dennis Coon Chapter 3

Parenting Styles (cont.)

• Authoritative: Provide firm and consistent guidance combined with love and affection; children tend to be competent, self-controlled, independent, and assertive

Psychology: A Modular Approach to Mind and Behavior, Tenth Edition, Dennis Coon Chapter 3

Types of Child Discipline

• Power Assertion: Using physical punishment or a show of force • • Withdrawal of Love: Withholding affection Management Techniques: Combine praise, recognition, approval, rules, and reasoning

Psychology: A Modular Approach to Mind and Behavior, Tenth Edition, Dennis Coon Chapter 3

Side Effects of Child Discipline

• Power Assertion: Children tend to be aggressive, violent, defiant, not spontaneous, and hate their parents • Withdrawal of Love: Children tend to be self disciplined, anxious, insecure, and dependent on adults

Psychology: A Modular Approach to Mind and Behavior, Tenth Edition, Dennis Coon Chapter 3

Spanking

• No long-term damage

if

backed up by supportive parenting – Frequent spanking leads to increased aggression and more problem behaviors

Psychology: A Modular Approach to Mind and Behavior, Tenth Edition, Dennis Coon Chapter 3

Language Development

• Cooing: Spontaneous repetition of vowel sounds by infants; at 6-8 months • Babbling: Repetition of meaningless language sounds (e.g., babababa); 7 months • Single-Word Stage: The child says one word at a time • Telegraphic Speech: Two word sentences that communicate a single idea (e.g., “Want yogurt”)

Psychology: A Modular Approach to Mind and Behavior, Tenth Edition, Dennis Coon Chapter 3

Figure 3.14

Psychology: A Modular Approach to Mind and Behavior, Tenth Edition, Dennis Coon Chapter 3

Noam Chomsky and the Roots of Language

• • Biological Disposition: Presumed hereditary readiness of ALL humans to learn certain skills such as how to use language – Chomsky: Language patterns are inborn Parentese (Motherese): Pattern of speech used when talking to infants – Marked by raised voice; short, simple sentences, repetition, and exaggerated voice inflections

Psychology: A Modular Approach to Mind and Behavior, Tenth Edition, Dennis Coon Chapter 3

Jean Piaget and Cognitive Development

• Piaget believed that all children pass through a set series of stages during their cognitive development; like Freud, he was a Stage Theorist • Transformations: Mentally changing the shape or form of a substance; children younger than 6 or 7 cannot do this

Psychology: A Modular Approach to Mind and Behavior, Tenth Edition, Dennis Coon Chapter 3

More Piagetian Concepts

• • Assimilation: Application of existing mental patterns to new situations Accommodation: Existing ideas are changed to accommodate new information or experiences

Psychology: A Modular Approach to Mind and Behavior, Tenth Edition, Dennis Coon Chapter 3

Jean Piaget: Sensorimotor Stage

• Sensorimotor (0-2 Years): All sensory input and motor responses are coordinated; most intellectual development here is nonverbal – Object Permanence: Concept that objects still exist when they are out of sight

Psychology: A Modular Approach to Mind and Behavior, Tenth Edition, Dennis Coon Chapter 3

Absence of Object Permanence

Psychology: A Modular Approach to Mind and Behavior, Tenth Edition, Dennis Coon Chapter 3

Presence of Object Permanence

Psychology: A Modular Approach to Mind and Behavior, Tenth Edition, Dennis Coon Chapter 3

Jean Piaget: Preoperational Stage

• Preoperational Stage (2-7 Years): Children begin to use language and think symbolically, BUT their thinking is still intuitive and egocentric – Intuitive: Makes little use of reasoning and logic – Egocentric Thought: Thought that is unable to accommodate viewpoints of others

Psychology: A Modular Approach to Mind and Behavior, Tenth Edition, Dennis Coon Chapter 3

Preoperational Conservation of Quantity

Psychology: A Modular Approach to Mind and Behavior, Tenth Edition, Dennis Coon Chapter 3

Jean Piaget: Concrete Operational Stage

• Concrete Operational Stage (7-11Years): Children become able to use concepts of time, space, volume, and number BUT in ways that remain simplified and

concrete

,

not abstract

– Conservation: Mass, weight, and volume remain unchanged when the shape or appearance of objects changes – Reversibility of Thought: Relationships involving equality or identity can be reversed

Psychology: A Modular Approach to Mind and Behavior, Tenth Edition, Dennis Coon Chapter 3

Concrete Conservation of Quantity

Psychology: A Modular Approach to Mind and Behavior, Tenth Edition, Dennis Coon Chapter 3

Concrete Abstract Reasoning

Psychology: A Modular Approach to Mind and Behavior, Tenth Edition, Dennis Coon Chapter 3

Jean Piaget: Formal Operations

• Formal Operations Stage (11 Years and Up): Thinking now includes abstract, theoretical, and hypothetical ideas – Abstract Ideas: Concepts and examples removed from specific examples and concrete situations – Hypothetical Possibilities: Suppositions, guesses, or projections

Psychology: A Modular Approach to Mind and Behavior, Tenth Edition, Dennis Coon Chapter 3

Formal Abstract Reasoning

Psychology: A Modular Approach to Mind and Behavior, Tenth Edition, Dennis Coon Chapter 3

Lev Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory

• • Children’s cognitive development is heavily influenced by social and cultural factors A child’s thinking develops through dialogues with more capable persons • Zone of Proximal Development: Range of tasks a child cannot master alone even though they are close to having the necessary mental skills; they need guidance from a more capable partner in order to complete the task

Psychology: A Modular Approach to Mind and Behavior, Tenth Edition, Dennis Coon Chapter 3

Vygotsky’s Scaffolding

• Adjusting instruction so it is responsive to a beginner’s behavior and so it supports the beginner’s efforts to understand a problem or gain a mental skill

Psychology: A Modular Approach to Mind and Behavior, Tenth Edition, Dennis Coon Chapter 3

Effective Parenting

• • • Have stable rules of conduct (consistency) Show mutual respect, love, encouragement, and shared enjoyment Have effective communication – I-Message: Tells children the effect their behavior had on you (Use this) – You-Message: Threats, name-calling, accusing, bossing, criticizing, or lecturing (Avoid this)

Psychology: A Modular Approach to Mind and Behavior, Tenth Edition, Dennis Coon Chapter 3

Consequences

• • Natural Consequences: Effects that naturally follow a particular behavior Logical Consequences: Rational and reasonable effects