lO M oARcPSD| 52021443
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PYC2602 – CHILD DEVELOPMENT
CHAPTER 1: STUDYING A CHILD’S WORLD
The Study of Development: Then and Now
Child development focuses on the scientific study of processes of
change and stability in human children.
Developmental scientists study two kinds of change:
Quantitative and Qualitative. Quantitative: Change in number
or amount: Height, weight, size of vocab, or frequency of
communication. Largely Continuous.
Qualitative: Change in kind, structure or organisation. Discontinuous:
It is marked by emergence of new phenomena that cannot be anticipated
easily on the basis of earlier functioning. Eg. Change from a nonverbal
child to one who understands words and can use them to communicate.
Most people show an underlying stability in aspects of personality and
behaviour i.e. most shy children generally display shyness to a moderate
degree throughout their life.
Charles Darwin was the first theorist to emphasize the developmental
nature of infant behaviour.
The Study of Child Development: Basic Concepts
Domains of Development *Study table 1-1 pg
11*
Physical Development: Growth of body and brain, the development of
sensory capacities and motor skills and health. All influence other
aspects of development. Eg. Child with frequent ear infections may
develop language more slowly than a child without this physical
problem.
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Cognitive Development: Change and stability in mental abilities, such
as learning, memory, language, thinking, moral reasoning, and
creativity. Closely related to physical, social and emotional growth.
Ability to speak depends on the development of mouth and brain. A
child who has difficulties in expressing herself in words may bring
negative reactions in others, affecting her popularity and sense of self
worth.
Psychosocial Development: Change and stability in personality,
emotions, and social relationships. Can affect cognitive and physical
functioning. Anxiety about taking a test can worsen performance.
Social support can help children cope with stress on physical and mental
health. Physical and cognitive capacities affect psychosocial dev by
contributing to self-esteem and social acceptance. Development is a
unified process.
Influences on Development
Heredity, Environment, and Maturation
Heredity: Inborn traits or characteristics inherited from biological
parents.
Environment: The world outside of the self beginning in the womb and
the leaning that comes from experience – incl. socialisation, a child’s
induction into the value system of the culture.
Research points to a blend of inheritance and environment in the
development of specific traits. Thus, even though intelligence is strongly
affected by heredity, environmental factors such as parental stimulation,
education, and peer influence also affect it.
Many typical changes of infancy and early childhood, such as the
emergence of the abilities to walk and talk, are tied to maturation of the
Dow nloaded by Master Vincent
()
, lO M oARcPSD| 52021443
body and brain – unfolding of universal, natural sequence of physical
changes and behaviour patterns, including readiness to master new
abilities such as walking and talking. These maturational processes, act
in concert with the influences of heredity and environment. Even in
maturational processes that all children undergo, rates and timing of
development vary.
Contexts of Development
Family
Nuclear Family: is a two-generational kinship, economic, and
household unit consisting of one or two parents and their biological
children, adopted children, and/or stepchildren.
Extended Family: a multi-generational kinship network of
grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and more distant relatives. This is
the traditional family form.
Many people live in extended family households, where they have daily
contact with kin. Adults share breadwinning and child raising
responsibilities, and children are often responsible for younger siblings.
Often these households are headed by women. Extended families are
less typical in developing countries due to industrialisation and
migration to urban centres.
Socioeconomic Status and Neighborhood
Socioeconomic status (SES) includes income, education, and
occupation.
SES is related to developmental processes (such as mothers verbal
interactions with their children) and to developmental outcomes (such as
health and cognitive performance). SES affects these outcomes
Dow nloaded by Master Vincent ()
Dow nloaded by Master Vincent
()
, lO M oARcPSD| 52021443
PYC2602 – CHILD DEVELOPMENT
CHAPTER 1: STUDYING A CHILD’S WORLD
The Study of Development: Then and Now
Child development focuses on the scientific study of processes of
change and stability in human children.
Developmental scientists study two kinds of change:
Quantitative and Qualitative. Quantitative: Change in number
or amount: Height, weight, size of vocab, or frequency of
communication. Largely Continuous.
Qualitative: Change in kind, structure or organisation. Discontinuous:
It is marked by emergence of new phenomena that cannot be anticipated
easily on the basis of earlier functioning. Eg. Change from a nonverbal
child to one who understands words and can use them to communicate.
Most people show an underlying stability in aspects of personality and
behaviour i.e. most shy children generally display shyness to a moderate
degree throughout their life.
Charles Darwin was the first theorist to emphasize the developmental
nature of infant behaviour.
The Study of Child Development: Basic Concepts
Domains of Development *Study table 1-1 pg
11*
Physical Development: Growth of body and brain, the development of
sensory capacities and motor skills and health. All influence other
aspects of development. Eg. Child with frequent ear infections may
develop language more slowly than a child without this physical
problem.
Dow nloaded by Master Vincent ()
, lO M oARcPSD| 52021443
Cognitive Development: Change and stability in mental abilities, such
as learning, memory, language, thinking, moral reasoning, and
creativity. Closely related to physical, social and emotional growth.
Ability to speak depends on the development of mouth and brain. A
child who has difficulties in expressing herself in words may bring
negative reactions in others, affecting her popularity and sense of self
worth.
Psychosocial Development: Change and stability in personality,
emotions, and social relationships. Can affect cognitive and physical
functioning. Anxiety about taking a test can worsen performance.
Social support can help children cope with stress on physical and mental
health. Physical and cognitive capacities affect psychosocial dev by
contributing to self-esteem and social acceptance. Development is a
unified process.
Influences on Development
Heredity, Environment, and Maturation
Heredity: Inborn traits or characteristics inherited from biological
parents.
Environment: The world outside of the self beginning in the womb and
the leaning that comes from experience – incl. socialisation, a child’s
induction into the value system of the culture.
Research points to a blend of inheritance and environment in the
development of specific traits. Thus, even though intelligence is strongly
affected by heredity, environmental factors such as parental stimulation,
education, and peer influence also affect it.
Many typical changes of infancy and early childhood, such as the
emergence of the abilities to walk and talk, are tied to maturation of the
Dow nloaded by Master Vincent
()
, lO M oARcPSD| 52021443
body and brain – unfolding of universal, natural sequence of physical
changes and behaviour patterns, including readiness to master new
abilities such as walking and talking. These maturational processes, act
in concert with the influences of heredity and environment. Even in
maturational processes that all children undergo, rates and timing of
development vary.
Contexts of Development
Family
Nuclear Family: is a two-generational kinship, economic, and
household unit consisting of one or two parents and their biological
children, adopted children, and/or stepchildren.
Extended Family: a multi-generational kinship network of
grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and more distant relatives. This is
the traditional family form.
Many people live in extended family households, where they have daily
contact with kin. Adults share breadwinning and child raising
responsibilities, and children are often responsible for younger siblings.
Often these households are headed by women. Extended families are
less typical in developing countries due to industrialisation and
migration to urban centres.
Socioeconomic Status and Neighborhood
Socioeconomic status (SES) includes income, education, and
occupation.
SES is related to developmental processes (such as mothers verbal
interactions with their children) and to developmental outcomes (such as
health and cognitive performance). SES affects these outcomes
Dow nloaded by Master Vincent ()
