Human Development observation - Essay Example

It is located fifteen meters away from the main road. On observation, the playground is an ideal place for this activity because there are no trees or many other obstacles that may impede the observation process. The playground is not so wide but enough for the child to be seen. In one corner of the playground are play equipment such as seesaw, swing, slides, and other play equipment for climbing. Physical description of the subject The child involved in the observation is approximately one to two year old boy.

On observation, he has all the stamina to climb on some small steps in one corner of the playground. He is chubby with observable fold on his upper extremities. The child has the creativity and imagination to explore his new environment for the moment. He was brought to the playground by an aunt. Although the child tends to have developed muscles, his stomach is observed to be disproportionately bigger and the head larger. Interactions Observed The child and the aunt were already on the playground when I arrived for observation.

They were in close proximity. On a distance, I saw the aunt showing the child a stone that she picked from the playground. The child is so curious with the stone that he wants to hold it. However, when the aunt hid the stone at her back the child actively tries to search for the missing stone where it disappeared. This is evident when the child went at the back of his aunt’s back and pushed her away just to locate the stone. This reaction of the child is in congruent with Piaget’s theory where he explained in his sensorimotor stage that the child behaves this way because they have the belief that object continues to exist even if they disappear (santrock & Yussen, p 41).

After some time, the aunt started to walk away from the child but the child followed her and tried to hold her hands in protest to be left alone. This shows that the child has still doubts on other people around him or to his environment in general. His reaction explains that he did not yet surpass the first stage of Erikson of trust versus mistrust. In addition, the child showed signs of separation problem as reflected in his anxiety when attempt to leave him is initiated. After a minute, the child and her aunt walk hand in hand toward some plants where there are butterflies.

With excitement, the child tries to say something to the butterflies however, the language is not fully understood as he mumbles and can speak two words combination just yet. When other children tried to join him in watching and catching butterflies, he screamed and even tried to kick them to shove them away. The aunt tried to pacify him telling him that the action is something “bad”. When the aunt was able to catch a small butterfly, the child is so excited but at the same time confused if he is going to hold it or not.

His aunt tried to teach him how to do so and explained it would not hurt. Behaviors Observed The behaviors observed in a child include the child’s aggressiveness as he tried to grab toys from other children on the playground. When one child from the playground tried to get the butterfly he was holding, he screamed at them and tried to be aggressive. I believe the child is displaying a normal behavior of an infant who is one and a half years old. However, if aggressiveness continues and becomes excessive, lack of social skill is evident.

At some point, as he follows