General Patterns of Child Development - Research Paper Example

? Child Development Psychology Analysis Jane Doe Some Psychology Dumbledore General patterns of development occur along multiple lines: physical, cognitive, intellectual and social. We tend to chart development for each of these lines along milestones, i.e. skills achieved by a certain age. Milestones are simply normative markers at median ages. Some children will develop slower and some faster. The ages for the milestones are therefore, only approximate and should not be taken as dogma or hard lines of delineation. Although children progress along the lines of development together, the often may not. Thus, a child may match the milestones of cognitive development but show slower growth in the social areas. In attempting to define these, this paper will highlight a few small examples in early childhood and adolescent behavior piecing together the normal and a few examples of abnormal behavior. Infancy to age 2 Recent research has changed our past assumptions about the capabilities of infants. We know that there are evidences at birth of complex interactions with the parent or caregiver. (Papalia, 2006) Reaching and grasping, the ability to imitate facial expressions like a parents smile, and attachment behaviors such as crying and clinging are all evidenced at birth. The sense of smell, sight and sound are used in formulating this properties and are within normal ranges according to the standard baseline used by most international psychological associations. (Carducci, 2009) Newborns have specific innate preferences for large, shiny objects with lots of contrast, moving objects like mobiles hovering over their heads, curves versus lines, complex versus simple lines, and even show evidence of a preference for facial stimuli. (Papalia, 2006) A neonates demonstration of defensive movements if an object looms toward his or her face suggests the ability to perceive a three-dimensional world. (Cole, 2004) Factors that can influence this development can be varied. The economic and social structures in place for a child's development can help or hinder these developmental milestones and lead to delayed psycho-motor development, depression, and withdrawl from social interactions. While these can be remedied, they still pose problems in reaching motor skills milestones, cognitive development, and much more. In the famous Harlow experiment where monkeys were used as subjects and later developed psychosis, the stunting of emotional development shows a large negative influence on infant growth and development. An infant or neonate, needs a close bonding with its mother or another human to complete its early development. This security according to Piaget, enables the child to assimilate into a larger social structure without fear of abandonment and isolation. (Carducci, 2009) Physical issues with development parallel the child's emotional, and cognitive development in that it shows appropriate activities and sets markers for tracking motor skills as well as the psychological aspects. In the first year of life, the child is orally fixated (Freudian theory), but its not due to any sexual interest, its due to simple exploration. Grasping, crawling, and curiosity are major signs for the child’s normative development. Absence of this or delay is not a major concern at this point, but the failure to walk by age 24 months or 30 months would be a definitive cause to explore testing for developmental abnormalities. Further, the developmental milestones up thru age 2 indicate creative and self-centered set of processes which display a sense of individuality. The adolescent uses these as well but to different ends, such as using the drivers license for a sense of individuality and accomplishment and freedom. The problem solving processes are unique to each age group, but they have distinct parallels. Table 1.0 shows the developmental milestones of a child from birth through to the second year of life. Age Physical Development Social Development Cognitive Development (Piaget) Language Development 1st year of Life Puts everything into mouth (4mo) Stands with help (8mo) Crawls, fears falling Pincer grasp Follows objects to midline one handed approach Feet in mouth Changes hands with toy (6mo) Central parent figure Trust issues Stranger Anxiety Solitary play Exploration pat-a-cake Peek-a-boo (10mo) Sensation Movement Schemas Assimilation Accommodation Laughs aloud Repetitive response ma-ma da-da (10mo) Age 1 Walks alone (13mo) Climbs stairs alone (18mo) Hand Preference (18mo) Kicks/throws ball Pats pictures in book Stacks 3 cubes (18mo) Separation anxiety Parental figure dependance Onlooker and parallel play Object permanence 10 words used Great Variation in language development (bi-lingual family delay) Age 2 Walks backward Turn door nobs Unscrew jar lid Scribbles in crayon Stands on tip toes Aim thrown ball Self-centered Imitates mannerisms Aggressive No is favorite word World of objects Uses symbols Transition objects Strong ego-centrism Concrete use of objects Pronouns Telegraphic sentences Two-word sentences 250 word vocabulary Names body parts (Table taken from Dr. Daugherty lecture notes, Loyola University Chicago) In Table 1.0, we can see the standardized markers which define the aggregate of infant and toddler development. Obvious delays due to mental retardation would be evident at birth. For instance, children born with Down's syndrome are born with many gross features which define this genetic trait. A child with Down's will have eye definition that is unique to Trisomy 13, a slanted palpebral fissure, and a single palm crease. The main quantifiable feature of this and the other trisomies is developmental delay. In Table 1.0 we see that a normal developing child can sit up and crawl by 4-8 months. In these aberrations, the delay an be as long as 3-6 years before the child learns to crawl. The Adolescent Young teenagers spend most of their time exploring self and self issues. Hormones dictate physical development as well as emotional. Boys become bigger and stronger, while girls become more feminine and start mentruating. Independence is developed from attending high school, getting a drivers license, and being with friends. The cognitive tasks develop hand in hand with those as the child becomes an adolescent who goes on to become a full grown adult. (Carducci, 2009) Table 2.0 defines the comparison of milestones at this age: Table 2.0 Physical and Motor Social Cognitive (Piaget) Language Development Growth Spurt (girls before boys) Sexual Maturity Primary and Secondary Sexual Characteristics Identity is critical Conformity Sports participation declines for many Cross-gender relationships Abstract from abstractions Systematic problem solving strategies Handle Hypotheticals Deals with Past, Present, and Future Personal Speech patterns Communication becomes focus of relationships (Table taken from Dr. Daugherty lecture notes, Loyola University Chicago) As noted in the table, we can evaluate normal growth and development along with psychological development to establish a baseline. Abnormalities can occur from many angles with this in mind the socioeconomic factors seen in many pieces of research indicate that depression, abandonment, and many other psychiatric disorders stem from living conditions and social environments. These abnormalities can be resolved with counseling, medications, and even a change of environments. However, many can also lead to life times of debilitating disorders and a life of homelessness, suboptimal employment prospects, and violent manifestations of anger and rage. In earlier stages of life, discipline is often addressed as a method of teaching right from wrong, getting young people to understand boundaries and following basic social constructs (Cole, 2004). Without these baseline norms, laws, and behavior rules, the person can become destructive and disordered. In addition, the continuity of disorderedness can lead to more severe psychiatric problems or even self medication drug abuse (heroine, marijuana, et al). (Carducci, 2009) For instance, teenage disruptive behavior, if not corrected, can lead to more violent behaviors such as assault, battery, and even at the extreme, murder if only due to the simple fact that the person does not see a delineation between normative social behavior and anti-social behaviors. In adolescent development we also note a distinct delineation between the male and female. Females tend to develop quicker and grow much earlier than males. They can go through puberty earlier due to the change in hormonal increases which lead to breast mass increasing, pubic hair growth, and menstruation. Boys continue to grow and develop, of course, but at a slower rate until later in their teenage years. While girls reach maximum height around 16 yrs of age, boys can continue well into age 18 and/or 19. This delay suggests that girls reach normal development in order to facilitate the continuation of the species via reproduction. Males are reproductively capable at around the same age, but many physical characteristics do not become final until later in puberty and teen age years. Graphic 1 below, shows the comparison of growth and development from birth to puberty and its acceleration phases and decelerations when growth is slowed or not existent. Mean growth velocity (upper panel), and growth acceleration (cm/y2, lower panel) for boys (solid lines) and girls (soft lines). The first and second derivatives were calculated from (37). I, infancy; C, childhood; J, juvenility and A, adolescence. In the developing adolescent, we now have a baseline from which to determine the mean physically. However social and cognitive development can have many influences not measurable on a single scale. For example, a child growing up in a wealthy neighborhood in a suburban setting is likely to develop more intense personal relationships and have a wider variety of experiences. A child whose life is confined to the urban setting, lives in a lower socioeconomic situation and is surrounded by crime and violence, may seek only simple relationships which are shallow and fleeting. The effort on behalf of the latter is merely on survival and a chance to seek escape for a few hours, days, or eventually a lifetime. Conclusion Patterns of development are well documented and we know when and how and child should be displaying skills, behaviors, and even physical traits. The understanding of the psychiatric and medical fields has been to provide a synthesis of these elements into a coherent whole in which total person development is accounted for and documented. In so doing, we can also understand and diagnose abnormalities in behaviors, body growth, and physical development. Anything which increases our understanding of childhood development can also help us see abnormalities, both physical and psychological, earlier and possibly treat them soon with greater positive outcomes. Resources Used Papalia,D.E., Wendkos Olds, S., & Duskin Feldman, R.; A Child's World Infancy Through Adolescence. (2006). Boston : McGraw-Hill Companies Stern, William; Barwell, Anna; Psychology of early childhood: Up to the sixth year of age (3rd ed. rev. and enlarged). (Trans); New York, NY, US: Henry Holt and Co. (1924). 557 pp. doi: 10.1037/11539-000 Bernardo J. Carducci, The Psychology of Personality: Viewpoints, Research, and Applications, 2009, Blackwell Publishing, London Cole,Pamela M., Martin, Sarah E. ,Dennis; Tracy A.; Emotion Regulation as a Scientific Construct: Methodological Challenges and Directions for Child Development Research; Child Development Vol. 75, No. 2 (Mar. - Apr., 2004), pp. 317-333 Ze'ev Hochberg; Evo–devo of child growth II: human life history and transition between its phases Eur J Endocrinol 2009 160 135-141 Published online before print November 20, 2008, doi: 10.1530/EJE-08-0445 Eur J Endocrinol February 1, 2009 160 135-141 Read More