Child Development and Evolutionary Psychology - Assignment Example

Running head: LONGITUDINAL STUDY. Developmental Psychology Naturalistic experiment In naturalistic experiment the researcher uses observation of peoples behavior in real world, occurrences are the n recorded and no conditions are manipulated. Psychologists use naturalistic observations to study interactions for example between teachers and students, doctors and their patients among others. Psychologist there fore uses these observations to understand everyday life of a particular culture. Animals in their natural habitat are also studied through this method (Bjorklund, 2000). Longitudinal Study Longitudinal study can be seen as a correlation study involving observation of similar items over a long period of time often one or more decades. It is usually used in psychology to in studying development across lifespans.In sociology it is used to study life events across generations; it's also used in the medical field to reveal predictors of a particular disease being studied. It is argued that longitudinal may have less power to detect causal relationship than in experiments as it is based on observation without manipulation of the state. However because of repeated observation they are deemed to be more powerful than cross observation study as they are able to exclude time invariant unobserved in individual observation (Bjorklund, 2000). Interpretation of longitudinal study The first step is to review the outcome of what is to be evaluated when it comes to the evaluation of the project. Survey outcome s which goes in line with the survey goals and objectives are selected. The data usually comes to the administrators in summary form. The second step is to achieve the set of standards on the items to be used for survey. This can be done through assignment of units of analysis to every item or variable selected for the survey. The third step is examination of data and the survey questions also their survey outcomes. The process mostly will incorporate data analysis of the objectives and the results realized (Bjorklund, 2000). The last step is to modify and alter the program based on the findings of the project. This can be through implementation of general changes or redefining the details of the project (Bjorklund, 2000). Deprivation of children of a loving home and family causes a lasting damage Deprivation of a loving home and family causes a longtime damage to their intelligence, emotional instability and affects their physical growth and development according to the study. Lack of care and attention left the children with low IQs and behavior compared to children with better home care. This study was carried out by American association for the advanced science in St Louis (Bjorklund, 2000). The first randomized clinical trial clinical trials by the Bucharest Early Intervention Projects revealed deprivation on emotional, psychological and physical health to children. The trials were set up to established the effects of social deprivation .The study ran for five years and recorded the wellbeing of Romanian orphanage from the early age and the change that occurred when they were moved to foster care. The research realized that children living in deprived conditions in this case the orphanage suffered from stunted growth falling within the shortest 10% for their age. When the showed outstanding growth moved to fostered care spurts of even five times they were growing. They also seem to undergo through puberty faster and at a younger age thus missing out long spells of growths that most children seem to experience. The growth can not be contributed to nutrition as it was also adequate when they were in the orphanages thus attributed to lack of attentive environment (Bjorklund, 2000). Problems a researcher may face The first problem is getting a good sample to carry out his study. The study has to be carried out for a long period of time in order to be able to record the variables. This means the researcher should have a number of children in deprived environment and then monitor them when they are change to a decent family. The researcher may also be required to have high financial resources and ample tame to conduct his or her study. This is because the experiment runs for a period of time and also requires commitment when it comes to monitoring the changes. The researcher also may not be able to carry out his study as required if there is no cooperation between him and the parties concerned .All the parties should be willing to participate and give the results for example the children who may show negative feelings towards him, the care takers who may not be willing to cooperate, the foster family among others. This can be overcome through changing of their attitude s in a positive manner (Bjorklund, 2000). The researcher may also face rejection by the children who she is studying as they at most time show negative feelings to others. This means that she will not be able to collect the views he or she may need. Stages of development: Piaget Piaget identified stages of development that occur in children and he divided them into various stages .The first stage is the sensori- motor stage, From birth up to the age of two years ,children in this case experience the world through their senses and movement. This is done using the five senses. Its divided into six stages which include, simple reflexes, first habits and circular reaction, secondary circular reactions, coordination of the secondary circular reactions tertiary circular reactions, and internalisation of schemes (Bjorklund, 2000). The second stage is calledPreoperational stage experienced between 2 to 7 years of age in minors. It involves magical thinking and acquisition of motor skills. Egocentrism is strong but eventually weakens .The children in this stage can not conserve nor use logical thinking. The third stage is the concrete operational stage which occurs between the ages of 7 to 12 years. The children are very concrete in thinking though they can now use logic. They can be able to conserve and thin k logically with use of aid. At this stage they arte not egocentric (Bjorklund, 2000). The last stage is from 12 years onwards and there is construction of abstract reasoning. References Bjorklund, D. F. & Pellegrini, A. D. (2000). Child Development and Evolutionary Psychology. Child Development, 71, 1687-1708 Read More