Human Development: Middle Childhood versus Adolescence - Assignment Example

 Human Development: Middle Childhood versus Adolescence Human development comprises all the psychological changes one goes through in their life stages. It is also known as psychological development. Earlier, the field’s concern was in children and infants. However, the whole life span gets consideration. Motor skills, among other changes in one’s psychology such as moral understanding, identity information, and understanding of concepts, acquiring language, and abilities to solve problems encompass the fields of psychological development. In the investigation by psychologists of development, their interest becomes understanding the qualitative differences between children and adults. The development stages include prenatal, infancy, toddler, early childhood, middle childhood, adolescence, early adulthood, middle age, old age, and death. However, this essay concentrates on the differences that exist in middle childhood and adolescence. In this regard, the focus is on emotional, social, and cognitive changes. In terms of social skills, children become progressively capable of affective and cognitive perspective taking during the elementary school years. A move from early grades toward adolescence, most children become better, able in understanding that the personalities and identities of all people are coherent and continuing, and others inner states go beyond the immediate observable situation (Berk, 2014:p.178). In addition, in middle childhood, the ability to generate alternative solutions to potential social problems becomes an increasingly important social skill. For instance, one might expect a young child to respond to teasing by his peers with a limited range of options, but an older child who displays such limited solutions to social problems becomes at risk socially. In this regard, the one thing that reveals itself at this stage is problem-solving skills. Another important thing at this stage is mutual attention and providing feedback. Consequent, ability to speak positively becomes a crucial quality of interpersonal communication and an expectation of the peers (Berk, 2014:p.188). By mid-elementary school, children tend to describe friendship as people who help and support each other. Entrance into elementary school opens up a complex social world to the children. They begin to form peer groups that differ in social status. The use of gossip, humor, negative evaluation, and teasing is common. Berk (2014:p.207) states that the increase in this social behaviors sometimes has negative social consequences. However, it may also serve the purpose of strengthening friendships and specific peers groups. Obviously, as the use of specific forms of social communication increases, the complexity of a child’s language and communication skills also increases. Adolescence sets in at about 13-14 years and halts at the commencement of adult responsibilities. At this age, the persons quit trial and errors. Instead, they use cognitive ability to know what is right or wrong. Social development in this stage is characterized by an increase in complexity of demands, abilities, and social expectations. As their cognitive and social abilities mature, adolescents become capable of a higher level of cognitive and emotional response. The cognitive-emotional skills attained by many adolescents are a result of formal development of empathy (Berk, 2014:p.287). The advanced language development that occurs by adolescence allows increased complexity and some supportive social communication statements. By the end of adolescence, the use of appropriate verbal comforting statements becomes an important skill. In addition, generation of alternate solutions to problems becomes even more important. The friendship by adolescents is more complex as compared to that of the middle childhood group. Friends are described as individuals with close, mutual relationships which help each other with psychological problems, are open and sensitive, and do not cause problems for each other (Berk, 2014: p 304). In addition, being exclusive and ‘nice’ becomes less important. Friendships at this stage become more autonomous; with increased interdependence, relating to psychological support tends to occur hand in hand. According to Berk, friendships are means of exploring who one is, what they believe in, and what they will become through complex verbal interactions in a supportive environment. In this regard, this acts as a personal identity phase (Berk, 2014:p.308). In middle childhood, children undergo cognitive changes, more pronounced than physical ones. The children can imagine the consequences of their actions without doing the particular act. An explanation of this is in ‘Piaget’s concrete operation’. The theory explains that when children get to this stage, they exhibit ‘what if’ scenarios. Consequently, they develop mathematical abilities by imagining several calculations and solutions to concrete problems. Such operations are concrete as they are real places, places, things, et cetera. However, abstract things become challenging for them to decipher. An example is what happens when they fail to go to school for. In the Piagetian theory, this only happens when the children get into adolescence. In terms of emotional changes, adolescents show independence from their parents, start getting thoughts about the future, their world positions, pay attention to teamwork and friendships (Berk, 2014:p.312). In addition, they crave liking and acceptance from their friends and families. On the other hand, children in middle childhood at this age tend to form relationships that are more complex. Consequently, they predispose themselves to peer pressure and become more cautious of their body changes during puberty (Berk, 2014:p.314). Finally, the importance of human development studies is important in understanding of human behaviors from infancy to death. However, the most important phases of development are in childhood and adolescence. Also seen above, each development stage sets pace for the entrance of the other. The changes exhibited are in the social, emotional, and cognitive development. Social changes are mostly about how the child relates to people and the environment. Cognitive is however more about how they develop their mental abilities in solving life challenges. On the other hand, emotional changes are those that involve how the individual feels about the way they get treatment from their relationships. It also depicts their craving for love and attention. Reference Berk, L. E. (2014). Development through the lifespan (6th ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon Read More