2. Studying a Childs World Chapter 1

3. The Study of Child Development  Scientific Study of Processes of Change and Stability in Human Children  Quantitative change  Qualitative change

4. The Study of Child Development  Early Approaches  Baby biographies: as early as 1787  Darwin (1877) journal gave baby biographies scientific respectability  Wild boy of Aveyron  Hall (1904) pioneered adolescence studies  Gesell (1930s) studied child motor development

5. The Study of Child Development  Studying the Life Span  All aspects of human development from conception to death  Growth and development occur throughout the life span  Aspects of adult development have an impact on the way children develop

6. The Study of Child Development  New Frontiers  Basic Research (to answer questions) versus Applied Research (to solve a practical problem)  Questions, methods, and explanations became more eclectic  Technology (e.g. cameras, videos, and computers) improved objectivity

7. The Study of Child Development  Domains of Development  Physical: Growth of body and brain, sensory capacities, and motor skills  Cognitive: Mental abilities, such as learning, memory, language, thinking, reasoning, and creativity  Psychosocial: Personality, emotions, and social relationships

8. The Study of Child Development  Periods of Development  Social construction  Concept of adolescence is quite recent  Until the early 20 th century young people were considered children until they left school, married, or got a job  Comprehensive high school made adolescence a distinct period

9. Periods of Development: A Social Construction Table 1.1 Prenatal Period: Conception to birth Infancy and Toddlerhood: Birth to age 3 Early Childhood: 3 to 6 years Middle Childhood: 6 to 11 years Adolescence: 11 to about 20 years

10. The Study of Child Development  Heredity  Inborn traits or characteristics from biological parents  Environment  World outside the self  Socialization  Maturation  Unfolding of a universal, natural sequence of changes

11. The Study of Child Development  Contexts of Development  Family  Nuclear family  Two-generational kinship, economic, and household unit  Two biological parents and their biological, adopted, and/or stepchildren  Extended family  Multigenerational kinship network of grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.

12. The Study of Child Development  Contexts of Development  Socioeconomic status (SES) and Neighborhood  Income  Education  Occupation

13. The Study of Child Development  Contexts of Development  Culture  Defined as a group ’ s total way of life including customs, traditions, laws, knowledge, beliefs, values, language, and physical products  Is constantly changing, often through contact with other cultures

14. The Study of Child Development  Contexts of Development  Ethnicity  Ethnic groups consist of people united by a distinctive culture  The United States’ immigrant population has shifted from Europe and Canada to Asia and Latin America  By 2040 the minority population is projected to rise to 50 percent  There is a wide diversity within ethnic groups

15. The Study of Child Development  Normative and Nonnormative Influences  Normative age-graded influences  Normative history-graded influences  Historical generation  Cohort  Nonnormative  Unusual events that have a major impact on individual lives, e.g. winning the lottery

16. The Study of Child Development  Timing of Influences: Critical or Sensitive Periods  Imprinting  Critical period  Controversial: Sensitive periods may be more useful  Plasticity

17. An Emerging Consensus  All domains of development are interrelated  Normal development includes a wide range of individual differences within the general processes all children follow as they develop

18. An Emerging Consensus  Children Help Shape Their Own Development and Influence Others ’ Responses to Them  Historical and Cultural Contexts Strongly Influence Development

19. An Emerging Consensus  Early Experience Is Important, but Children Can Be Remarkably Resilient  Development in Childhood Is Part of Development Throughout the Life Span