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Children Under 7 Case Study

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Children Under 7 Case Study
Anjeana Epps
Liberty University Online - APA

Abstract
The paper will discuss the myelination and the corpus callosum and define and discuss the prefrontal cortex as well as the limbic systems as it relates to the development of a child under the age of 7. Further this paper will explore Paget's theories on of how children under the age of 7 experience different cognitive developments which don't support critical thinking, and Erickson's theory that children under the age of 7 must resolve several crisis that involve the need of the individual conflicting with the needs of society. This papers perspective will show that a child under the age of 7 is not capable of being criminally responsible.

Children under the age of 7 should not be held criminally responsible for crimes due to the biological underdevelopment of their brains, the immaturities of their thought processes and the lack of resolution of their psychosocial stages. By ages 6 children have less myelination (fatty tissue that speeds the transmission from neuron to neuron) than teenagers. During this time, myelination areas focus on the motor and sensory area not on information processing that is significantly slower (page 220). Myelination also affects the development of the corpus callosum which affects communication between the right an left hemispheres of the brain. Another biological issue is the lack of maturation of the prefrontal cortex. May children under 6 years of age are unbalanced which is evidenced by impulsivity (pg 223). Impulse control "the ability to postpone or deny the immediate response to an idea or behavior." Poor impulse control, indicates a personality disorder in adults, but does not in early childhood, in early childhood it is quite normal. Perseveration "the tendency to persevere in, or stick to, one thought or action for a long time." according to (Else-Quest et al., 2006) Impulsiveness and perseveration are opposite manifestations of the same underlying cause: immaturity of the prefrontal cortex.
The prefrontal cortex is the gray matter of the anterior part of the frontal lobe that is highly developed in humans and plays a role in the regulation of complex cognitive, emotional, and behavioral functioning. (Merriam-Webster 2015). This portion of the brain is not fully developed until the age of 24 to 25.
The limbic system plays a role in children under 6 years of age. The amygdala registers emotions both positive and negative, especially fear. As a child they respond to comfort not logic (pg224). The hippocampus regulates memories and responds to the anxieties of the amygdala either positive or negative. The hypothalamus regulates the cortisol in a person which can calm the anxieties of the amygdala when appropriate and clam or heighten fears.

Piaget's Operational Stages state that cognitively during the preoperational stage toddlers 18-24 months through early childhood (age 7), that during this stage young children are able to think about things symbolically. They develop memory and imagination, which allows them to under the difference between past and future, and engage in make believe. But their thinking is based on intuition and still not completely logical. They cannot grasp more complex concepts such as cause and effect, time and comparison. According to Piaget's concrete operational theory it is not until elementary school age and pre-adolescent (7-11) that children demonstrate logical, concrete reasoning. However, I want to note that Piaget states that during this stage most children still cannot think abstractly or hypothetically.
The psychosocial period of a child's development also plays a large role in the theory that a child under the age of 7 should not be held responsible for criminal actions. At this stage a child is just beginning learn how to plan activities, make up games, and initiate activities with others. Conversely, if this tendency is stifled through criticism or control, children develop a sense of guilt. They often times feel like a nuisance to others and will therefore remain followers, lacking in self-initiative. At this stage a child is just beginning to ask many questions as his thirst for knowledge is still growing.
A child under the age of 7 should not be held criminally accountable as their brain has not fully developed to the point that they are capable to fully comprehend the cause and effect of their actions. They are not fully aware of what is reality and what is not based on the theories of Piaget and Erikson. Under the age of 7 a child is in the beginning states of their development of both mind and body, their brains are incapable of processing cognitive reasoning to the point of rational thinking. A child's perception of harm is essentially inconceivable. Yes it has been proven that a child under the age of 7 is aware of emotion, that one cries, that one laughs that one is angry, however, a child under the age of 7 is unable to rationalize that when I hit it hurts the other person. A 6 year olds mind is self centered and their thoughts are not developed enough to understand the impact their action will have on someone else. Children under 7 are struggling with reality verse non-realities such as the monster in the closet or under the bed.
While the focus and position of this paper is not on the social and economical attributes that play a role in how a child under the age of 7 may behave, they are factors nonetheless, and often times than not significantly impact on the development of the child in that a child under the age of 7 mimic what they are exposed to, weather that environment be either positive or negative. Caregivers are the child's eyes to the world, what they hear and see in the home, what they are exposed to through means of media are all impactful to a young developing mind. A child under 7 years of age should not be criminally held responsible because they are not cognitively, psychosocially nor biosocial capable to do so.

References

Berger, K. (2014). Early Childhood. In The Developing Person Through the Life Span (9th ed.). New York,, NY: Worth.
Merrian-Webster. (2015, January 1). Retrieved April 8, 2015, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dictionary

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