...Lifespan and Personality Development: Middle Childhood Taylor Nail PSY/103 February 02, 2015 Michael Phillips Lifespan and Personality Development: Middle Childhood What kinds of things can affect an individual from the age of 6 to 12 years? There are many things that can affect a person of this age group (middle childhood). During the middle childhood, Social and Moral Development describes that “children either develop a sense of their own competence at a variety of tasks, especially schoolwork, or they come to believe they are not capable of success (n.d.)”. Even though this age group can determine their own success and their own identity, there are factors that can affect these individuals’ physical, cognitive and social, moral, and personality development. There are many things that can affect the physical development in young children during their middle childhood, including environmental influences. With all of the research going on these days, it all loops back around to one issue these children face in the environment; obesity. For example, more and more children are spending more time watching television, and while watching the television they are snacking or having more meal time causing them to increase in weight, ultimately affecting their physical development. This problem increases as the children grow older. “Children’s TV time and home environment factors were assessed longitudinally among 169 families with children followed from 6 to 12 years of age...
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...Childhood Development Essay The years from two to six years of age are referred to as early childhood or the preschool years of the developmental process (Rathus, 2012, p. 123). The early childhood years are critical to the future develop of the child. The brain development is intensive and sensitive to external environmental influences; therefore, it is imperative that its stimulation and nutrition are adequate and influences are positive (Makkaoui, 2009). “The brain develops more quickly than any other organ in early childhood (Rathus, 2012, p. 124). Such development helps to ensure that each child reaches his or her potential and is a productive part of a rapidly changing, global society (Makkaoui, 2009). As their nervous system matures, their motor skills explode and their movements become more and more precise and coordinated (Rathus, 2012, p. 125). The physical development is somewhat of a natural process. A few weeks after conception, the embryo is visible (Rathus, 2012, p. 37). If the mother takes the proper precautions by receiving adequate nutrition, medical attention, physical exercise and rest and relaxation, the embryo will continue to develop and grow into a fetus and eventually enters the world of the unknown outside the womb (Rathus, 2012, pp. 37-40). After the birth, the physical growth continues voluntarily. There is no formula or recipe that one must remember in order to assure the child continue to grow. Provided the child receives the proper nutrition...
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...Infancy and Early Childhood Development Terrence O. Roberts PSY/375 March 30, 2015 11:59 pm Linda O'Connor Infancy and Early Childhood Development One’s early childhood and infancy are some of the most advanced periods of their lives. This development is beneficial to the child’s productive abilities in life. These developmental stages form a foundation for the child’s future learning and well-being. Elements that effect a child during their infancy and early childhood can hinder a child’s development. Particular elements such as one’s family as well as their parenting styles. Some parent’s style of raising children are more effective than other parents’ methods. There are also certain programs that have been developed to influence cognitive development. Family’s effect on Development One’s family and their influences affect them during infancy and early childhood more than any other period in their lives. If a child’s family is attentive, sensitive and responsive the child tends to develop better. Family’s show this during the child’s infancy and early childhood in manners such as a gentle reassuring touch, overheard conversation, and facial expressions which improves the speech of young children (Berger, 2011). Families are the first teachers for infants and young children. It’s this relationship between young children and their families that determine how they development. “Early relationships help infants developing...
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...Child Influences Lariann Martinez PSY/103 October 5, 2014 Dr. Mathew Pearcey Child Influences Humans develop in amazing ways, starting from two individual cells to having a human body and brain that can be cognitive and perform remarkable tasks. There are many evolving stages that are unique to those phases, I am going to focus on middle age development and how so many influences create a person. Before we get to middle age children we first we need to discuss what starts the cycle. There are two types of influences that create a human being; one is genetic development which starts with two living cells then they transform into a breathing human being. Those cells are packed with traits and genes and are passed on from one generation of a living being to the next until that line no longer reproduces. We do know that most every physical, mental, and social-emotional trait is affected by genes. We also know that genes influence your growth and development in many ways. According to Cherry, k (N.D) In order to fully understand this, it is important to first distinguish between a child's genetic inheritance and the actual expression of those genes. A genotype refers to all of the genes that a person has inherited. The actual express of these traits is the person's phenotype. The phenotype can include physical traits, such as height and color or the eyes, as well as nonphysical traits such as shyness, a high strung temperament or a thirst for adventure. Agreeing with...
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...Infancy and Early Childhood Development Cynthia Miranda PSY 375 July 2, 2012 Dr. Aneta Bhojwani Infancy and Early Childhood Development Every human being begins developing in one way or another, from the moment they come into this world. Development and all its aspects begin in infancy and continue throughout one’s entire lifetime. It is a common belief that infants and young children are influenced by the environment that surrounds them. Cognitive and social aspects of development are shaped and molded at an early age, as well as language, speech, perception, and motor skills. A young child’s life is influenced by parents and family members, which is why they have a significant impact on the child’s development. When a child is old enough to attend school, he or she will also begin to adapt to the atmosphere of the school they are attending and to educational environment in that school; this will in turn affect the child’s cognitive development and social skills. Family Influences When a baby is first born, his or her brain begins to go through developmental changes. During the early stages of childhood, experiences can be split into two categories, experience-expectant and experience-dependent. Expectant experiences are those experiences that are common and somewhat universal experiences, and that most infants go through. Some of these experiences can be, but are not limited to, love from parents or families, perception of surrounding objects, and recognizing...
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...Literature and Topic Review for Environmental Influences on Personality Name Institution Literature and Topic Review for Environmental Influences on Personality 1.0 Introduction What makes an individual unique is their personality. A person’s personality refers to his mental features that differentiate this person from other people. Personality comprises of all patterns of emotions and thought that cause human beings to say things and to do them in particular ways. Personality signifies the most critical parts for a person’s psychological life. To this end, personality is, therefore, organized and dynamic set of characteristics that a person possesses (Lewis, 2001). These unique features influence a person’s motivations, behaviors and his or her cognitions in various situations. Personality is psychological, though biological processes also influence our behaviors. Our thoughts, social interactions, behavior, close relationships and feeling all influence our personality. The environment influences our personality (Myers, 2004). Anything that affects a person except his or her genes is the environment. Many external factors help in shaping our personality. These external factors include the people around us and the places that we live. Our friends, family, daily experiences, and all the people whom we interact with influence our personality. However, every person has a personality that is unique to them (Simanowitz...
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...Middle Childhood and Adolescence Kierra Williams PSY/280 October 30, 2012 Mara Husband Middle Childhood and Adolescence Middle childhood is the period of life that occurs between the ages 7 and 11. During these times of children lives they are in school and are making many different friends, and their cognitive and physical skills are enhancing. On the other hand, middle childhood period normally introduce individuals into new sets of challenges; not only for the child but for the parents as well. After middle childhood comes the adolescence stage, this period of life children face drastic changes. This stage can range from as early as 8 years old to 18. This essay will describe changes that occur during middle childhood and adolescence concerning family and peer relationships, and how they might influence future development. Established and caring families are central components throughout middle childhood and adolescence developmental stage. The way a family works and cares for its member is called family function. The most vital family function is to provide a place of protection for each family member. Individuals of different age ranges have particular needs from their relatives. Berger’s (2010) study found the following: Children thrive if families function for them in five ways: 1. Provide basic necessities. Children aged 6 to 11 can eat, dress, wash, and sleep without help, but someone must provide food, clothing, and shelter. 2. Encourage learning. School-age...
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...Cognitive development – education foundations. Perry D, (2002), ‘Childhood Experience and the Expression of Genetic Potential: What Childhood Neglect Tells Us About Nature and Nurture’, Brain and Mind, 3 (1), pp79-100, accessed 21/03/13, Pro Quest Central database. The aim of this article is to explore the impact of childhood neglect on cognitive development. The author has studied different sources, animal studies and childhood reports to compare the effects. Research suggested that nurturing is most critical in early childhood, without positive experiences neurodevelopment may not be successful. The first investigation showed that animals in enriched environments thrived with larger complex brains rather then those in deprived conditions. In comparison the studies of neglect in early childhood indicate when necessary experiences are not provided neural systems are underdeveloped. Overall its believed that positive experiences allow genetic potential to thrive therefore a combination of nature and nurture has effect. The focus of this article exemplifies the crucial aspect of relationship experiences and whether they positively or negatively impact cognitive development. The author discusses the complex neurone system and how it is during childhood growth, the brain is most sensitive. This is key as it relates to lecture concepts on the importance of ‘early care in relation to the sensitivity of the brain’ and without exposure to positive experiences there is a lack in...
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...Middle Childhood and Adolescence Paper PSY/280 April 17, 2013 Rosita Rodriguez Middle Childhood and Adolescence Paper Childhood years can be one of the most wonderful times in life. These years can be full of fun. At this age of innocence a child is most impressionable by learning from their surrounding environment. The beginning of a child’s life can be broken down into different stages leading into an adult. In this paper the focus will be on the middle childhood and adolescence. The research will focus on evaluating the effect of functional and dysfunctional family dynamics on development such as family structure, function, and shared and non-shared environments. Examination of additional pressures that are faced in adolescence versus middle childhood, also the research will help to determine the positive and negative impact of peers and changes in peer relations from middle childhood to adolescence. The research will then discuss the development of moral values from middle childhood and adolescence. “It is human to have a long childhood; it is civilized to have an even longer childhood. Long childhood makes a technical and mental virtuoso out of man, but it also leaves a life-long residue of emotional immaturity in him.” — Erik Homburger Erikson (1902-1994) Erik Erikson a theorist believes that our temperament traits are inborn. Other characteristics such as competency or inferiority can be learned according to the challenges or support an individual receives...
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...Child Development During a child’s early development they learn more quickly than any other time in their life. They are eager to learn and are easily influenced throughout their childhood. These influences are categorized in three different groups. They are social, economic, and cultural influences. These different influences can affects a child’s development both negatively and positively. Social influence is very important for all ages, but it changes and forms over the course of childhood. Social influence comes in many shapes and sizes, but there are some majors influences that affect a child more dramatically. One of the main positive social influences is family. Family is especially important because they are the people that a child spends most of their early childhood with. They have a direct and indirect influences on the challenges that children encounter and have the resources they need to accomplish those certain challenges. Within the family children learn social skills and attach to people who love and care for them. Children who have parents that spend time with them are able to reach out and relate to others. There is a theory called the Attachment Theory which explain that the emergence of an emotional bond between an infant and their parent or caregiver and the way in which this bond affects the child's behavioral and emotional development into adulthood. According to this theory, children who have a secure bond with their parent use this attachment to...
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...Theories of Development Ronny Wagner PSY Child and Adolescent Development Instructor: Daniella Atwell September 10, 2012 Theories of Development Child development from birth to adulthood was largely ignored throughout much of early history. The knowledge of child development is essential in allowing us to understand the cognitive, physical, and psychosocial growth that children go through from birth into early adulthood. There is much debate whether emotional responses are genetic, as we are born with them, or are they learned from our environment. This is known as the nature vs. nature debate. Children were often viewed simply as small versions of adults and little attention was paid to progress in reference to cognitive, physical, and psychosocial growth. Many childhood developmental theories have been proposed by theorists and researchers. Following are a few of those theories and the theorist behind the theory. Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) Childhood is a culturally defined period in human development that is between infancy and adulthood. Only in the past 400 years or so has the idea of childhood been a part of Western culture. Early childhood most often refers to the months and years between infancy and school age or middle childhood: 2 to 5 years. The preschool years are a time of significant and complex advances and reorganization in behavior. Learning, perception, reasoning, memory, and social relations undergo important changes and progressions in early...
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...Infancy and Early Childhood Development Paper By: Pamela Smith March 8, 2014 PSY 375 Life Span Human Development Introduction While researching this topic I found it to be interesting that there is a controversy about this topic. When Judith Rich Harris published her book in 1998 "The Nurture Assumption" which in the book Harris revels that parents have little to no influence over the long-term development of their child's development. Therefore, developmental psychologist have found themselves on the defense about this topic. Harris believed that the child developed more by the people around them and the surrounding around them outside the home. Her ideas went widespread and gained media attention and therefore the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation sponsored a conference on parentingr." The fruit of this conference is a book, "Parenting and the Child's World: Influences on Academic, Intellectual and Socio emotional Development," to be published next year by Erlbaum. Chapters by Harris and behavioral geneticist David Rowe, PhD, present data to support Harris's view, while a cadre of developmental psychologists detail decades of research that they feel demonstrates the role parents play in influencing children's development" (Azar, pg. 62). Parents do matter, from the way they parent, to the foods they let the children eat, academics, socially, and personality development in a child. When...
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...Infancy Anna Parks PSY/375 7-21-14 Dr. Luster Infancy Every human being begins developing in one way or another, from the moment they come into this world. Development and all its aspects begin in infancy and continue throughout one’s entire lifetime. It is a common belief that infants and young children are influenced by the environment that surrounds them. Cognitive and social aspects of development are shaped and molded at an early age, as well as language, speech, perception, and motor skills. A young child’s life is influenced by parents and family members, which is why they have a significant impact on the child’s development. When a child is old enough to attend school, he or she will also begin to adapt to the atmosphere of the school they are attending and to educational environment in that school; this will in turn affect the child’s cognitive development and social skills. When a baby is first born, his or her brain begins to go through developmental changes. During the early stages of childhood, experiences can be split into two categories, experience-expectant and experience-dependent. Expectant experiences are those experiences that are common and somewhat universal experiences, and that most infants go through. Some of these experiences can be, but are not limited to, love from parents or families, perception of surrounding objects, and recognizing facial expressions (Berger, 2008). Dependent experiences are less universal and are more individualized, and...
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...What Factors Affect Physical Development? Last Updated: Jun 24, 2015 | By Marie Cheour Young children are playing outside. Photo Credit Cameron Spencer/Photodisc/Getty Images Overview Physical development and growth are influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. For example, malnutrition can delay a child’s physical development significantly. On the other hand, according to the University of Minnesota, the role of some environmental factors, such as the amount of exercise the child is getting, has a much smaller effect on physical development than was previously thought. Genetics When a child is born, he has a unique set of genetic instructions that influence his physical growth. According to the University of Minnesota, genetics have a strong effect on rate of growth, the size of body parts and the onset of growth events. In one study, Dr. Stefan A. Czerwinski and colleagues followed their subjects for thirty years. By using such parental measurements as height and weight, these scientists were able to predict quite accurately the approximate height and weight of their subjects at the age of thirty. Other factors found to be closely linked to their parental values were blood pressure and body fat percentage, as well as muscle and total body mass. The study was published in the “American Journal of Human Biology” in September 2007. Environment Genetics alone, however, cannot determine the physical development of the child. The Minnesota Twin Studies have shown...
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...psychology. It centers around the influence of inherited genes and environmental factors on the human development. Nature is those things inherited such as eye color, hair color, certain diseases, etc. Nurture is all the environmental influences after conception which influences development such as carcinogens, language, behaviors, etc. Some philosophers believe most of our characteristics and behaviors are as a result of inherited genes. Those who believe in extreme hereditary influences are known as Nativist. However, others believe the mind is born as a blank slate and we are who we are because of our experiences and are learned behaviors. Those who believe strongly in environmental influences are known as empiricists. (McLeod, 2007) Why has this debate become so controversial? According to McLeod, 2007 this debate has become heated because it begins a way of evaluating behavioral differences in society which then becomes a political debate about distributive justice and power in society. Many in psychology have come to the realization it is not an all or nothing view. Therefore, the debate has become one of deciding which one is most important. Leaving the question of if both factors influence our development which one is more responsible? Case Study A The Italian National Institute of Health, Rome Italy performed a twin study of the attachment styles in young adults. They assessed the relative contribution of both genetic and environmental influences to individual differences...
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