Rational Based Developmental Theory
Bethanie Knoll
Kaplan University
PS220-Child and Adolescent Psychology

Rational Based Developmental Theory
At the moment of conception of a child, parents have already started planning for their child’s future. As in this case, John and Sue must decide which child care provider would provide their 8 week old baby, Tyree, the best start to her future. Although Child Care B is less expensive than Child Care A, Tyree is not as independent as the other children so she will need more attention given to her while she is awake. Child Care A has enough staff that Tyree can have the care she needs immediately instead of having to wait for a staff member to get to her like she would with Child Care B. Therefore, I choose Child Care A as the best facility for Tyree to develop cognitively as well as receive the bonding she needs for her emotional and social development. According to Piaget, Tyree is in the sensorimotor stage, which is the first stage of cognitive development and is from birth to 2 years of age and thought is based primarily on action. (Bukatko, 2008, pg200-202) Piaget’s theory develops a cognitive structure for Tyree when choosing Child Care A. Cognitive psychology studies the mental processes, like perception, learning and memory. Infants learn by repetition and the use of their senses. By seeing the caregiver on a regular bases Tyree will learn whom she can trust, she will also learn to perceive those in Child Care A as a safe, friendly and loving place. Child Care A will only be beneficial to Tyree if the parents are consistent with their care of her. This is when nature vs. nurture would come into play. During infancy a child needs to have consistency, predictability, and reliability in their caregivers. This includes the parents as well as the child care provider. Child Care A provides a safe environment with the shelves being lower which will lessen the likelihood of Tyree climbing as she gets older which allows for a safe environment. It also allows her to learn some independence as she gets older by having the toys where she can get what she wants. Tyree will have room to crawl, play, and rest. Because the ratio of caregivers versus child, she will have her needs of comfort and care taken care of more consistently rather than with Child Care B where she would have to wait till they had time. The caregivers at Child Care A are available to soothe the child and talk to them during everyday interactions whether that is changing her diaper or soothing her to sleep. (Bukatko, 2008, pg. 26) Tyree also has a more efficient and consistent place to be able to use her large and small muscles gaining knowledge in her motor skills. One of the most actively researched aspects of emotional and social development is attachment which is the strong emotional bond that emerges between infant and caregiver. (Bukatko, 2008, pg. 247) Learning theorists believe that certain basic drives, such as hunger, are satisfied by primary reinforces, rewards that gratify the biological needs. (Bukatko, 2008 pg. 248) Since, Tyree, is still an infant she cries when she is in need like when she is hungry. With
Child Care B, Tyree would have to wait before being cared for and with Child Care A she would have the primary and secondary reinforcements met consistently and in a timely manner. Her primary reinforcement would be her form of food (i.e. formula or breast milk) and her secondary reinforcement would be the childcare provider as they would be the one to give her the food and meet her needs. Proponents of the ethological position state that attachments occur as a result of the infant’s innate tendency to signal the caregiver and the caregiver’s corresponding predisposition to react to these signals. (Bukatko, 2008, pg. 249) The result of the caregiver from Child Care A meeting her needs they will form a bond between each other which gives Tyree the comfort in knowing she will be cared for properly.
Erikson’s psychosocial stages state that Tyree is in the Childhood stage and the 1st year of life. In this stage Erikson shows that a child that has trust has faith in the environment and in future events. (Bukatko, 2008) This allows Tyree to develop a more concrete trust with Child Care A than if she starts with Child Care B and is then moved to Child Care A or another child care facility at a later time. Although it is more expensive, I don’t think you can put a price on the child care you give to your children when you cannot care for them yourself. I recommend that Tyree be placed with Child Care A as she will have the best care given to her overall cognitively, socially, and emotionally.

References
Bukatko, D. (2008). Child and adolescent development: A chronological approach. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning.