...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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...Life span Development paper LiveDream Susan Cohen PSY/375 06/22/15 Introduction The development of Infancy and Early Childhood is a combination of biological, psychological and emotional changes that are developed in an individual between the time of birth and to the end of adolescence. During this span of birth and early childhood the most critical stages of development are at work laying down the foundation that will affect the learning skills and social, cognitive and emotional development. Aspects that surround an individual during this very important time will either nurture or hinder their progress of development. The aspects that are detrimental to infancy and early childhood development are the environment of one’s family, cognitive development through early childhood education and parenting styles. Families Affect The Development of Infants And Young Children. “Families are the first to teach infants and young children, which fosters development during infancy and early childhood. Early relationships help infants develop a working model, a set of assumptions that become a frame of reference for later life” (Berger, 2011, p. 189). During infancy and early childhood the effects of the family environment is the most influential part of an individual’s development. The culture and environment of the family bring the infant experiences that that either nurture or set back their development. An infant that lives in an environment where he or she receives expectations...
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...2016 Task stream Assignment #2 Cognitive learning is an essential part of the developmental process; it is the way our brains process information received. It is important to understand how the cognitive learning process changes throughout the human life span to fully comprehend the way we think and process information. Psychologist Jean Piaget, was the most influential theorist who described the cognitive development process. Piaget, “envisioned a child's knowledge as composed of schemes, basic units of knowledge used to organize past experiences and serve as a basis for understanding new ones” (Encyclopedia). Furthermore, in a human’s life span there are eight stages in which our cognitive learning changes: infancy, early childhood, middle childhood, adolescence, early adulthood, middle adulthood and late adulthood. This essay will take a look at the changes in cognitive learning over the human lifespan. The first stage we will look at is cognitive learning in infancy. The stage of infancy is considered birth through age two years old. Cognitive learning begins immediately after birth, infants learn to use their senses to explore their surroundings (Encyclopedia). Newborns are really good at identifying sounds and recognizing their mother’s voice. As the infant grows they begin to understand words; around the age of 18 months old the infant should be able to understand between 100 and 150 words. The next stage is early childhood; the age range is from two years old...
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...young childhood, his or her environment expands to include the child’s ecosystem (community, schools, church, and neighbors). Slowly through life, new influences add to the child’s history, but the most influential during these two stages are the family and early education. The main contextual influences in infancy and early childhood include parents, siblings, grandparents, and often surrogates (nannies, foster parents, adopted parents, and routine caretakers). These individual’s influence language, socialization, emotional development, temperament, attachments, and they provide the first cultural context. The family is the foundation for psychosocial, cognitive, and biosocial development. An infant is completely dependent on the parent, caretaker, or surrogate. Early experiences that mold psychosocial and cognitive development are dependent on socialization within the child’s family. A newborn quickly learns to associate a mother’s smell to comfort and nourishment. A few months later, a child delights in the faces of his or her family. Gradually, the child will begin to sort through the speech stream and learn the language spoken by his or her parents. Arranz, Oliva, De Miguel, Olabarrieta, and Richards (2010) propose that the continuation of positive parental expectations, scaffolding, attachment style, attachment quality, and authoritative parenting throughout infancy and early childhood results in more advanced cognitive development. In early childhood, the...
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...Infancy and Early Childhood Development Paper DeAnna Buckley Psy 375 November 17, 2014 Linda O'Connor Infancy and Early Childhood Development Paper Introduction Parents get excited to hear their baby’s first words and wonder will it be mama or da da? To see their first steps to experience the moment when they use the potty for the first time to when they go for their first day of preschool. All of these brief experiences are unforgettable precious moments. There are so many important aspects as an infant grows and develops into early childhood. There are several essential aspects that affect how a child develops such as how families affect development. In addition, this paper will discuss in further detail how specific parenting styles such as authoritarian, authoritative, permissive, and uninvolved can affect childhood development. Furthermore, another influential factor can be early childhood education and its influence on cognitive development. Families Affect Development Families can help aide in the development of children but can hinder learning and development also. Families possess more influence on a child’s development than any other person or situation at that current time or any other period of life. “Nurturing relationships in a family are critical for the healthy development of a child. If a child feels safe, secure, and loved in their family, it helps with the formation of their self-esteem and well-being. It can also lead to a child who is more socially...
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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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...------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------- Childhood to Adolescence Development ------------------------------------------------- Monica Rodriguez-Sosa ------------------------------------------------- University of Houston – Downtown Introduction As we age and grow in life, we constantly change in many different aspects. It is natural for humans to develop new ways of thinking, being, and feeling. At childhood, we might have show certain behaviors that we do not show in adolescence. Not only does our behavior change, but our physical appearance does too, along with our emotions. This paper will detail three changes that take place in each of the realms of cognitive, physical, and emotional growth from childhood to adolescence. Early Childhood First, physical development of a child occurs at a slower rate than infancy. Boyd and Bee (2009) write that every year a child ages, they grow about two to three in height and about six pounds in weight (p. 177). Both authors also define the motor skills that children gain during childhood. For example, a child at age two can climb on furniture whereas a 6 year-old can walk on a line. As children age, they gain more muscle, giving them the ability to move around easier. Another example is brain growth. This kind of development can be explained by looking at the corpus callosum. Boyd and Bee (2009) explain that this brain structure is what connects...
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...STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT Influences on Physical and Cognitive Development Early Childhood 1-6 years old Katherine Wright STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT Influences on Physical and Cognitive Development Early Childhood 1-6 years old There are eight stages of development. The first stage is infancy age 0-1 year old, the second stage is toddler stage ages 1-2 years old, the third stage is early childhood ages 2-6 years old, the fourth stage is elementary and middle school stage ages 6-12 years old, the adolescence stage ages 12-18 years is the fifth stage, the sixth stage is the young adult stage age 19-40, the seventh stage is the middle adulthood stage age 40-65, and the eighth stage is the late adulthood stage age 65 to death. The eight stages are called Erikson’s stages of psychosocial development. These stages describe how a human should develop as they pass through life .Each stage that is conquered successfully means that a person conquers new challenges. Each stage builds as you successfully complete earlier stages. If the stages aren’t successfully completed, they can resurface as problems in the future. In the second stage, which is early childhood the development process is Crisis: Initiative vs. Guilt Description: Children have newfound power at this stage as they have developed motor skills and become more and more engaged in social interaction with people around them. They now must learn to achieve a balance between eagerness for more adventure and more responsibility...
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...Lifespan Development and Personality Marie A. Hines PSY/103 March 12, 2012 Colleen Donald Lifespan Development and Personality Early childhood development can be affected by a number of factors, and it is impossible to underestimate the immense importance of the early development of children. Erik Erikson's stage theory of psychosocial development contributed to the understanding of personality development throughout the lifespan. The lifespan development of human being involves the psychological and genetic alterations from the birth and end of the life. The progress of life is highly influenced by the hereditary and environmental factors involving the different aspects related to physical, cognitive, social, moral, and personality development (Shonkoff & Phillips, 2000). Erik Erikson felt as if middle age children between the ages of six and twelve is where they begin to develop the mental skills needed in later years.“Elementary school-aged children, who succeed in learning new, productive life skills, develop a sense of pride and competence (industry). Those who fail to develop these skills feel inadequate and unproductive (inferior)” (Carpenter & Huffman, 2010). The phase of physical development of a child is classified as gross motor skills development and fine motor skills development. Hereditary factors play an important role in the physical growth and characteristics development of the child in the middle...
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...Early Child Development Infancy and Early Childhood Development The brain of infants and early childhood development is empty and absorbable like a sponge throughout adulthood. At infancy stage, the brain develops according to exposure to verbal expression exposure and visual physical observation exposure. The human being brain will utilize the exposures throughout the developing stages in life (Feldman, 2010). Parenting interaction with an infant and environmental condition affects the way infants develop. Hence, it is fundamental to set positive structure from the beginning because the exposure cannot be undone when raising a child. It is significantly important to provide a nurturing environment. The Affect Families Have On Infants and Childhood Development From infancy, the brain instantaneously goes through developmental change. The progress is an effect of genes and the environment the infant is exposing to and as an outcome of experiences. Early childhood experiences have two categories; experience-dependent and experience-expectant. Experience-expectant refers to the development of the nervous system and it is predictable to develop in a certain way. Standard cognitive growth is reliant of the positive type of environmental exposure. With the exception of any type of fetal damage to the brain, in order for the experience-expectant to be within usual range of development; when an infant is exposed to a loving gesture (as an example), it should respond...
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...The Nature Versus Nurture of Cognitive Development The brain is the central control for the human body; it receives, organizes, and responds to all stimuli that are detected outside and within the body. However, what makes the human brain superior to all other organisms is its ability to carry out cognitive processes of which less complex organisms are not capable. As Myer states, “cognition refers to all the mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering, and communicating” (176). In order for the brain to achieve the ability of cognition, its development must begin in the prenatal stage of life. The anatomy of the brain, environmental influences, and genetics are crucial factors that influence cognitive development. The brain has been classified not only as the control for physical processes but also the control center of the mind. As neuroscientists continue to make discoveries about how the brain develops and how it works, they have begun to understand the effect the brain has on cognitive development (Meadows 316). The brain is made up of neurons. These neurons are the part of the brain that is responsible for cognition. As Meadows states, “neurons are large as body cells go, with a cell body that has many filaments of tissue protruding from it, called the dendrites. One protrusion is longer that the others, and this is called the axon (328). The brain is composed of a network of neurons made of thousands of fibers that join up with each other to...
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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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...TBI in Early Childhood: Impact of Early Intervention on Childhood Development TBI in Early Childhood: Impact of Early Intervention on Childhood Development Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a growing concern for children in their preschool years. Children of young ages undergo many developmental changes during the ages of two through five. These changes are significant for their growth and maturity. They include cognitive, social, and behavioral development as well as development in executive functioning. Sustaining a traumatic brain injury during these years can pose as a direct risk of developmental deficits in any or all of these areas. After an extensive literature review, it was found that most of the previous research resulted in areas of consensus. These areas compare the how TBI severity and the age of the TBI effect developmental. Results from multiple studies show that the more sever the TBI, the more prevalent the developmental deficiencies (Gerrard-Morris, A., Taylor, H., Yeates, K., Walz, N., Stancin, T., Minich, N., & Wade, S., 2009; McKinlay, A., Grace, R., Horward, L., Fergusson, D., & MacFarlane, M., 2008; Morse, S., Haritou, F., Ong, K., Anderson, V., Catroppa, C., & Rosenfeld, J., 1999; Taylor, H., Swartwout, M., Yeates, K., Walz, N., Stancin, T., & Wade, S., 2008). It is also found that children injured in early childhood are more vulnerable to developmental deficits, According to Taylor et. al (2008), a younger age at the time of injury is a predictor...
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...RUNNING HEAD:HUMAN DEVELOPMENT 1 Human Development Jonneitta James PSY 2022 W3A2 South University Online Human Development 2 Topic 1: Early Childhood 1) Jolly, R. (2007). Early childhood development: The global challenge. The Lancet, 369(9555), 8-9. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/199073736?accountid=87314 A large alarming number of children under the age of 5 were not reaching full potential in cognitive and socioemotional development. This is a major problem in third world countries due to malnutrition, iodine, and iron deficiency and insufficient acceleration during early development. WHO and UNICEF made immunization a primary part of health care for all, the death rate had fallen by the millions in the less fortunate countries (Jolly, R. (2007)). The methods of research were not specifically stated but my interpretation it was done by reports on the children 5 and under from different government agencies, religious groups, and non-governmental organizations. UNICEF called this study child survival and development revolution. They also stated a decline in the death rate from 15 million to 12 million a year (Jolly, R. (2007)). Without the immunizations third world country children would be almost nonexistent after the age of 5. The researchers concluded...
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... November 25, 2014 The first few years of a child’s life are very crucial. It’s a time that a child’s brain functions are developing. That is from conception to at least five years of age. There are many important factors that assist with the development of the brain such as: genetics, nutrition, physical interactions and the emotional interactions between parent and child. The brain is comprised of three main structures the brain stem, cerebrum and the cerebral cortex. The cerebral cortex is divided into four different lobes and made up of neurons. The frontal, temporal, parietal and occipital lobes control various parts of the cognitive function. Your fine and gross motor skills, vision and memory are controlled by the various functions of the brain. During this time of a child’s brain development many things are happening to the function of the body. This is why children are capable of learning so much in their early years because their brain is functioning at a rapid and active pace. That is why when I child enters this world the learning process for them begins. How a child is treated and nurtured at the beginning of conception can play a role in the development of the brain functions and can cause a lasting effect on a child through adulthood. According to the Wisconsin Council on Children and Families “children are born ready to learn. They cultivate 85 percent of their intellect, personality and skills by age five.” Yet, brain function...
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