Chapter 10 Infancy and Childhood

I. Heredity Versus EnvironmentI. Heredity Versus Environment A. Nature v. Nurture controversyA. Nature v. Nurture controversy

B. Nature – physical factors and B. Nature – physical factors and

heredityheredity

C. Nurture – the effects of C. Nurture – the effects of

environmentenvironment

D. Nature and nurture interaction in infantsD. Nature and nurture interaction in infants

1. 2 day old infants varied sucking 1. 2 day old infants varied sucking

patterns in response to their patterns in response to their

mothers voice suggests thatmothers voice suggests that

a) They have memory, sounds are a) They have memory, sounds are

reinforcing and they learn from reinforcing and they learn from

their environment. their environment.

E. GeneticsE. Genetics 1. Sperm contain 23 chromosomes1. Sperm contain 23 chromosomes 2. Egg contains 23 chromosomes2. Egg contains 23 chromosomes 3. Zygote (fertilized egg) contains 46 3. Zygote (fertilized egg) contains 46 chromosomes.chromosomes. 4. Chromosomes4. Chromosomes a. Contain genes that play a role in a. Contain genes that play a role in intelligence, activity level and intelligence, activity level and response to a new stimuli.response to a new stimuli.

F. F. Twin studiesTwin studies 1. Dizygotic twins – fraternal twins1. Dizygotic twins – fraternal twins a. 2 different sperm and eggsa. 2 different sperm and eggs 1) Genetic make up is no 1) Genetic make up is no different than any other two different than any other two siblingssiblings 2. Monozygotic twins – identical twins2. Monozygotic twins – identical twins a. Same sperm and egg, zygote a. Same sperm and egg, zygote splitssplits 1) identical genes and heredity1) identical genes and heredity

3. Psychologists study twins thoroughly3. Psychologists study twins thoroughly a. Especially when reared aparta. Especially when reared apart 1) They are very similar1) They are very similar a) same fears and even a) same fears and even nightmares as children, nightmares as children, same jobs, same interestssame jobs, same interests

                     

II. Developmental PatternsII. Developmental Patterns A. Family raised a chimp with their childA. Family raised a chimp with their child 1. Chimp developed faster at first1. Chimp developed faster at first 2. Child passed up chimp at 2 years2. Child passed up chimp at 2 years 3. This study shows that development3. This study shows that development

within a specieswithin a species

a. Is orderly and follows a specific a. Is orderly and follows a specific

timetable.timetable.

B. Humans have a longer developmental B. Humans have a longer developmental periodperiod

1.1. Timing of development is different Timing of development is different for each child.for each child.

2.2. Must integrate brains with body Must integrate brains with body movementsmovements

3.3. Baby has automatic reflexes with Baby has automatic reflexes with control.control.

C. Maturational processesC. Maturational processes 1. Child is preprogrammed for certain 1. Child is preprogrammed for certain activities like walking (can’t teach activities like walking (can’t teach them)them)

a. Even if they never practice theya. Even if they never practice they

will eventually walk normally.will eventually walk normally.

2.2. Maturation is the automatic, Maturation is the automatic, orderly, and sequential process of orderly, and sequential process of physical and mental development.physical and mental development.

D. Growth CyclesD. Growth Cycles 1. Some developmental areas develop1. Some developmental areas develop more rapidly or slowlymore rapidly or slowly 2. At age 8 – 95% of the basic structure 2. At age 8 – 95% of the basic structure

of the brain has developedof the brain has developed a. but the body has 55% developeda. but the body has 55% developed b. reproductive system is 90%b. reproductive system is 90% undevelopedundeveloped

3. Growth cycle for girls is more orderly 3. Growth cycle for girls is more orderly and stable than boys.and stable than boys.

E. Critical PeriodsE. Critical Periods 1. Definition1. Definition

a. A specific time period in an a. A specific time period in an animal’s maturation when a skill animal’s maturation when a skill may be learned, if it is not may be learned, if it is not learned it will never occur.learned it will never occur.

                                    

2. Imprinting –Conrad Lorenz2. Imprinting –Conrad Lorenz a. Imprinting is a critical perioda. Imprinting is a critical period b. Ducks and some other birds areb. Ducks and some other birds are

programmed to accept a mother programmed to accept a mother figure at a certain time.figure at a certain time. 1) It is a result of chemical being 1) It is a result of chemical being released at a certain time.released at a certain time. a) if an animal’s chemistry is a) if an animal’s chemistry is altered, the critical period altered, the critical period can be extended or can be extended or eliminated.eliminated.

3. Dogs critical period3. Dogs critical period a. attachments up to 12 weeks.a. attachments up to 12 weeks. 1) afterwards they are 1) afterwards they are unpredictable.unpredictable.

4. Babies critical period4. Babies critical period a. 1a. 1stst month – smile without month – smile without learninglearning

b. 2b. 2ndnd month – smiles as a response month – smiles as a response to sounds.to sounds. 1) blind children do also, 1) blind children do also, therefore is not learned.therefore is not learned.

5. Animals and humans critical period5. Animals and humans critical period a. Need touching, holding from birtha. Need touching, holding from birth 1) if not the result is disastrous1) if not the result is disastrous 2) A young girl named Genie was 2) A young girl named Genie was locked up without human locked up without human contact for at least 5 yearscontact for at least 5 years

6. Human critical period6. Human critical period

a. To learn foreign language witha. To learn foreign language with

natural accentnatural accent

1) Must learn before 12 years1) Must learn before 12 years

2) a few people with a special 2) a few people with a special

ability will be more ability will be more

successfulsuccessful

7. Animals 7. Animals

a. Must learn a particular skill duringa. Must learn a particular skill during

their critical period or it will never betheir critical period or it will never be

learned.learned.

8. Feral children miss critical periods8. Feral children miss critical periods a. Children supposedly raised by animalsa. Children supposedly raised by animals 1) one documented case1) one documented case a) Boy living in woods a) Boy living in woods discovered at 11discovered at 11 b) could not speak, did not b) could not speak, did not growl or act like an animalgrowl or act like an animal c) missed maturation of social c) missed maturation of social settingssettings d) had no human skills like d) had no human skills like speech and writing would speech and writing would

not fully recover.not fully recover.

III. The Family and Child DevelopmentIII. The Family and Child Development A. Extended familyA. Extended family a. Includes aunts, uncles, grandparentsa. Includes aunts, uncles, grandparents

B. Nuclear familyB. Nuclear family

a. Parents and childrena. Parents and children C. Divorce rate – over 50%C. Divorce rate – over 50% a. Before children reach 18a. Before children reach 18 a. 50-60% will spend at least 1 year a. 50-60% will spend at least 1 year in a single parent familyin a single parent family

D. Step parentsD. Step parents

1. Are often resented along with step siblings1. Are often resented along with step siblings

2. Family should integrate slowly so that 2. Family should integrate slowly so that

children get used to the new arrangementchildren get used to the new arrangement

E. IncomeE. Income

1. Most families need more than one income1. Most families need more than one income

2. The women in most families work outside 2. The women in most families work outside

the homethe home

3. Women still do most of the household3. Women still do most of the household

chores even though they workchores even though they work

F. Mothers working outside the homeF. Mothers working outside the home 1. Their children have the same level 1. Their children have the same level of attachment as those of home of attachment as those of home momsmoms a. even thought they spend half a. even thought they spend half the time with their childrenthe time with their children b. If moms like their job their b. If moms like their job their relationship with their children relationship with their children is strongeris stronger

G. FathersG. Fathers 1. spend less time with their 1. spend less time with their children but do the same thingschildren but do the same things with them as momswith them as moms 2. help children with their self 2. help children with their self esteemesteem 3. When father is absent3. When father is absent a. boys are just as masculine asa. boys are just as masculine as boys living with their fathersboys living with their fathers b. do not get into more troubleb. do not get into more trouble

c. have good self esteem if they are c. have good self esteem if they are cared for properly.cared for properly.

H. Parenting stylesH. Parenting styles

1. Permissive1. Permissive

a. Allow children to do whatever a. Allow children to do whatever

they want.they want.

b. Child does not learn what b. Child does not learn what

behavior is unacceptablebehavior is unacceptable

                                 

2. Authoritarian (dictatorial)2. Authoritarian (dictatorial)

a. Tyrants, rigid, inflexible, harsha. Tyrants, rigid, inflexible, harsh

b. Children with these parents are b. Children with these parents are

moody, have poor self esteem, moody, have poor self esteem,

no social skillsno social skills

3. Authoritative3. Authoritative

a. Have authority, not a dictatora. Have authority, not a dictator

b. flexible and caringb. flexible and caring

I. Child Abuse ( 100,000s cases a year)I. Child Abuse ( 100,000s cases a year) 1. Discipline allows a child to grow 1. Discipline allows a child to grow psychologicallypsychologically

2. Slapping and hitting is not the best 2. Slapping and hitting is not the best way to solve problemsway to solve problems a. Does not teach right or wronga. Does not teach right or wrong b. can get out of control and lead to b. can get out of control and lead to child abuse.child abuse.

3. Why would a parent abuse a child?3. Why would a parent abuse a child? a. Don’t know much about childrena. Don’t know much about children b. Not mature themselves b. Not mature themselves 1. Looks for love from a baby rather 1. Looks for love from a baby rather than the responsibilitythan the responsibility c. Come from a violent or abusive c. Come from a violent or abusive backgroundbackground d. Financial problems and isolationd. Financial problems and isolation e. Unemploymente. Unemployment f. Stress, alcoholism, psychological f. Stress, alcoholism, psychological problems.problems. g. Teenage parentsg. Teenage parents

IV Sequences of DevelopmentIV Sequences of Development A. Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive A. Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive DevelopmentDevelopment 1. The way a child’s thinking and1. The way a child’s thinking and reasoning change and grow.reasoning change and grow. 2. See handout2. See handout B. Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral B. Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral DevelopmentDevelopment 1. The development of ideas about 1. The development of ideas about right and wrongright and wrong s. See handouts. See handout