© West Educational Publishing Infancy and Childhood C HAPTER 10 E verything that happens to us as we grow is controlled by developmental processes that

© West Educational Publishing

Infancy and Childhood

CHAPTER 10Everything that happens to us as we grow is controlled by developmental processes that follow a fixed plan. They can’t be forced without paying a price.

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Heredity Versus Environment

Nature is what a person inherits in one’s genes.

Nurture is what a person learns from the surrounding world.

Most skills are a combination of both nature and nurture.

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The Role of Heredity

Genes are the basic units of heredity. They determine many characteristics such as hair color and texture, adult height, general body build, and eye color.

All cells but the sex cells carry 46 chromosomes (23 pairs). The reproductive cells (egg and sperm) have only 23 chromosomes each.

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Twin Studies

Twins have been used to study the nature vs. nurture question. Researchers believe that 50% of personality traits and intelligence are inherited.

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Monozygotic (identical) twins develop when a fertilized egg divides into two separate embryos. They have the same genes and heredity. Studies have shown that identical twins have the same basic temperament, preferences for art and music, occupational interests, hobbies, and athletic interests.

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Dizygotic (fraternal) twins develop from two fertilized eggs. Thus they are no more alike than any sibling pair. Many researchers believe that 50% of our personality traits and intelligence are the result of genetic factors.

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Developmental Patterns

Development is not a random process. It is orderly and specific. Each species has its own timetable and pattern.

Maturational ProcessesMaturation is the automatic, orderly, and sequential process of physical and mental development.

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All babies normally walk by 15 months. The Hopi Indians strap their babies to a board. They also begin to walk by 15 months. The development of walking is keyed to maturation and not practice.

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A good environment provides for stimulation, good nutrition and safety. The quality of the environment will not speed up maturation.

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Growth Cycles

There are different growth cycles for different aspects of development.

These growth cycles are different for males and females. The growth cycle for females is more stable and orderly. Males grow in spurts and mature more slowly.

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Critical Periods

A critical period is a specific time of development when a particular skill can develop or an association can be made.

Imprinting is a process that occurs when the brain is ready to receive and respond to a stimulus.

Imprinting can only occur during a period of critical development.

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Baby ducks can imprint up to about 16 hours after birth.

Konrad Lorenz studied imprinting in ducks.

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Note the critical peak at 16 hours.

Ducks’ Response to Imprinting

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Family and Child Development

The nuclear family includes the parents and their children.

The extended family consists of the nuclear family and other relatives such as aunts, uncles, and grandparents.

Changing Family Structures

Before reaching the age of 18, nearly half of today’s children will spend some time in a single-parent family.

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In divorces, the mother often is given custody of the children. Her income goes down further than the father’s and stays lower. Children often have to tolerate economic hardship.

If the single parent gets remarried, the children may resent the stepparent. If other children become part of the family, there may be confusion and jealousy. Blended families require extra effort.

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Parenting Styles

Parental Acceptance

Par

enta

l Con

trol

Low

Hig

h

Low High

Authoritarian Authoritative

Neglectful Permissive

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Sequences of Development

Psychologists such as Jean Piaget and Lawrence Kohlberg studied children’s development. They concluded that children develop physically, morally, and intellectually in an orderly fashion.

Mora

l, intel

lectual,

physical d

evelo

pment

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Piaget’s Intellectual Development

Sensorimotor Control body movementsSeparation anxiety

Object permanency is achievedBirth - 2 yrs

Preoperational

2 - 7 yrs

Self-involvedLanguage development

Conservation of quantity

Concrete7-11 yrs

Formal Operations Growing ability to reason abstractly and

use symbols

Tangible beliefs onlySome ability to see

different perspectives

11 yrs and on

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Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Development

Punishment and obedience orientation. Obey rules to avoid punishment.

Naïve hedonism. Conforms to get rewards and to have favors returned.

Good boy/girl morality. Conforms to avoid disapproval or dislike by others.

Conforms to avoid censure by authorities.

Conforms to maintain communities. Emphasis on individual rights.

Individual principles of conscience.

Step 6

Step 5

Step 4

Step 3

Step 2

Step 1

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Development of Language Skills

Psychologists believe that babies learn language because their sounds have been reinforced and rewarded.

Some experts believe there must also be a genetic component (innate hardwiring) to explain the complexities of learning language.

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Summary of Main Topics Covered

Heredity vs. Environment

Developmental Patterns

Growth Cycles

Family and Child Development

Sequences of Development

Language DevelopmentEXIT

Documents

© West Educational Publishing Infancy and Childhood C HAPTER 10 E verything that happens to us as we grow is controlled by developmental processes that