The Developing Person Through Childhood and Adolescence
by Kathleen Stassen Berger
Seventh Edition
Chapter 8
The Play Years:
Biosocial Development
Slides prepared by Kate Byerwalter, Ph.D.,
Grand Rapids Community College
Growth Patterns from 2-6
years

Children become slimmer, more muscular,
and gain almost 3˝ and 4½ lbs per year.

Growth is influenced by:
 Ethnic
and cultural practices
 Socioeconomic status
 Genes
 Nutrition
Berger: The Developing Person Through Childhood and Adolescence, 7th Edition, Chapter 8
Make It Real: Memories of Meals

How did your caregivers handle mealtimes
when you were little? (e.g., Were you
required to clean your plate?)

Do you think the mealtime practices
affected your eating habits as an adult in
any way?
Berger: The Developing Person Through Childhood and Adolescence, 7th Edition, Chapter 8
Eating Habits in the Play Years

Young children tend to be picky eaters
who insist on rituals.
 Example:
a toddler refuses to eat foods that
are touching each other, or she wants to drink
only from a certain cup

Too much fat and sugar, and too little iron,
calcium, and zinc are problems.
Berger: The Developing Person Through Childhood and Adolescence, 7th Edition, Chapter 8
It must be “just right.”
Berger: The Developing Person Through Childhood and Adolescence, 7th Edition, Chapter 8
Brain Development

There is considerable
brain development in
the play years.

For example, by age
5, the brain is 90% of
its adult weight.
PHOTODISC
Berger: The Developing Person Through Childhood and Adolescence, 7th Edition, Chapter 8
The Importance of Myelination

Myelination speeds up neural transmission,
leading to improvements in memory, impulse
control, and contemplation.

Both maturation and practice affect this
process.
Berger: The Developing Person Through Childhood and Adolescence, 7th Edition, Chapter 8
Connecting the Brain’s
Hemispheres

The corpus callosum myelinates rapidly
during the play years.

This leads to more efficient
communication between hemispheres.

Therefore, kids can more easily perform
actions that involve both halves of the
brain or body.
Berger: The Developing Person Through Childhood and Adolescence, 7th Edition, Chapter 8
Berger: The Developing Person Through Childhood and Adolescence, 7th Edition, Chapter 8
The Left-Handed Child

Along with genes, experience affects hand
preference…just ask any “natural” lefthander whose teacher forced him to be
right-handed!

Most societies favor right-handedness.
Berger: The Developing Person Through Childhood and Adolescence, 7th Edition, Chapter 8
The Whole Brain

Although each hemisphere of the brain
specializes in certain functions (i.e.,
lateralization), the whole brain is involved
in every cognitive skill.

The brains of young children compensate
more easily for the effects of brain
damage, should it occur.
Berger: The Developing Person Through Childhood and Adolescence, 7th Edition, Chapter 8
Planning and Analyzing

The prefrontal cortex (or frontal lobe) is
essential for higher order cognition,
including planning and impulse control.

This begins to develop during the play years
 But

is not fully mature until early 20s
Development helps with impulse control
(e.g., “Simon Says”).
Berger: The Developing Person Through Childhood and Adolescence, 7th Edition, Chapter 8
Attention

The prefrontal cortex helps regulate
attention, influencing impulse control.

Perseveration is the tendency to stick to
one thought or action.
Your niece sings the “Barney” song
the entire ride across town.
 Example:
Berger: The Developing Person Through Childhood and Adolescence, 7th Edition, Chapter 8
The Limbic System

The limbic
system is
crucial for the
expression and
regulation of
emotions.
Berger: The Developing Person Through Childhood and Adolescence, 7th Edition, Chapter 8
Parts of the Limbic System

Amygdala: registers emotions, especially
fear and anxiety
 Its
increased activity in early childhood can
lead to nightmares, irrational fears
Berger: The Developing Person Through Childhood and Adolescence, 7th Edition, Chapter 8
Parts of the Limbic System

The hippocampus processes memory,
especially of locations.

However, memories of location are fragile
in childhood, and young children might
forget where, when, or how a fact was
learned.
Berger: The Developing Person Through Childhood and Adolescence, 7th Edition, Chapter 8
Parts of the Limbic
System (cont.)

Hypothalamus: produces hormones that
regulate the body, including stress
hormones

Too much stress in childhood can destroy
neurons of the hippocampus, leading to
permanent memory and learning deficits.
Berger: The Developing Person Through Childhood and Adolescence, 7th Edition, Chapter 8
Brain Damage

Shaken baby syndrome leads to brain
damage or death.

A mother’s clinical depression can lead
to neglect, altering the child’s brain and
increasing his/her risk of depression.

Institutionalization creates underactive
limbic systems and lack of lateralization.
Berger: The Developing Person Through Childhood and Adolescence, 7th Edition, Chapter 8
Development
of Motor
Skills
TONY FREEMAN / PHOTOEDIT
Berger: The Developing Person Through Childhood and Adolescence, 7th Edition, Chapter 8
Gross Motor Skills

These involve large muscle movements
 Examples:

crawl, walk, run, jump, skip
They develop through maturation and
practice (especially play with peers).
Berger: The Developing Person Through Childhood and Adolescence, 7th Edition, Chapter 8
Fine Motor Skills

These involve small muscle movements
 Examples:
holding a spoon, buttoning, tying
shoes, pouring juice, cutting food, scribbling, etc.

These are more difficult to master, requiring
muscular control and patience
Berger: The Developing Person Through Childhood and Adolescence, 7th Edition, Chapter 8
Berger: The Developing Person Through Childhood and Adolescence, 7th Edition, Chapter 8
Berger: The Developing Person Through Childhood and Adolescence, 7th Edition, Chapter 8
Artistic Expression

Young children love to draw, dance, build,
and often show perseveration in doing so!

Their artistic abilities increase with age.
 Example:
Many children first draw a
“tadpole”: a face and two sticks for the body.
Berger: The Developing Person Through Childhood and Adolescence, 7th Edition, Chapter 8
Artistic
Expression
Berger: The Developing Person Through Childhood and Adolescence, 7th Edition, Chapter 8
Avoidable Injuries

Young children ages 1−4 yrs are the most
vulnerable age group to accidental death.
 Examples:
Falls, swallowing poison, burning,
drowning, and choking are common causes.

Parents, legislators, and others can help
provide injury control.
Berger: The Developing Person Through Childhood and Adolescence, 7th Edition, Chapter 8
Three Levels of Prevention

Primary prevention: actions that
prevent injury

Secondary prevention: reduces
dangers of high-risk situations

Tertiary prevention: actions taken after
an adverse event occurs to reduce harm
Berger: The Developing Person Through Childhood and Adolescence, 7th Edition, Chapter 8
Three Levels of Prevention (cont.)
Example: Prevention of Pedestrian Deaths

Primary: sidewalks, speed bumps, etc.

Secondary: requiring flashing lights on
school buses, using crossing guards

Tertiary: laws against hit and run drivers,
well trained ambulance drivers
Berger: The Developing Person Through Childhood and Adolescence, 7th Edition, Chapter 8
Parents, Education, and Protection

Educating parents is important.

But laws seem to be most effective.
 e.g.,
fences around swimming pools, child
safety seats, etc.
Berger: The Developing Person Through Childhood and Adolescence, 7th Edition, Chapter 8
Make it Real: Child Maltreatment

Have you ever
wondered
whether a
particular child
was being
maltreated?
Have you ever
confronted a
parent about it?
MISHAWAKA POLICE DEPARTMENT / GETTY IMAGES
Berger: The Developing Person Through Childhood and Adolescence, 7th Edition, Chapter 8
Terminology

Child maltreatment: harm or neglect of
children under age 18 years
 Child
Abuse: Deliberate harm
 Child
Neglect: Inaction that leads to harm
 Neglect
is twice as common as abuse
Berger: The Developing Person Through Childhood and Adolescence, 7th Edition, Chapter 8
Reporting Child Maltreatment

Teachers, social workers, doctors, etc. are
required by law to report cases

Substantiated maltreatment: means a
reported case was investigated and verified

In the U.S., there are about 3 million
reported and 1 million substantiated cases
per year
Berger: The Developing Person Through Childhood and Adolescence, 7th Edition, Chapter 8
Warning Signs of Maltreatment

Failure to thrive: an otherwise healthy
infant or young child does not gain weight

Post-traumatic stress disorder: easily
startled, nightmares, headaches, etc.

Hypervigilance: excessive watchfulness
Berger: The Developing Person Through Childhood and Adolescence, 7th Edition, Chapter 8
Berger: The Developing Person Through Childhood and Adolescence, 7th Edition, Chapter 8
Consequences of Maltreatment

Abused and neglected children are at
higher risk of:
 Death,
sickness, brain damage, malnutrition,
lack of stimulation, poor social skills
(aggressive or withdrawn), substance abuse,
depression, behavioral problems
 Not
to mention the intense feelings of loss of
the “perfect” family…
Berger: The Developing Person Through Childhood and Adolescence, 7th Edition, Chapter 8
Prevention

Primary: stable neighborhoods, income
equality, social support

Secondary: home visits, high-quality child
care
 These
must consider cultural values, and
strengthen parenting skills

Tertiary: remove the child from the home
Berger: The Developing Person Through Childhood and Adolescence, 7th Edition, Chapter 8
Permanency Planning

Permanency planning involves setting goals
and a timetable for long-term care of a child.

Foster care is legally sanctioned care of a
child by nonrelatives.

Kinship care is care by relatives.

Adoption is an option, but is difficult to
achieve.
Berger: The Developing Person Through Childhood and Adolescence, 7th Edition, Chapter 8