Studying Children
 Childhood
prepares us for adulthood.
 At birth, the brain is the least developed
organ.
 By age three, the brain has made trillions of
connections.
 To
make these connections, caregivers need
to stimulate the brain.
 Stimulation: Any activity that arouses a
baby’s sense of sight, sound, touch, taste,
and smell.
 These activities help improve a baby’s
curiosity, attention span, memory, and
nervous system.
 Babies who receive more stimulation develop
more quickly and have a more secure selfimage.
 Researchers

study children to test a theory.
Theory: A belief
 Scientists
give us information and suggestions
about how to best nurture and educate
children.
 1.
Physical
 2. Emotional
 3. Social
 4. Intellectual
 5. Moral
 Researchers
have found child development
follows these five general rules:
 1. Development is similar for each individual


Children go through the stages in almost the
same order.
Example: Rolling over before walking
 2.


Development builds upon earlier learning.
Development follows a sequence, or an order of
steps.
The skills learned at one stage build upon those
mastered earlier.
 3.
Development proceeds at an individual
rate.


All children pass through the same stages, but
they do so at a different rate.
Example: Sam learned to walk at 11 months, but
Dean did not begin walking until 13 months.
 4.
The different areas of development are
interrelated.

Changes occur in each area at the same time.
 5.
Development is continuous throughout
life.

The rate of development varies, but it never
stops for anyone.
 Predict
why children follow their own pace in
terms of development.
 Each
child has their own combination of
factors that influence development. These
factors are:
 1. Heredity: The biological transfer of
certain characteristics from earlier
generations. Blood type, eye color, and hair
color are just a few of the characteristics
determined by heredity.
 2. Environment: is the people, places, and
things that surround and influence a person,
including family, home, school, and
community.
 Heredity
is often referred to as nature.
 Environment is often referred to as nurture.
Children often inherit certain characteristics like
hair and eye color from their parents. (nature)
 Children often learn attitudes and beliefs from
their environment. (nurture)


Example: Elena’s mom loves to read and she sees her
taking reading seriously, so Elena learns to love to
read also
It is impossible to separate nature and nurture.
 Do we love to read because our mother loves to
read and we see her do it so we do it to? Or do
we both share the same genes and that is why
we both love to read?

 Which
do you think has more affect: nature
or nurture? Explain your answer.
 No
two children have exactly the same
environment, even children who live in the
same home.
 Two siblings may have different teachers,
friends, activities, etc.
 Everyone in a child’s life influences their
development. That is why working with
children is such a challenge!
Self-Esteem: Self-worth or the value
people place on themselves
 People with low self-esteem feel they
are failing or constantly disappointing
others
 Researchers have found a link between
low self-esteem and poor school
performance, truancy, and criminal
behavior.
 Children with high self-esteem are more
likely to show enthusiasm for learning,
form friendships, and make healthy
choices.

 Development
does not end with childhood.
 Human Life Cycle: A set of stages of human
development that each present different
challenges to be met or skills to be acquired
 Developmental Task: The challenge to be met
or skill to be acquired in each stage
 Mastering the task at each stage helps
prepare a person for the next stage of the
human life cycle.
 1.
Adolescence: Stage of life between
childhood and adulthood. Teens work on
three developmental tasks: creating an
identity, becoming independent, and
pursuing education and careers.
 2. Young Adulthood: People in their
twenties, when many young adults finish
their education and begin working. Many
marry in this period.
 3.
The Thirties: This stage presents the
challenges of establishing roots, reevaluating
life choices made earlier, and finding
stability in career and relationships.
 4. Middle Age: Ages 40-55. Parents adjust to
their children becoming more independent.
Adults in this stage make life changes, such
as starting a new career.
 5.
Late Adulthood: Ages 55-75. Many adults
retire, become more socially or politically
active, travel, take classes, take on a parttime job, or enjoy new hobbies. Adults may
enjoy spending time with grand-children.
Health issues may arise.
 6. Very Late Adulthood: Beyond age 75.
Health problems become very common.
However, many older adults are still active
and contribute to society. People in this
stage often need more assistance or care.
 Predict
which stage of life after childhood is
the most difficult. Explain your answer.