STUDY OF CHILD DEVELOPMENT

Child Development involves changes in physical, social, emotional, and intellectual functioning over time, from conception through adolescence.

•Learning about children and their development improves your understanding both of children and yourself.

STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT

DEVELOPMENTAL DOMAINS- provides a basis for focusing on specific areas of development.

•Physical Development- involves growth and change in a person’s body and body functions.-Included is the study of physiological and motor development, as well as the impacts of illness, nutrition and health.

•Cognitive Development- involves mental process used to process information, become aware, solve problems, and gain knowledge.-This includes the study of brain functioning, perception, memory, learning, thinking and language.

•Social-Emotional Development- involves processes related to one’s interactions with others –-Included in this is the study of relationships, emotions, personality and moral development.

INFLUENCES ON CHILD DEVELOPMENT

MATURATION- series of preprogrammed transformation in the form, structure, or function of an individual.

ENVIRONMENT- The environment also influences behavior through learning, which occurs as the result of observation, experience, instruction, or practice.

SOCIALIZATION- process by which children learn social roles and become members of groups. Teaching values, beliefs, customs, expectations.

Nature vs. Nurture Debate…

PIONEERING SCHOLARS

•Sigmund Freud-IDEgoSuperego

•Erik Erickson-

•Jean Piaget-

•Alfred Binet-

CHARACTERISTICS OF DEVELOPMENT

•Development is similar for everyone

•Development builds on earlier learning

•Development proceeds at an individual rate

•Different areas of development are interrelated

•Development is continuous throughout life

IMPORTANCE OF PLAY

Physically

Intellectually

Emotionally

Socially