Topic 7: child development

Question 1

How does health/illness affect skills gained from psychological development?

Answer 1

• Problems from physical disability + impact on autonomy
• Health problems in later life influenced by early experiences

Question 2

Define Erikson’s Eight Stages of Life Span Development

Answer 2

• Way by which to consider changes occurring during life span

Question 3

What are Erikson’s Eight Stages of Life Span Development?

Answer 3

1) Trust vs Mistrust
2) Autonomy vs Shame & Doubt
3) Initiative vs Guilt
4) Industry vs Inferiority
5) Identity vs Role Confusion
6) Intimacy vs Isolation
7) Generativity vs Stagnation
8) Integrity vs Despair

Question 4

Describe each stage + its basic conflict + important event + outcome

Answer 4

INFANCY = 0-18 months
- Conflict: Trust vs. Mistrust
- Important Event: Feeding
- Outcome:
>Success: Develop trust when caregivers are reliable and affectionate
>Failure: Leads to mistrust
EARLY CHILDHOOD = 2-3 years
- Conflict: Autonomy vs. Shame & Doubt
- Important Event: Toilet Training
- Outcome:
>Success: Sense of independence and autonomy
>Failure: Leads to shame and doubt
PRESCHOOL = 3-5 years
- Conflict: Initiative vs. Guilt
- Important Event: Exploration
- Outcome:
>Success: Develops purpose and ability to assert control
>Failure: Leads to guilt and disapproval
SCHOOL AGE = 6-11 years
- Conflict: Industry vs. Inferiority
- Important Event: School
- Outcome:
>Success: Sense of competence
>Failure: Leads to feelings of inferiority
ADOLESCENCE = 12-18 years
- Conflict: Identity vs. Role Confusion
- Important Event: Social Relationships
- Outcome:
>Success: Strong sense of self and staying true to values
>Failure: Role confusion and weak self-identity

Question 5

What is the importance of stages of psychological development in medicine?

Answer 5

• Identify abnormal patterns = treat appropriately
• Minimize disturbances to physical + psychological growth

Question 6

Explain the theory of cognitive development

Answer 6

• By swiss psychologist Jean Piaget
• Trying to answer the question = how does a child’s mind grow + when do they start to think symbolically/reason logically
• His theory suggested child’s brain is not miniature version of adult brain that is empty + waiting to be filled with information

Question 7

Describe the mechanisms that explain how cognitive development occurs

Answer 7

1) Equilibrium: adjust our ideas to make sense of reality
2) Assimilation: process of matching external reality + new info to existing cognitive structures
- Concept of dog = new 4 legged animals = dog
3) Accommodation: in case of inconsistency between learner’s cognitive structure + new info = thoughts reorganized
- Realize not all 4 legged animal dog = adjust to distinguish dog/cat

Question 8

Piaget’s Four Stages of Cognitive Development

Answer 8

1. Sensorimotor = birth–2 years
2. Preoperational = 2-7
3. Concrete operational = 7-11
4. Formal operations = 12-15

Question 9

Explain sensorimotor stage

Answer 9

• Rapid changes 0-2 period
• Child explores world via senses + motor activity
• Early stages = baby can’t differentiate themselves + environment
• Object permanence = if they can’t see something it doesn’t exist
• Begin to understand cause + effect
• Later = follow with eyes

Question 10

Explain preoperational stage

Answer 10

• Improve speech communication
• Imagine future + reflect on pass
• Develop basic numerical abilities
• Egocentric but able to delay gratification
• Don’t understand conservation of matter = something doesn’t change even if it looks different + shape not related to quantity = less water if poured intolarger container
• Difficult distinguishing fantasy/reality = cartoons are real people

Question 11

Explain concrete operational stage

Answer 11

• Abstract reasoning ability
• Able to generalize from concrete terms apply to broader concepts
• Understand conservation of matter

Question 12

Explain formal operation stage

Answer 12

• Think about hypothetical situations
• Form + test hypothesis
• Organize info
• Reason scientifically

Question 13

Explain according to Piaget how development happens from 1 stage to another

Answer 13

• 1 stage to next via interactions with environment
• Changes from 1 to next may be abrupt + differ in how long each stage is between kids
• Cognitive development only happens after genetically controlled biological growth occurs

Question 14

Describe how development leads to learning according to Piaget

Answer 14

• Drive for development is internal = happens naturally via interaction with social environment
• But can only learn certain info at right developmental stage
• Environmental factors can influence but not direct