Essay
Key aspects of child psychology and childhood studies
- Module
- E102
- Institution
- The Open University (OU)
I have explained the terms child psychology and childhood studies with two examples
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Zehra Kuvvet; Personal Identifier: (I6946710)Module: E102 TMA01
Part 1:A)
Child psychology investigates all aspects of children aged zero to eighteen years, focusing on
their development and behaviour in particular. Gjersoe (2020) notes that development is
observed in three different spectra: physical, cognitive and social-emotional development.
While children at different ages achieve milestones in developing their abilities, child
psychology is not only researching their method but also considering how their development
is shaped through social, cultural and socio-economic factors.
There are different theories about the cognitive development of children. Through reading
various views of psychologists, I have gained new perspectives on childhood. One theory
emphasises on children as individuals whose development is affected biologically. According
to this theory, all children mature naturally and hence undergo the same steps in
development. On the other hand, another theory focuses on influences caused by children’s
social environment. Children gain knowledge from adults who have more experience.
Therefore adults speed up the process of learning by educating children on knowledge that
they have expanded on, via experience. This theory emphasises on children’s development,
first through social interactions, which then occur as a new cognition.
These two theories, described by Gjersoe (2020), represent Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky’s
way of exploring children, both displaying the significants of social environment’s influence
in contrasting ways.
Furthermore, Gjersoe (2020) discusses child psychology in reference to continuous and
discontinuous development. Continuous development represents gradual growth. Whereas
discontinuous development, which is supported by Piaget, is represented in stages. Therefore,
children undergo rapid changes whilst moving on to the next level.
Moreover, children’s socio-cultural environment has an impact on how they achieve certain
stages. For example, a child who is raised in a family with good economic status has better
opportunities than a child whose family has less income. Good economic circumstances may
lead to better education and hence to differently processed environmental factors.
Not only the environment but also the child itself influences its own development. Gjersoe
(2020) explains this with a base on researches that children choose what to be influenced by,
both verbally and physically. For example, when children are asked questions, they choose
which one to respond to. Above all, considering children as self-influencers with their own
preferences, lead to the extension of my knowledge on childhood in a new way.
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