Infancy and Childhood Development Paper 1

Infancy and Childhood Development Paper

Lisa M Champagne

PSY/375

February 7, 2010

Kristin Scott-Groves
 Infancy and Childhood Development Paper 2

Infancy and Childhood Development

Picture and infants brain as a sponge or a blank video tape, this does not change even as we

grow into adulthood, but it takes on a different meaning and importance as an infant. Infants soak

up everything that is said and record everything that is done, all of this is to be utilized at a later

point in his/her life. The way we interact with an infant, as an individual and as a family unit,

affects how they develop. Therefore, it is crucial that we get it right the first time around because

there is no do-over when it comes to raising our children. This is why it is vitally important to

provide a nurturing environment.

How Families Affect the Development of Infants and Young Children.

When an infant is born, the brain immediately goes through developmental changes. This

development is a result of genes and the environment the infant is born into and as a result

experiences. Early childhood experiences can be split into two categories; experience-expectant

and experience-dependent. Experience-expectant refers to situations in which the nervous system

develops and is expected to develop in a certain way. Normal cognitive growth is dependent of

the right types of environmental exposure. In order for the experience-expectant to be within

normal range of development, barring any type of fetal damage to the brain; when an infant is

exposed to light (as an example), it should respond accordingly. This is an expected cognitive

response, whereas experience-dependent growth refers to the encoding of new experiences that

would occur throughout life (Gunnar & Nelson, 1992). This fosters new brain growth and is only

enhanced when coupled with a constructive family environment. Any deprivation of either of

these functions can seriously compromise an individual’s ability to thrive, both emotionally and

cognitively.
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An infant’s parents or caregivers are significant in his or her early stages of development. If

an infant is raised in a neglectful atmosphere, he or she may experience lasting damage because

of the parent’s lack of affection and care. The infant needs to have a sufficient amount of care,

affection, attention and intellectual stimulation to develop at an optimal level. The caregiver’s

role in a child’s life not only influences the child’s psychological development but can also affect

the child’s biological development (Belsky, 2008). If an infant remains under stimulated for an

extended period, he or she may experience difficulty developing proper sensations, motor skills,

and perceptions. Even an adult cannot learn something new without being taught, and this

important principle applies to infancy and early childhood development.

Parenting Styles

Authoritarian, permissive, uninvolved, and authoritative are four primary parenting styles

that exist. Each parenting style is unique and has distinct characteristics that apply to the way in

which a parent raises a child. Parents who take on the authoritarian approach to parenting are

typically overbearing and do not feel the need to explain themselves to the child. A child raised

in an authoritarian atmosphere does not have much freedom and rarely makes decisions on his or

her own. The authoritarian approach may potentially backfire and cause the child to ultimately

rebel against authority figures (Livestrong, 2010).

Children reared in a permissive atmosphere have an abundant amount of freedom in all

aspects of life. Permissive parents do not typically make rules or boundaries for the child.

Because of this freedom, the child may grow up to be irresponsible with little sense of

responsibility. The permissive style of parenting is quite the opposite of the authoritarian

approach to parenting. The uninvolved parenting style is self-explanatory and is similar to the
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permissive parenting style. Uninvolved parents take no interest in their child’s development and

growth. The consequences of uninvolved parenting are similar to that of permissive parenting

(Livestrong, 2010).

Authoritative parents take on characteristics of both a permissive and authoritarian style.

Authoritative parents set rules for the child, but they also try to guide the child in the right

direction while giving him or her enough freedom to make individual choices. A child reared in

an authoritative atmosphere often develops a good sense of responsibility and self-reliance.

They are also said to be at a developmental advantage compared to children raised in a

permissive, uninvolved, or authoritarian atmosphere (Livestrong, 2010).

The parenting style that seems to have the most positive advantages is the authoritative

parenting style. In comparison to the other three parenting styles, the authoritative parenting

style has less negative influences on the child’s growth and development. A child raised in an

authoritative home can adapt easily to changing environments. He or she is also self-sufficient

with a good sense of who they are and what they stand for. Authoritative parents can find the

right balance between being too lenient and too overbearing. They are involved in their child’s

life, but they also give the child room to grow and develop as an individual.

Early Childhood Education and Cognitive Development

A child’s cognitive development is highly dependent on intellectual and social stimulation.

Early childhood education is typically the first instance in which a child is exposed to a learning

atmosphere that is socially stimulating as well as intellectually stimulating. Whether a child is

playing with other classmates during recess or practicing the alphabet, he or she is developing on

a cognitive level. Young children often play ‘pretend’ activities such as playing house or cooking
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without any real food (mud, grass, etc.) These young children are using symbolism to apply

their ‘pretend’ activities to situations that they have witnessed in real life. This process of using

inference to create symbolic activities is just one example of how early childhood education can

influence a young child’s cognitive development.

Children also become more aware of the reactions of others while in an educational

atmosphere. In an educational atmosphere children work closely together when learning new

subjects in the classroom. Most early childhood education programs are heavily interactive and

involve the communication and collaboration of all students within the classroom. This aspect of

early childhood education helps the child develop social skills and also influences the ability to

recognize the emotions and reactions of fellow classmates. As a result, the child should begin to

acknowledge socially acceptable behaviors versus socially unacceptable behaviors (Seifert,

2004).

Another important aspect of early childhood education is the distinct differences that

exist between the child’s home environments versus his or her school environment. A child’s

parents may be uninvolved, but when they begin early childhood education, the child is exposed

to a completely different environment that he or she may not be accustomed to. The child may

not have had the opportunity to develop properly within his or her home environment, but the

educational environment gives the child a chance to grow and develop cognitively and socially

Conclusion

The development of an infant and young child can be quite complex. Every child is born

into a distinct atmosphere and the child must then learn to adjust and adapt to this atmosphere.

Some children may be at a disadvantage because of a lack of involvement and attention from
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parents or caregivers. Every parent has his or her own parenting style, which can have a

substantial and lasting impression on the child’s development. As the child begins pre-school or

kindergarten, he or she must once again learn to adapt to a new environment apart from their

home lives. Within the educational atmosphere children continue to develop socially and

cognitively as they begin to interact with classmates and peers on a regular basis. No two

children develop in the same way. Varying parenting styles, family values, home environments,

and educational environments can have an influence on how a child grows and develops between

infancy and early childhood.

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References

Belsky, J. (2008). A Family Affair: Early Parenting. Retrieved February 4, 2011 from

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/family-affair/200809/early-parenting-matters

Berger, K. S. (2008). The developing person through the life span (7th ed.). New York: Worth

Publishers

Gunnar, M. & Nelson, C. (1992). Developmental Behavioral Neuroscience Retrieved February

3, 2011 from http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=dplwbX-

G57UC&oi=fnd&pg=PA155&dq=experience-expectant+and+experience-

dependent&ots=Y_PHQaquF2&sig=O2RLEerhN5Xt5qD4ecBABWq7_pk#v=onepage&

q&f=false

Livestrong. (2010). The three types of parenting styles. Retrieved February 6, 2011 from

http://www.livestrong.com/article/76463-types-parenting-styles/

Seifert, K. (2004). Cognitive Development and the Education of Young Children. University of

Manitoba. Retrieved February 5, 2011 from

http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~seifert/cogchapweb.html

(1992)
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