Early+Childhood

=**Early Childhood**=


 * 1. Identify signs and patterns of attached children.**

__Social referencing__ seen in children six months and older involves looking to caregiver to determine how to respond in new or ambiguous situations (Visual Cliff). __Separation Anxiety__ begins at 6-8 months peaking at 14-18 months refers to severe stress that occurs when a child is separated from their caregiver. __Stranger Anxiety__ begins at 8-10 months and continuing until 2 years occurs when infants become anxious and fearful in the presence of a stranger. Depends on temperament of infant, past experiences with strangers, and current situation. Once it occurs, infants use caregivers as a secure base in that they will explore environment around them and will frequently check in with caregiver
 * Sighns of attachment:**

__Secure Attachment__ (65%) a securely attached infant is mildly upset at mother’s absence and actively seeks contact with her upon her return. Mother’s of securely attached children are emotionally sensitive and responsive to babies’ cues. Children who were securely attached as infants are more curious, more popular with peers, and as adults have higher self-esteem __Insecure / Ambivalent Attachment__ (10-15%) this infant becomes very upset at mother’s absence but is ambivalent when mother returns and may become angry and resist attempts at physical contact. Mother’s of these children are often moody and inconsistent in their caregiving. __Insecure / Avoidant Attachment__ (20%) this infant shows very little upset upon mother’s absence and avoids or ignores her when she returns. Mother’s of these children are often impatient and unresponsive or, at other extreme, supply their infant with excessive stimulation. __Disorganized / Disoriented Attachment__ (5-10%) these infants shows fear of their caregivers, confused facial expressions, and a variety of other disorganized attachment behaviors. 80% of these infants have been mistreated by their caregivers and these infants have a tendency to display hostility towards others at age 5.
 * Patterns of Attachment:**


 * 2. Discuss the nine characteristics of temperament.**

Refers to a person’s basic disposition, which influences how they respond to a certain situation. Temperament appears to be affected by heredity and is predictive of later personality and adjustment. Temperament can increase a child’s chances of experiencing psychological problems, or protect them from a stressful home life.


 * Activity level
 * Rhythmicity
 * Approach or withdrawal to novel stimuli
 * Adaptability to environmental change
 * Intensity of reaction
 * Threshold of responsiveness
 * Quality of mood
 * Distractibility
 * Attention span and persistence


 * 3. Describe the three types of children based on temperament.**

__The Easy Child__ (40%) Demonstrates positive moods, regular sleeping and eating patterns, adapts easily to change, mild intensity and a positive approach to novelty. __The Difficult Child__ (~10%) Demonstrates negative moods, unpredictable sleeping and eating habits, resists change, intense emotional reactions and withdrawal from novelty. __The Slow-to-Warm-up Child__ (15%) is more inactive, low-key reactions to environmental stimuli, demonstrating domewhat negative moods, and takes time to adjust to change and new people.


 * 4. Describe the different parenting styles and their impact on children.**

__Authoritarian parents__ display a low level of warmth and high control towards their children, impose absolute standards of conduct, stress obedience, and use coercive techniques to gain compliance and their children are often irritable, aggressive, and have a reduced sense of responsibility and low levels of self-esteem. __Authoritative parents__ display high warmth with rational control, establishs consistent family rules and sets firm limits and Encourages open discussion and clear communication to explain and clarify rules and when justified revise the rules. Use of praise and reasoning to gain compliance, the children are assertive, self-confident, socially responsible, and achievement oriented. "Best parenting style" __Permissive parents__ are warm and caring, but make few demands, avoids rules entirely resulting in children who are impulsive, self-centered, easily frustrated, and low in achievement and independence. __Rejecting-neglecting parents__ display low warmth and control, and may be overly hostile towards child resulting in children having low self-esteem, impulsive, moody, and aggressive behavior. Research has found a high correlation between parental lack of supervision and inconsistent punishment and adolescent juvenile delinquency


 * 5. Describe the three types of play and its impact on child development.**

__Make believe play__: Evidence of the development of representation __Sociodramatic play__ is make-believe with others usually starting around age 2 1/2 developing significantly from 2 ½ to 4 or 5. __Parallel play__ 2 ½ - 3 yrs. Solitary play next to each other with little or no interaction between them __Associative play__ – by 3 yrs. Playing with same toy in pairs, but without real interaction __Cooperative play__ – by age 4. Real interactions between children and turn taking


 * 6. Summarize Vygotsky's sociocultural theory.**

Language is the foundation of higher cognitive processes. Private Speech is the early language used for self-guidance. Self-directed speech prominent, especially during difficult tasks and imaginative play, in very early childhood. As children grow older and with increasing development, self-directed speech is internalized as silent, inner speech. “The zone of proximal development” is a range of tasks too difficult for the child to do alone but possible with the help of adults and more skilled peers. “Scaffolding” is adjusting the support offered to fit the child’s current level of performance. With difficult tasks, adult breaks the task into manageable unitsand with easier tasks, offer less help therby teaching to fit the child’s needs an current potential.


 * 7. Discuss research findings regarding Head Start outcomes.**

Significantly HIGHER IQ and achievement scores than controls during the first two to three years of elementary school. Continued superior scores on measures of school adjustment and are less likely to be placed in special education or retained in grade. Greater number graduate from high school and the program has demonstrated cost-effectiveness.


 * 8. Describe the changes in aggression across childhood.**


 * ||2 to 4 Year Olds||4 to 8 Year Olds||
 * Physical aggression||At its peak||Declines||
 * Verbal aggression||Relatively rare at 2, increases as child’s verbal skills improve||Dominant form of aggression||
 * Goal of aggression||Mostly instrumental||Mostly hostile||
 * Occasion for aggression||Most often after conflicts with parents||Most often after conflicts with peers||


 * 9. Identify ways to improve a child's social and emotional competence.**

TO DO:
 * Arrange informal peer play activities, supervised time with friends
 * Provide help and guidance in social problem solving and other social situations (e.g., how to enter play groups)
 * Provide direct instruction and feedback on managing conflict
 * Help children label and appropriately express their own emotions. Often.
 * Point out the feelings of others (empathy).
 * Show sympathy and concern for your child’s feelings.

NOT TO DO:
 * Rarely express positive emotion,
 * Dismiss children’s feelings as unimportant,
 * Demonstrate maladaptive response to your own anger
 * Discipline involving threats of punishment or withdrawal of love >anxiety/fear
 * Child does not learn. Morals not internalized.
 * Corporal punishment, including spanking, has several undesirable side effects.