Physical Growth children’s body growth and changeaverage growth is 2.5 inches and 5-7

pounds a year during early childhood girls are slightly smaller and lighter top-heavy lookLegs and trunk lengthenBody fat declines

Physical Growth growth variations due to:GeneticsNutritionPrenatal problemsLife experiencesSocio-economic status

Brain Developmentbrain growth in early childhood is not

as rapid as in infancyend of early childhood, brain size only

increases 15%changes occur more in neurons

Brain DevelopmentChanges in child’s brain structures:• increase in number & size of

nerve endings• Increased myelination (myelin sheath)• better focus & coordination• Most rapid growth in frontal lobe

(decision making & thinking)

Gross Motor DevelopmentSimple run and jump movements

enjoyed at age 3Child is more adventurous at age 4Child is self assured taking hair

raising risks at age 5Climbing & going down the stairs

Handedness1:9 (left to right handed)Right handedness is dominant in all

cultures & appears to be genetically influenced

About 45% of right handed people primarily process speech in left hemisphere of brain

HandednessLeft handers are: more varied in their speech

processing More likely to have reading

problems More common in musicians,

mathematicians, architects and artists

Obesity in Early ChildhoodEngage in physical activityHealthy dietDon’t use food as reward or proof of

love

Piaget’s Preoperational StageSubstages:1.Symbolic Function (2-4 years)Egocentrism – child cannot see other

people’s perspectiveAnimism – child assigns life-like

qualities to inanimate objects

Piaget’s Preoperational StageSubstages:2. Intuitive ThoughtCentrationLacks conservation abilitiesLacks mental reversibilityCannot perform seriation

The Self• Erikson’s Initiative vs. Guilt• Self-Understanding Child’s cognitive representation of the self Develops along with self-recognition (18 mos)• Self-description / Self-conception physical characteristics, physical

actions, or material possessions

As children age, there is increased:Emotional understandingUse of emotion language/vocabularyAbility to reflect on emotionNeed to control and manage emotions

to meet social standards

Piaget’s Stages of Moral Development1.Below 4 years old, rules are meaningless2.Heteronomous morality (4 to 7) rules are absoluteFocus on action’s consequence and not

intentionImminent justice – belief that if rule is

broken, punishment will be given immediately

Piaget’s Stages of Moral Development*between ages 7 and 10 years, there is

transition3.Autonomous morality (10 yrs and above)Rules can be changed because they are

created by humansJudgment of behavior should be based on

both intentions and consequences

Gender Social and psychological dimensions of being

male and female

Two Aspects of GenderGender Identity – sense of being male and

femaleGender Role – expectations of being

masculine and feminine; how one acts, feels or thinks

Theories on Gender Development1.Psychoanalytic Theory – child is sexually

attracted to opposite sex parent but eventually identifies with same sex parent

2.Social Cognitive Theory – gender roles are learned through observation, imitation, rewards, punishments

Theories on Gender Development3.Cognitive Developmental Theory– child

organizes his/her world on basis of gender; also achieves gender constancy

2.Gender Schema Theory – child perceives what is gender-appropriate or inappropriate in their culture; conform to gender stereotypes

Influences of Gender DevelopmentFamilyPeersSchool and TeachersTV/Media

1. AUTHORITATIVE• limits given but also nurturing and

encouraging• Independence within those limits• Socially competent

2. AUTHORITARIAN• Highly controlling; little discussion• Socially incompetent; fearful, weak

communication skills

3. NEGLECTFUL• Uninvolved in child’s life• Socially incompetent; lacks self-control,

immature

4. INDULGENT/PERMISSIVE• Highly involved but with few demands or

restraints• Socially incompetent; impulsive, aggressive,

non compliant

Dual-earner families Extended families Single parent families Families with OFW parents Step families Families with adopted child/children Families with same sex parents