Child Development Psychology Questions - Assessment - Psychology

This assignment addresses key questions in child psychology, focusing on attachment, cognitive development, and social and ethnic identity. The first question defines bonding, its influencing factors, and the importance of early bonding for children, referencing attachment theory and providing real-world examples. The second question examines maladjustment in children, offering advice to parents and grandparents based on child psychology principles, emphasizing the need to understand children's behaviors and environmental interactions. The third question explores cognitive development, defining a cognizant individual and discussing criticisms of Piaget's perspective. The fourth question delves into the social, ethnic, and economic issues faced by students, particularly concerning identity, and offers strategies for adolescents to overcome challenges. The assignment uses multiple references to support its arguments and follows APA 6 referencing style. The document is a response to a Child Developmental Psychology Assessment 2 workbook.

Running head: PSYCHOLOGY QUESTIONS 1
Psychology Questions
Name
Institution

PSYCHOLOGY QUESTIONS 2
Psychology Questions
Q1.
Bonding is a concept practically understood as an attachment or contact influenced by
routine relationships between individual who share a common tie. A number of factors
influence the tie or bond that exists between the two individuals. Some of the key factors may
include the relationship a person may have with another, for example, a child to a mother,
wife to husband, or a caregiver to a child. Some other factors may include romance, family,
friendship among others. Ileana (2012) notes that it is necessary to understand that physical
touch or contact may eventually end up in strong bonding between individuals. The results of
such bonding may be affectionate in nature. Immediate physical contact may be necessary for
bonding to occur. Dr, Shonkoff (2010) of Harvard University and an adviser to UNICEF
advises that the parents need training on emotional and practical support for the well-being of
their young ones. This helps create a strong bond of affection between the child and the
parent. Such interventions need healthcare professionals who understand the child
psychological requirement at every stage of their lives (Winston, R., & Chicot, R., 2016).
There is, however, a sensitive period that the bond usually takes place. For the case of a child
and the mother, the sensitive period of bonding starts and develops strongly with time.
The bonding starts immediately the mother has the baby in the womb, after birth
during breastfeeding, contact, when the mother carries the child and even during the weaning
period. The same case may apply for a caregiver. Those who get unto romantic bond take
time after meeting like strangers, they share certain similarities, spend time together and
when this relationship is continued-the two become bonded. Bonding is therefore a realistic
concept but it comes not in an overnight’s time. The process is gradual and once developed, it
may be very difficult to break.

PSYCHOLOGY QUESTIONS 3
Q2.
Bethany’s parents and grandparents may be worried about behavior for the right
reason. Maladjustment may be the reason for concern but what the adults ought to
know about is child psychology. Linda (2012) writes that understanding child
psychology is helpful in understanding when the child is pretending, uses certain
tricks to get attention from the elder, or when the child is in serious need of attention
and assistance.
Failure to understand this may bring unnecessary worries among the parents, as
they may not believe their child needs time to adjust. In the case of Bethany, she talks
to a mice, never understands or responds positively to parent or grandparent who also
do not understand her behavior and this result to unnecessary fears. What advice
Bethany’s parents and grandparent need to be aware of is the fact that young children
have a general pattern through which the children association with their immediate
environment. How the associations of pretense in the case of the young children and
their competence, which are self-regulatory in nature, exists is of great necessity to
understand (Meyers, AB & Berk, L.E, 2014). Children are interesting who need to
interact with the environment, chat with unimaginary things, talk to self and make
friends even with dangerous animals. For children, every creature is a friend. They
have not the understanding that adults have. Children who grow up in poor families
lack a lot of exposure to external environment, they suffer monotony and appear dull
since they view and interact with same things almost on daily basis. The child may
resort to other means to find what she may develop affection for. Exposure bias and
experience the child gets from kindergartens also dictates whether the child may
quickly or slowly adjust as they grow up. What Bethany’s parents need to do is to

PSYCHOLOGY QUESTIONS 4
help the young girl child interact with her environment as much as they can. They
need to know the meaning in of every kind of behavior portrayed by the young child,
Bethany, to make the right move. Maladjustment may agreeably, be a problem- but it
does not apply in all cases. Some children are born slow learners, some adjust and
adapt well while some are in the middle of slow learning and quick learning. They
should know where Bethany falls in the categories and take the appropriate steps.
Q3.
A cognizant individual is one who is fully aware of themselves, their environment and
the effects their surroundings have on them so they can adjust fully to such environment.
What stands at the core of cognitive development is awareness. When a child is born, they
may have natural talents and skills, which help them, adapt well and fast to their
environment. However, there are always exceptions in that some children get to certain
pattern of behaviors or environment so that they can become fully aware of them and adapt.
Exposures make infants become aware of sudden events around them and this is a clue that
they have a good awareness within them (John, 2012). Their minds are open to sense and
detect changes within their surroundings. What may not come suddenly clear is whether the
infant can be able to tell what such events are and if they can relate with them well.
There are a number of criticisms for the perspective of cognitive development as
suggested by Piaget. One of the criticisms is that the cognitive development as portrayed by
Piaget is underestimating the child’s ability. Piaget says that children of the same age think
the same across all ages but in response, the critics argue that children are capable to perform
better, the tasks assigned to them as per their abilities. Another criticism is that the cognitive
development seems to overlook at the cultural effects associated with young children.
Children are generally cognizant of the cultures and traditions in which they are born more

PSYCHOLOGY QUESTIONS 5
than other foreign culture (Marc, 2013). The Western culture does not apply to the whole
world. Finally, the other critic to cognizant development perspective is that it is reasonably
questionable. The arguments by cognitive development perspective is hardly proven
scientifically given the fact that only very few number of children were used to draw the
general conclusion common structures existing among children(Holloway & Mackenzie,
2007 ). It is not logical and empirical in any way.
Q4.
Students, both young and old have social, ethnic and economic issues that they face as
they grow. The most common and challenging issue is identity. Ethnic identity runs across
cultural, racial and even national (Phinney, 1989). Every adolescent feels a sense of
belongingness either to a group, class of individuals, friends, and society. In the process, they
face many challenges, some of which have adverse effects on them. Development, as some
may argue, begins at adolescence as the child struggles to gain understanding as well as
knowledge of their culture (Jeffrey, 2017). They become aware of the accepted and
unacceptable standards of behavior. At this stage, the adolescents construct and adjust
themselves to meet the set standards of behavior within their respective societies. The mind
gets exposed to the morals of the society and the adolescent is oriented to adapt and challenge
the challenges that life brings them as they grow to become responsible citizens in the society
(Spelke, & Kinzler, 2007). Students from minority ethnic backgrounds face real hard time
adapting to changes in the societies and learning more about what the society expects of
them. Some of the challenges include peer pressure, which pushes them into immoral
behaviors, discriminations, lack of role models and minimal exposure to the environment at
large.

PSYCHOLOGY QUESTIONS 6
However, the student should not lose hope when faced with such situations. The
results have unbearable consequences that even affect their esteem. One way the adolescents
can overcome the challenges is to remind committed and steadfast to belief in self. The
adolescents can also seek counsel from peer educators, the responsible elderly in their
respective society and identify role models whose examples they may follow.
References.
Berk, L.E., & Meyers, A.B. (2013). The role of make-believe play in the development of
executive function: Status of research and future directions. American
Journal of Play, Vol (1). 98-110.
Jeffrey, J. (2017) Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood: A cultural Approach.
Massachusetts. Pearson Education.
John, B.(2012). The Making and Breaking of Affectional Bonds.London, U.K. Routledge.

PSYCHOLOGY QUESTIONS 7
Ileana, S. (2012). Seasons of Healing When Your Relationship Ends. California. Pumpkin
Press.
Holloway,G., & Mackenzie,M. Child’ Conceptions of Movements and Speed. New York.
Routledge.
Linda, W. (2012). Clinical and Educational Child Psychology. London. Wiley Publishers.
Marc, B.(2013). Cultural Approaches to Parenting. (Ed). Hillsdale, New Jersey. Lawrence
Erlbaum Associates.
Phinney, J. S. (1989). Stages of ethnic identity development in minority group adolescents.
Journal of Early Adolescence, Vol (9), 34-49.
Spelke, E. S. & Kinzler, K. D. (2007), Core knowledge. Developmental Science, Vol(10),
89-96.
Winston, R., & Chicot, R. (2016). The importance of early bonding on the long-term mental
health and resilience of children. London Journal of Primary Care, Vol 8(1), 12–14.
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