Child Behavior

Answer the questions below, citing specific examples from your child. Type up the answers in 12 point font, double-spaced, with a 2-page limit for each assignment. (in this case, less than 2 pages per assignment will apply because there are 6 assignments to be completed in 10 pages.

General guidelines: A good answer will address every part of the question, and will describe the child's behavior and provide 1 or 2 supporting examples. In addition, wherever possible, you should relate your descriptions and explanations of the child's behavior to the concepts, theories and research covered in the discussions or your book. Please avoid expressing an unfounded opinion - try to base your arguments on research studies and conclusions, or a theory that seems well supported by the research in the field.

9 months

1. How does your baby's eating, sleeping and motor development of the child compare to the typical developmental patterns?
   
• Describe VC's behavior and1 point for referring to what might be expected at these ages.
2. 2. At 8 months of age was your child an "easy", "slow to warm up", or "difficult" baby in terms of Thomas and Chess's classic temperamental categories? On what do you base this judgment?
• Two observations on VC's behavior.
3. How is your child's attachment relationship to you and your partner developing? What is happening at the 3-month and 8-month periods that might affect attachment security according to Bowlby and Ainsworth, and various research studies?
   • Describe two aspects of the child's behavior at 3 or 8 months,1 point for bringing in one of Bowlby's main points; 1 points for describing one aspect of parent's behavior.
     

Child Behavior - Stages

19 months

1. Describe examples of changes in your child's exploratory or problem solving behavior from 8 through 18 months and categorize them according to Piagetian and information processing theories.
• Discuss one example of changes, 1 point for describing a second example (possible at a different age, or two different behaviors at the same age), and 1 point for utilizing a specific Piagetian or information processing concept to classify the child's behavior.
2. Analyze your baby's temperament in more detail at 19 months than you did at 8 months. How would you describe your baby in terms of the five aspects of temperament utilized by the Virtual Child program (activity, sociability, emotionality, aggressiveness vs. cooperativeness, and self control). Has your child's temperament been stable over the first 18 months? A blurb defining and providing examples of the five aspects of temperament popped up at 12 months, but you should seek out further explanations of temperament from your textbook. Explain how the concept of goodness of fit (discussed in the blurb on infant temperament) applies to your interactions with your child.
• Give a supporting example of each of the five aspects of temperament, ½ point for addressing the issue of stability and1 point for discussing and giving an example of goodness of fit.
3. Were you surprised by anything in the developmental assessment at 19 months? That is, does your perception of your child differ from that of the developmental examiner? Give specific examples.
   • Two examples. If there is no discrepancy, describe two aspects of the child's behavior that are problematic and need the most help.

30 months

1. 1. Have there been any environmental events in your child's first 2 1/2 years that you think might have influenced his or her behavior? On what do you base your hypotheses?
• Environmental events - be sure to explain how you think they influenced your child.
2. How is your child progressing on typical toddler issues, such as learning household rules, learning to follow routines, listening to you, developing self control and learning to get along with other children?
• Four toddler issues.
3. Analyze your own parenting philosophy and practices. What principles from social learning theory, Bowlby, Ainsworth, Piaget, Vygotsky, information processing theory, developmental neuroscience and other theories do you appear to have relied on in making your parenting choices or interpreting your child's behavior?
   • Include four principles/theorists from the above list in your answer.
   • Discuss an example from your parenting that fits a concept from each of three theories you select from the list above.
     

40 months

1. What activities and experiences that you and your child engage in might be promoting healthy behavioral practices and an interest in physical activity?
• Three activities or experiences.
2. Describe the development of your child's language and cognitive skills and discuss how these might be affecting his or her interactions with you & your responses.
• Three examples illustrating changes in cognitive or language skills, including explanations of how these changes affect parent-child interaction.
3. How well is your child adapting to social situations in the home and outside the home? Does your child have any behavior or emotional problems at this point? Why do you think these problems are occurring and what are you doing about them?
   • Instance of adaptation in the home and 1 point for an instance outside the home. 1 point for describing a problem (or an area in which the child needs improvement) and what the parent is doing or plans to do about it.

Child Behavior - Later Stages

4 years, 10 months

1. How would you characterize your parenting style? How have your specific parenting techniques changed since infancy? In what ways do you think your parenting style, or any other aspect of your parenting, has been influenced by your cultural background or other experiences?
• Describe your parenting style with an example, illustrating how specific parenting techniques have changed since infancy, and 1 point for describing and giving an example of a cultural or background factor.
2. Describe three specific examples of changes in your child's behavior at age 4 that seem to stem from growth in cognitive and language ability since the period of infancy (e.g., improvements in symbolic thinking, reasoning, knowledge of the world, theory of mind).
• Three examples of changes in behavior; be sure to use one or more concepts from the course, including but not limited to those listed above.
3. How would you characterize your child's personality? Would you say that your child is primarily over controlled, under controlled or resilient? Support your argument. Recall that the Virtual Child's behavior at age 3 and 4 is designed to resemble one of three personality types. The over controlled category refers to a child who is cooperative and follows the rules, but is shy in social situations and anxious and clingy under pressure. The under controlled category refers to a child who is uncooperative or even aggressive, does not follow the rules, is not particularly shy in social situations, and has a tendency to become distracted and overly emotional, particularly when under stress. The resilient category refers to a child who is cooperative and follows the rules, is friendly, non-aggressive and outgoing, able to focus on tasks without being too distracted, has good regulation of his or her emotions, and is adaptable to new situations. Would you say that your child is primarily over controlled, under controlled or resilient?

Age 6 years, 11 months

1. How well is your child adapting to social situations in the home and outside the home? Does your child have any behavior or emotional problems at this point? Why do you think these problems are occurring and what are you doing about them?
   Describe an example of a situation in the home and 1 outside the home where the child is adapting well or not so well.
• Describe a behavioral or emotional problem and why it might be occurring.
2. Do you notice any improvements in cognitive and language skills since age 4? Give specific examples. Does your child have any special needs with regard to cognitive or language development at this point and what do you plan to do?

• Two examples of improvements in cognitive or language skills and 1 point for describing an area of special need or at least an area that needs improvement.
1. Which aspects of your child's behavior and personality reflect continuities from earlier behavior (e.g., at ages 3-4 years) and which seem to be novel for this age level?
   • An aspect that reflects a continuity and supporting evidence and 1 point for behavior that appears to be unique at this age level.