Developmental Psychology is all about how humans (and non-humans) change over time. Some of these changes are fairly "normal and stereotyped," such that everyone in a species changes the same way. Other areas of development are highly diverse and influenced by factors such as nutrition, social interaction, etc. Why do you think studying development is important? Do you think there are still things to learn? Are there trends or concepts about human change that you wish you understood better? Another way of addressing this prompt is: Why did you enroll in this course (beyond some requirement)?
Monday, January 7, 2019
Prompt for Week One - Due January 11th (11:59 p.m.)
Developmental Psychology is all about how humans (and non-humans) change over time. Some of these changes are fairly "normal and stereotyped," such that everyone in a species changes the same way. Other areas of development are highly diverse and influenced by factors such as nutrition, social interaction, etc. Why do you think studying development is important? Do you think there are still things to learn? Are there trends or concepts about human change that you wish you understood better? Another way of addressing this prompt is: Why did you enroll in this course (beyond some requirement)?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Studying developmental psychology is important because it provides insight on why humans genetically and behaviorally become who they are. Developmental psychology can be used as a preventative step whether that is detecting and treating a disability, creating an “ideal” environment to raise a child in or altering educational institutions to become more effective. Of course there is always more to learn about developmental psychology because it is not a fixed science. Anytime a human and their development/ behavior is involved there is no longer a simple equation for anything.
ReplyDeleteI have been a nanny for the last three years and have been with all three kids since they were born. I am very curious about how children process people coming and going out of their lives and how that overall shapes their view of the world. I understand that is a big question that has many things contributing to it.
Another thing that has been on my mind is when does a child develop a sense of responsibility that they can fulfill. One thing I have observed is how so many people look at kids as being aloof, in their own worlds or I hear “he can’t do that he’s only two!” What I am getting at is, as a society are we indirectly making our kids helpless in the long run by not giving them enough responsibilities at a younger age?
Camryn, great post! I too have worked with many children and nannied over the years. I have the same curiosity that you do about how children comprehend people coming and going. Many of the children I have worked with have been foster children so I have seen many different effects of this on them because they don't always have a fixed home and are moved/see many different people very often. I would love to learn more about that. I also liked your point about children being helpless because they aren't given enough responsibility. That is something I have never really considered but it makes a lot of sense that children may not have enough responsibility because of how people view their ages.
DeleteCamryn,
DeleteAfter reading your discussion post I hope we get to discuss these points. I was questioning the role parents have but its interesting to think about how big of a role a babysitter or nanny can have on a child because even though they may not live with them or see them 24/7 they are still considered a disciplinary figure. I am very interested in your second point discussing if we are making children more helpless and underestimating them. Yes, there are limitations with age, but should parents or caregivers be pushing the boundaries and societal norms of responsibilities at a younger age? Great question Camryn and I can't wait to learn more about childhood development and the impact their caregiver has.
Studying developmental psychology is important because it allows us to observe potential problems. If the problems are social, emotional, learning etc. It'll give us an idea on how we can prevent further issues or treat current problems. If we can catch the problems at the beginning of adolescents, it'll help them struggle less in the future. I think there is plenty to learn! I'm not even sure if we'll ever fully understand development! Our brains are such intricate machines! I'm hoping to learn more about how people change after certain situational events in life. How trauma can change someone completely. How we can better understand someone who's been through trauma. That being early on or in the adult life. Psychology has always fascinated me. There is so much we don't know! As a future nurse, I want to better understand the makings of the human thought process.
ReplyDeleteFascinating thoughts on Developmental Psychology, Tegraves. I completely agree that it is so important to keep researching this vast field because it is important for the benefit of our future generations. If we are going to help children with their current "social, emotional, and learning" problems we have to realize what caused those problems in the first place by looking back into their development. I also think your comments on trauma victims and how those events affect people differently is very fascinating and would be intriguing to learn more about.
DeleteStudying development psychology helps us learn how children learn and grow. Understanding how children learn can lead the education program to create more learning opportunities to all children. Improving a child’s education can almost guarantee a successful outcome in the real world. Not only that, but the education program can improve how to teach those with disabilities. I believe there are millions of things and concepts that we all can learn that may have yet to be discovered. Psychology has always been an interesting subject to me due to the fact I Like to watch people. I like to wonder what goes through a person head to make them dress, communicate, walk and learn the way they do. Each individual learns different from another, why is that when we are all taught the same material? Possibly understanding this question can help us dig deeper into how our brain works so we may help each other learn more and easily.
ReplyDeleteI like how you say that studying development helps with our education. That is true. I also noticed that teachers who care about the way they are teaching really help us develop better as a student. It is so important to learn how to teach student the right way or more efficient way. I feel like the teaching methods evolves over time to keep up with society. Like for example, teachers are using technology in the classrooms more now-days vs 20 years ago.
DeleteThe study of developmental psychology gives insight on how a person's brain matures as they age. Using that insight could help parents or caregivers give a child the environment it needs to thrive. With the abundance of babies being born every single day. The study of development is and will remain important. As we discussed in class today, there is no such thing as a perfect parenting style. further study will give us a better understanding of what works and what does not. I can’t imagine coming to a point where we could stop studying development because it is so diverse. I wish I understood developing human emotion better, babies seem to have very few emotions. Crying or content seem to be the most common. At what point do they start feeling things like empathy or fear? Are emotions instinctual or is it all observed through their environment.
ReplyDeleteHi Steven,
DeleteI have never really thought of emotions of babies because, like you said, they are few and far between. I have been around a lot of babies and they are all so different yet so similar. Even at a young age, they have preferences with people, food, etc. It will be interesting to study more about this throughout this course!
Steven,
DeleteI have never come to the realization that babies have very little emotion. It seems as if babies do learn things such as happiness from parents or the environment around them because when holding or playing with a baby, the joy a smile by a parent presents could be absorbed by the baby and eventually become a permanent feeling simply by visualizing and experiencing happiness or any other emotion. Development is very diverse and it would be interesting to see if different environments a child is raised in reflect the emotions they present as they grow older.
Steven, your point about how it seems like babies have very little emotions is very interesting. I have never considered this but I too would like to learn more about that. It seems as though babies are either happy or sad at most times and there is really no in between.
DeleteSteven,
DeleteI love that you point out and ask when babies start feeling empathy and fear. Babies are so vulnerable in such a large world, so is fear and empathy learned or instinctual? learning how babies develop as they grow may help us give them a safe and reliable world they can learn in and understand all the different emotions and thoughts go through one's head.
Studying developmental psychology is important because it gives a whole new understanding of how and why humans do the things they do. I find it very important to learn why hummans evolve and change the way we do. I think there are still many things we can learn. There is so much unknown and things are constantly changing leaving a lot of room for concepts to grow and be taught. In today’s society we hear so much about parenting the right way and we label people good/ bad in the styles they choose. So, in this course I would like to learn more about how parenting styles actually impact a child’s development/ behavior later in life. I enrolled in this course to overall better my understanding of development and why people are they way they are.
ReplyDeleteLynsi,
DeleteI also stated that I wanted to learn how parenting can affect a child and their development, however I never thought about all of the parents who are judged on small decisions or critiqued by society. You make a great point because most parents are concerned about parenting correctly according to society, yet what if what society deems as correct and acceptable may lead to negative consequences. I think learning about the impact parenting styles can have on a child's development and behavior will give us an idea of whether or not society is guiding parents the right way and what ways we can better parent our children in the future.
Developmental psychology is the study of humans maturing over time. This study is important because it helps us understand why we are who we are and do what we do. This study can help us detect if there is a problem, whether it is socially or emotionally and what caused this problem. If we can find out a habit developed as an infant and it leads to a more specific complication later in life then we can drop the numbers of diagnosis to that problem.
ReplyDeleteStudying how humans develop is beneficial when raising children because it can help guide parents in a educated way to raise their kids.
I took a child development class in high school and found it very interesting, so I was very excited when I found out this was a required class for my field.
I agree that studying development can help us detect problems if there are any. Life is all about trial and error. By studying development, we can figure out which methods are the best way to help raise their children.
DeleteDevelopmental psychology studies the growth and change through an individuals lifespan. The study of developmental psychology is very important because it helps the understanding of how a person matures, learns, and adapts. Continually studying this psychology allows the world to be more familiar with the brain and how it matures overtime. The world is always growing and changing just like our brain; reasoning why there will always be new concepts to learn in developmental psychology. For example, toddlers are becoming more familiar with electronics as the world changes overtime. Toddlers and electronics is something I would like to learn about in developmental psychology and how the electronics effects the growth, changes, and adaptation of the brain. The reason I enrolled in this class is to become more familiar with the child brain. I have always wanted to work in a field that allows me to be with children. Understanding how the child brain grows and matures is very important for my future career.
ReplyDeleteI liked how you brought up electronics. It would be interesting to learn how electronics affect children at a young age, and how the growth and development will differ from other generations. I agree that there will always be more to learn in developmental psychology, because the world is continuously changing. Overall, I enjoyed your incite on the topic.
DeleteKpochervina, interesting thoughts on Developmental Psychology and how it is important to understanding how it can help us understand the child brain better. I hadn't really thought of this course as a way to scientifically studying the brain and how it functions, but I definitely can see how this could be very beneficial in knowing more about childhood development. I also thought it was intriguing the interest you have with the possible affect that electronics have on toddlers. In this technology age that we live in, it would be fascination to see if there actually is a connection with childhood development and exposure to electronic devices.
DeleteI found that Developmental Psychology should be necessary in everyone’s studies because it is so important to understand how people and other species think and work. I believe there is always something new that we can all learn and grow from. I would like to understand more about babies and how they learn the basic things in their beginning stages in life.
ReplyDeleteI am currently a dance teacher and for me I would really like to understand kids more and why they behave the way they do sometimes. Hopefully I can learn something new to help me understand so I can use it at work to benefit not only me but my students as well.
I too would like to understand how babies learn tasks during the early stages of life. It is also interesting that you mentioned other species and their development as well as humans. It is important that we understand how human develop, but also knowing how other species develop can be of use. Overall, you made some very good points on the subject.
DeleteStephanie, I teach and assist dance as well and would also love to understand kids more. It would be nice to understand why kids behave the way they do. I believe a lot of kids do have problems with authority, and I want to know whether thats from the environment they grow up in, or from the people that nurture them. Hopefully this class will help us figure out how to interact better with children.
DeleteStudying developmental psychology is important because it allows us to gain a better understanding on how humans develop, lean, and grow from before they are born until they reach adulthood. It gives a new insight on why people act and behave in the ways that they do. I think there are still many things to learn when it comes to developmental psychology. If there wasn't, everyone would grow, act, and become who they are in the same ways. There would be little difference between the ways everyone develops if it was a fixed science. Things I wish I understood better and new more about when it comes to developmental psychology is different parenting styles and how they effect how children grow and develop. Do different parts of the worlds parenting styles have different effects on their children and what are the major differences in parenting styles around the world? One reason I enrolled in this class was because while I currently work with children, I hope to continue to work with them in the future and am hoping this class will help me better understand how they develop and why they act the way they do sometimes and how to cope with this.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your thoughts on developmental psychology. There is no way we know everything about developmental psychology, or everyone would develop the same like you mentioned. I too would like to learn more about different parenting styles, because it is interesting to see how different parenting styles change the way children develop and grow. Overall, good incite on developmental psychology.
DeleteDevelopmental psychology is the study of change throughout an individuals lifetime and why this change occurs. Developmental psychology also focuses on the growth of an individual from birth to adulthood. Studying developmental psychology is important, because it can potentially help with the understanding of the development of disabilities and diseases. Also, understanding how children take in their environment and learn can lead to better education methods. Catching these types of things during early childhood can potentially change how the child will live the rest of his or her life. Along those lines, I would like to learn more about how the education system can influence a child's development. It is important to understand how different education styles can change how a child behaves. I feel as though there is much to learn, and we may never learn all of the components of developmental psychology. This is because the way parenting styles, society, and medicine is always changing.
ReplyDeleteI think that education plays a major role in the way that children develop and grow. The different ways schools present information definitely influences children's development and I would also like to learn more about this. It is important to make sure children are learning in the best possible ways for that will positively influence how they learn and grow.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteStudying development is important, because it shows us how people grow emotionally and physically over the lifespan. This is important in understanding one's choices and actions throughout their lifetime. Developmental psychologists study this topic to better understand why some people have behavioral problems and why others do not. I definitely think there is still much to learn about development, and we may never know everything about it. Particularly in the subject of parenting, we still have much to learn because there has not been found a "right way" to parent your children. Everyone's style of parenting is a bit different, and that is not necessarily a bad thing because each child is different and needs different parenting. Some trends about human change I would like to understand better are why do some people end up as felons, and other people greatly contribute to society? Also, I would like to know more about why some people develop depression, anxiety, etc., and others do not. I am excited to learn about the development of babies and children, because I want to be a pediatric nurse.
ReplyDeleteOur posts are quite similar in the fact that we both mentioned parenting and how this influences how children develop. I hope to learn more about this, I think it is a very important part of how children become who they are. Kids learn so much from their parents and they way they are taught and disciplined. All children definitely need different types of parenting because no one is the same. Learning more about depression and anxiety would be a great thing to focus on in this class because of how much it impacts our society.
Delete
ReplyDeleteStudying Developmental Psychology is important because it helps with the understanding of humans and other species as they grow and develop. Understanding Developmental Psychology can help parents to understand why and how adolescents interact with everyday problems. It could also help siblings understand why their younger brothers or sisters act the way they do. I believe that there are still many things to learn and discover in Developmental Psychology. For instance, the cause of colic and why babies cry uncontrollably, for what seems like no apparent reason, in babies is still unknown.
I want to learn about the effects of children growing up in todays society and how it is different than other generations before them. This course was of interest to me because I work with kids at my current job, and I will still be working with children when I graduate. Knowing more about the psychology of adolescents will help me to be better at my job by better understanding why children act and think the way that they do.
Julia, I love that you brought in how understanding a child's brain could help parents and siblings interact with eachother and their everyday problems. I have younger siblings myself and one of them just seems to have a completely different attitude for life then the rest of the family and I have always wondered why that is.
DeleteI enjoyed reading your thoughts on the importance of developmental psychology. It would be very interesting to compare how different generations develop differently. I also enjoyed the fact that you stated that understanding developmental psychology could help siblings/parents understand why their child or sibling are acting a certain way. Overall, you made very good points.
DeleteI think that learning about how children develop and grow in todays society would be something very interesting to learn about especially when compared to older generations. There are so many differences between all of the generations and I wonder how this will continue to effect how children grow as society changes so rapidly around them.
DeleteStudying the way in which we as humans develop and form our opinions on life will always be a very important area to dissect and learn more about. It is important because through learning about how children develop, and how they change over time, can be insightful in how we can better enhance their development and learning today and in the future. There will always be more for psychologists to learn about development because our world and our society is constantly changing. The way in which we develop physically might not change a whole lot, but the way in which we develop mentally and materially definitely will. People who were raised in the 1940's definitely developed differently then the children of today's technological society.
ReplyDeleteI would definitely like to learn more about how different circumstances and changes in a child's environment affect their development and their mental state as adults. I am currently a pre-nursing student and as such I enrolled in this class because learning about how children develop physically and mentally and how they adapt to change is definitely something that will be extremely helpful in treating certain patients in the future. Having that knowledge going into this field will definitely better prepare me to help those who had a difficult childhood whether it be in the physical or mental side of their overall health.
Madi,
DeleteI am also a pre-nursing student and I also think understanding child development will further continue my success throughout my career. Being able to truly listen and support each and every one of your patients is crucial in the medical field but understanding where they come from is a whole other realm of solidity and nurture-based care. I hope throughout this course I can better understand how one's development brings a person to where they are today and how my care as a nurse will benefit them in moving forward.
Its reassuring to see that our future nurses will have an in depth understanding and interest in the youth of the future world. Perceiving the changes of technology and society and implementing your other knowledge base to help others is admirable, and always needed! Recognizing certain behaviors and learning why they exist will be an asset to everyone involved.
DeleteDevelopmental Psychology is important because it teaches humans why we are the way we are and why we do the things we do, especially in our childhood. The environment we grow up in has a lot to do with this, especially how we are raised. I am interested to take this course because I have grown up around younger kids/cousins and have babysat for the last 7 years and am intrigued with the behavior of children and compare how they are all different. For example, I recently have been around 2 two year olds. One got potty trained in three days and one has been struggling and has no interest in it. I'd like to learn why something like this, and other examples, happens, and how their environment plays into the success or failure of a milestone in childhood. I am looking forward to taking this class and applying it to my personal life.
ReplyDeleteGreat thoughts on on developmental psychology and how human are affected by the way they are raised. I liked how you mentioned milestones. Everyone reaches different milestones at different points and their lives and I would also like to understand why some children reach a milestone before another. I also have younger family members and it would be interesting to see why they act the way they act and do the things they do.
DeleteAli,
DeleteI have never really thought about developmental psychology in this way. It is interesting to think about how children that derive from the same family can turn out to be completely different people even when they are being raised in the same exact way. It almost makes me wonder how much family actually plays a role in the development of a child because it seems as if people are born with the natural tendency to live their destined identity no matter what.
Potty training is a huge milestone in childhood, for the parents and the child. I wonder if the time it takes for a child to learn how to use a toilet has any affect on their future success in school or university. I imagine learning social norms like this at a faster rate would play a role in future education.
DeleteI have always had a peaked interest in the many aspects of psychology. Developmental psychology has especially peaked my interest because of how much I have played a role in helping raise my younger siblings. I think studying human development is important because it causes the basic population to understand how different people are raised from very diverse backgrounds. I think studying child development also provides a guide for parents on how to properly guide their children from time to time. I think there is an infinite amount of things to learn about developmental psychology. People are constantly adapting to the change in the environment and socity around them and there is not just one simple way children are developed. I also think understanding the different concepts on how children develop will help me in my future with my career and family. Although this class may be a required prerequisite, I am intrigued and determined to learn about how people become the people they are today.
ReplyDeleteGreat thoughts and incites on the importance of Developmental Psychology, Brianna. I too have a younger sibling and it is fascinating to me that even within the same family how each and every child develops differently and uniquely. I also think it is fascinating to study how people with different backgrounds develop so differently and what about their childhood experiences made them into the unique people they are today. Overall, I agree that, as nurses, having a better knowledge of Developmental Psychology will enhance our ability to help and encourage our patients in the future.
DeleteBrianna,
DeleteI completely agree with you on how children develop relies on how they were raised. With so many different cultures and religions, everyone grows up in different worlds. Possibly understanding how children learn we can make it easier for children to express themselves and understand why they feel the way they do.
While researching developmental psychology, I found it interesting that it is described as, “a scientific approach which aims to explain growth, change, and consistency through the lifespan” (McLeod, 2012). The word consistency intrigued me because upon thinking about the study of development, I reflected on the changes and didn’t think about what would stay the same through maturation and a person’s life. I think studying development is important because it gives society so many different answers and explanations through case studies regarding most age ranges. So far, I have learned about infant facial recognition and their instinct to grab things. I have also learned about their behaviors following what they saw previously, either treating the toys with respect or hitting the dolls, seemed to correspond to what they were shown prior to playing. Just these few examples gave us scientific evidence on how young children can remember faces and facial expressions and how easily they pick up on actions. https://www.simplypsychology.org/developmental-psychology.html
ReplyDeleteI do believe there are still many studies to be conducted and new things to learn. The reason I stand by my belief is because as society changes constantly, everyone’s environment changes as well. I have learned previously in Psychology; a person’s environment has a very large impact on their life. This being said as our society is drastically changing, such as the dependence upon electronics or the rise in mental illness, I believe there are still many studies to be conducted.
One thing that I am very interested in learning is how the role of parents truly influences a child’s life. We have slightly discussed patterns that may affect a child’s growth. I want to work in pediatrics as a career, so I believe learning the best ways to help a child grow mentally healthy, would be a tremendous tool in my career.
Madison, I agree that the environment has an impact on individuals. Being with my friends I can see the difference between us.
DeleteI think parents have a large influence on their children because the children mimic them from a young age. Once they become older do they mimic their parents anymore? No, not intentionally but things stick with them. That's how people can say you're just like your mom or your dad.
Studying Developmental Psychology is important because it helps with the understanding of growth and development. Understanding the growth and development of an individual both emotionally and physically can help explain the behaviors and actions of this individual throughout their lifetime. I think that there is still an immense amount of new information to learn about this topic. There are so many unanswered questions about parenting and the impact that it can have in the child's life. There are so many opinions on the "right" way to raise a child. Some trends that I would like to better understand are why do so many kids suffer from depression and anxiety that come from backgrounds and families of all different types? I think that taking this course and learning about the development of children will be very helpful in my future and in my career.
ReplyDeleteLeah,
DeleteI agree that there are many ways to raise a child that are deemed as "right" but I find your question very interesting and extremely important as mental illness continues to rise within our society yet it is still seen as a taboo topic. I would love to learn the patterns and environments that affect depression and anxiety. I believe you brought up a great question that we need to bring more attention to especially on campus or simply in our classroom.
Leah,
DeleteSolid post, I am curious about the causes of childhood depression and anxiety as well. Depression can be hereditary but what else influences the symptoms. I cant imagine children suffer from depression and anxiety through the same reasons adults do.
Further understanding of human nature and nurture will continue to be required until the end of humanity. Nature is cyclical, nurture is constant (bad or good, positive or negative). As humans, we enter into ever-changing environments on a consistent basis. Even dust bunnies gather in an empty room.
ReplyDeleteThe amount of processing our brains must adapt to moment to moment is mind blowing if you think on it too long. Are colic babies simply too overstimulated? Do they fear being dropped because of too many roller coaster rides mom went on while pregnant? Was mom worried about something throughout pregnancy and produce too much adrenaline? Or another factor and another hormone?
And what about food? Our diets also contribute highly to the ways we react, learn, and process chemicals. Is what mom ate throughout pregnancy causing inflammation? What effects is that having on the infant brain and nervous system? The dietary question is a neverending story that is individual and genetic. I am a mother of three and I have celiac disease (no gluten). My children also carry the gene and one of my daughters, a redhead, has an inflammatory reaction to dairy, she also wont eat meat and prefers fresh fruit and veggies. How would she be if that type of nutrition wasn't available? What role are these genetics and food playing together?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPbSLdVn5ns
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-09-genetics-inflammation.html
https://dadamo.com/txt/index.pl?0000
I want to know how we get to the core of, or develop systems, to healing our society as a whole (i.e. less hate crime, violence, mental illness). Everyone and everything seems to play a role, so, what role do you find yourself playing? Why? Is it helping or hurting? What is helping? Can you change that role at any moment or are you forever fear-full because that was instilled into you in utero? Or by food choices made for you? We know experiences also set the stage for individual growth mentally, physically, hormonally,etc. Truly mind blowing to consider every factor. I hope to learn these answers and more in furthering my education as a mother, caregiver, and for my future career.
Fascinating post, Jennifer! I don't think I have fully considered the connection between what a baby experiences and its dietary intake in the womb and the affect that is has on the development of that child. There is definitely a lot to learn in that area of development, and I am excited to see if some of your questions will be explained or answered. I also love your call to action at the end of your post to challenge everyone in this course to learn more about development and how we can possibly make a difference for the better in our society today.
DeleteI think it is important to study development because it helps us understand each other better. We are able to be better parents, better mentors, better teachers by knowing what helps people develop in certain ways. By studying development, it also evolves over time too. If you think about 20 years ago, their methods are different than the current methods. We use more technology in our lives vs 20 years ago. We try to incorporate technology into our development.
ReplyDeleteI do think there is still a lot to learn. Like I said before, our development changes over time so we need to adapt with that change. We are constantly learning and figuring out new ways to grow and help people in different ways.
I would like to learn more about the current trends that teenagers anxiety and depression rates are higher than ever. Is that because it was not reported as often in the past? Is there a correlation? What is the right thing to do to help the kids that are going through this?
I believe that studying development is important because it helps with understanding children, why they do things the way the do and why they think how they do. As Dr. Risser said in class babies put things in their mouth to get to know what it is. Some parents do not understand that so they think it's disgusting, which in some cases some things can.
ReplyDeleteI believe that we have many things to still learn. Children aren't adults and don't think like them so we are continually growing in the knowledge of how children are growing and thinking.
I have seven siblings and I would like to have a better understanding why boys and girls act so differently from such a young age. My brothers from the get go can play for hours with not one word being said and my sisters can't play for 10 minutes before they need to make their toys "talk".
Katarina,
ReplyDeleteI read an article the other day that talked about the rates of teenage depression. It discussed the social pressure they experience from their peers and parents. With teenagers getting into social media at a younger age they get a more in depth look at others lives that they would not otherwise experience. It makes it far to easy for them to feel inadequate when compared to others. Teenage depression has always been an issue, with the way technology has changed I feel it greatly contributes to the problem.
Honestly, this is not a topic I have given much thought to until it was a requirement. As a mom of two kiddos 10 and 13 as well as a step-mom to two girls, 21 and 28, I have noticed strong similarities and differences between the 4 and always wondered why. Some have been chalked up to ‘personality’ while others were due to parenting decisions. As a parent who has not studied Development Psychology, but helped raise or currently raising children, it seems as though we flew by the seat of our pants doing the best that could in that moment just to get by. I took for granted the interactions between mother and child during the young years and thought it was just ‘what we do.’ This class has peaked my curiosity into learning more of how and why we are the way we are. I think there are going to be ‘ah ha’ moments as well as ‘oh no’ moments as I move through the semester-especially with the 2 coming into the pre-teen years.
ReplyDeleteI think this area is constantly evolving and there are always new things being added to our lives. Especially because we have more technology than ever at our fingertips, children are more exposed at a younger age, does this have an impact on them as they move into adulthood? Seeing that the social climate has changed from play dates to online gaming and social media, I think understanding how children develop will help us understand how to help our children adapt and flourish in an ever-changing world.
Hey Amy, great post! I also wonder how parenting decisions and personality differ when it comes to children. I think it would be interesting to know how much of our personality is taught to us through our parents and how much is just who we are without influence. I had never thought about how technology will influence children or how it already has, but I think this is also a topic that needs to be discussed and I think it will be interesting to learn more about!
DeleteIn all honesty, I was interested to take this class because I enjoyed Intro to Psych. But when I talked to roommate (who had taken the class before me) I had some *slight* concerns. After sitting through two lectures though, I find it to be more interesting than I was originally worried about.
ReplyDeleteAs I'm hoping to have kids of my own some day, I'm looking forward to discussing parenting styles, what mothers should do vs. what they should do, the role parents have in their kids lives, the role that step-parents play and why the transition of having a stepparent can be hard for kids to deal with. I'm curious as to whether losing a parent can have certain effects (I'm sure there are some, I'm just curious as to what exactly those might be) on the psyche of the kid(s).
I think that studying development is important because children are all around us; those children could be our own, a family members, kids at the park, children that we work with or around, ect. Overall because it is common to be around children it is important to understand how they think/develop and why it occurs in the stages it does. I think that there will always be new concepts and theories that will be discussed, just as there have been in the history of developmental psych. Certain trends or concepts that I think would be interesting to discuss and learn more about are the roles parents play in a child's life. It is often thought that children grow up to have similar mindsets to their parents when it comes to religious, political and societal beliefs. I wish to know more about why this happens and why as we grow some of us don't drift or question the concepts and ideals we have been taught.
ReplyDeleteStudying development is important because it can help us understand how children grow and change throughout their life. Studying children's development provides insight to what factors influence their physical, mental, and emotional growth. Learning about development makes it easier to discover possible signs of trouble, and also ways to fix those problems and benefit children's growth over the different stages of their life. I think that studying development can also show you how you became the person you are, because we were all children at one point in time, and we are all still changing and maturing as well.
ReplyDeleteChildren are constantly changing and learning so I believe that there will always be more to learn about development.
I have taught/assisted dance for four years and one thing I have always wanted to learn is why children behave the way they do, and also how they learn and think. Being a pre-nursing student and teaching dance to children, I believe that studying developmental psychology will benefit my career and greatly improve my ability to interact with children.
Studying Developmental Psychology is important because it helps us understand the way children act and learn. This has also helped with determining what is normal motor and social skills at certain ages. Developmental Psychology has also helped us realize that children need nurturing and aren't just small adults.
ReplyDeleteI believe that there is still more things to learn because there's still questions on parenting that haven't been answered. I think that there's more things to learn about the stages of childhood. We could also learn more about how event in early childhood affect the person later in life. Why does one traumatic event affect one person a certain way but doesn't affect everyone in the same way. I am most curious about how traumatic events effects a child through out their life.
Rylee,
DeleteI agree that there is more to learn on the stages of development in children. By getting a better understanding of how a child develops, it can help people interact with children in all different stages of life. You brought up a very fascinating point on how one event can affect a child throughout their life. I have never really thought about how one event can have such a big impact on somebody's life. I agree that it would be interesting to learn how specific experiences can influence a child, and the best ways to help children cope with these events.
Studying development is important because it allows us to understand human behaviors and anything that is considered “not normal.” Understanding the ways people typically behave and comparing those to unusual behavior can determine whether or not therapy, special classes, etc. are needed for a specific person. It also helps to determine if children at different stages in life are on track for meeting certain goals such as talking, or learning how to read. It is important to understand development and behavior especially in children, because their development may affect their lives later on. I think there are still many things to learn and study, one of them being autism. The cause of it is not known, but it does have an impact on a person’s development.
ReplyDeleteIf the human body/mind is a machine, then early development is the first of many parts that show what the machine might do as it continues to build (mature). It's important to figure out why we human beings behave in certain ways and how we developed as children could shed light on our behaviors. It's the origins of our evolving behaviors.
ReplyDeleteI believe that there will always be more to discover about our brain/mind. It isn't know as "the most complex machine" in the world for nothing. I believe that humans will never truly crack the code of our brain/mind, but with the advancement of technology, we could still discover so much.
I personally want to find out, especially in childhood development, why a "bad child" will still act up and not truly understand that they have the ability to become better, well mannered children if they stopped their bad behaviors? Why do kids still choose to get in trouble and do the inappropriate thing even though they know it's wrong or after they are punished?
I choose to take this course because I am perusing an Education degree. I'm interested in becoming a teacher and if want to become a "good" teacher I want to know everything that I can about how to better handle children in today's society. I also work at the YMCA as a lead camp counselor so I deal with kids of all backgrounds. If I knew how to better handle "difficult" children I could maybe steer them in a better direction.
There are many developmental changes that a child goes through during the first few years of life that will affect their behavior throughout maturation. Studying developmental psychology is important because it helps us get a better understanding of how a child develops mentally, physically, and emotionally. By studying the child’s development we can learn how to better assist a child and ensure they have a positive environment to effectively attribute to their growth. There are many things to still learn in developmental psychology especially looking at the immense societal changes that occur every day. A persons environment can impact many aspects of their life such as their habits, manners, and actions.
ReplyDeleteThis semester in developmental psychology I am hoping to learn more about how a child’s home environment can influence their intelligence. Growing up babysitting I have been able to witness differences in children’s academic intelligence in different households. I am wondering if parenting techniques such as their attitude towards homework, studying habits, and drive for knowledge affects their child’s motivation and academic performance. I hope to learn how the differences in parenting styles and household environment influence the child’s success in school.
I think it is important to study developmental psychology so that we can find the best possible way to teach our youth. If we can create a world where we as a population have mastered the art of teaching there are no limits as to where humanity can go. This is said because knowledge is power and if we can maximize the amount of knowledge in a child’s brain, the potential for our future would be great.
ReplyDeleteAnother reason I believe developmental psychology is important, is so that we can figure what childhood event or behavior lead a person to commit murder, or other negati.ve actions I think by doing this, we can better educate our parents to see the warning signs and how to deal with it.
Personally, I think there are plenty of things to learn about the developing mind. If there wasn’t, we would live in a society where everyone had perfect, well-mannered children. This is not the case, nor do I believe it is humanly possible to crack the code of the developing mind.
I believe that studying development is crucial because it allows for further understanding of how humans can and will change over time. It also gives a better perspective on how to treat the youth, teach them, and what to abilities to expect from them. There are absolutely still new concepts and other things to learn about development, especially in regard to the stages in which humans go through as they begin the aging process.
ReplyDeleteI wish I was able to better grasp the “why” of the developmental process, and I hope to further my understanding of it in developmental psychology this semester. When I say “why”, I am referring to things such as why children act the way they do; why, at generally certain ages, do we create habits; and why as babies are so similar at birth, yet as they age, there becomes many distinct differences.
I believe that, while we can be shaped by environmental factors throughout life, our upbringing is by far the most influential element to our development. By studying development and techniques associated with it, we could potentially identify where certain behavior patterns originate. I think that there is always more to learn about ourselves and how we are affected by our environment. I would like to learn about how development is affected by relationships with peers. Ultimately, I think human development and the factors that influence it are important to understanding ourselves and others.
ReplyDeleteIt is important to study development due to the fact that many health issues may arise during the developmental stages of life. I believe that development should also be studied so that children are prepared for life in the best ways that are known. By doing so, children are not given more than they can mentally handle before they are ready. Humans are always changing and no one individual is like the next. With that stated, there are always new things that are to be discovered and researched to help understand each individual. The concept of how individuals of the same age can possess drastic differences in mental capabilities is something that astounds me and that I wish I understood. I enrolled in this course to know how humans develop so that I can better understand their needs at different stages of their lives.
ReplyDeleteStudying development psychology is a very crucial and important because kids are our future. We need to understand how humans and other non species develop and mature. In order to understand this, we have to dig deep into the brain and be very curious about how it works. Understanding how the brain works takes a big role in developmental psychology. Once we understand this, we can be effective when raising adolescences. This also helps us understand what works and what doesn't work. As science and technology advances, there is always more to learn and understand about the brain.
ReplyDeleteConnor,
DeleteI like the fact that you said kids are our future. I never really thought of it like that. They really are our future. By learning how they devolp is key to raising the right. You cant just leave an unattened newborn by itself they cant take of themsleves as a 10 year old could.
Rae Tiner
Besides needing this class to apply for the nursing program, I have always been interested in how the human mind works. I especially think that developmental psychology will help me when I pursue pediatrics.I think it is very important to understand how a child's brain works and matures. If we understand how children's minds work, we can implement things into schools to help children to mature and develop like they need to.
ReplyDeleteWhen you ask if we still have things to learn, I say yes. As the world around us changes, I think that development is bound to change as well. I also believe that how a child is raised can also affect their development.
Although I do not have anything in particular I would like to learn about, I'm sure we will learn about something that peaks my interest.
Developmental Psychology is very important because it’s basically how every mind was set up to work. Even though not everyone thinks the same, we all have the ability to. Its crazy to think about how over time one person can develop beyond another. Most people wonder how is that event possible. It’s just so amazing to think about and I’m very excited the nursing program requires this class because if it didn’t I don’t think I would have taken this class, and that would be my loss. The first day of class I was very intrigued by the concepts that were introduced.
ReplyDeleteWhat stuck out to me the most was the instincts and reactions of infants. I want to learn more about that topic, not for any particular reason it just comes to mind every time I think of this class. I want to know if there are differences between gender with how the brain grows and develops, honestly I want to know everything that has to infants. Something else that I’ve always wondered about, was those kids who have been adopted. Is there anything different about their minds? Is there anything different about children that have gone through a traumatic event, what is to be expected with the growth of their minds?
When asked if learning should continue through your whole life, I think it definitely does. There will always be something to learn, no matter what. With how our world develops there is so much to learn. All the new technology, historical events, and many more things change all the time. It’s sometimes hard to keep up with if you think about it. This is important to think about because later on down the road children might have to be raised completely different from now a days, just because of how the world and society has been developing.
I feel in general, every topic we talk about will be interesting and I will want to learn more. Some topics might be more interesting than others, but I think overall I will learn so much.
I think studying developmental psychology is important because it influences ones perspective on how people behave in front of kids and how they raise them. It also teaches how to understand the stages of childhood and how children develop. I think there will always be more to learn about kids and how they think and develop. My interest in developmental psychology has increased after having two children. I am very excited to lean more about their stages of childhood. And the different studies on the best ways to raise them.
ReplyDeleteI believe that studying developmental psych is important since it tells us what people need to have good childhoods and smoother transitions between stages of development. I'm enrolled in this class since I'm hoping to eventually become a social worker, and understanding how children develop is certainly very relevant to that field.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteDevelopment Psychology is a crucial topic to study because it gives us a better understanding as to how and why we function as humans. More specifically, it gives us a basic idea of how we are molded as individuals of life; why we experience different behavior patterns; and how we learn and interact in society. I believe that there is always more to learn about development. The world around us is always changing, and we as humans adapt and grow to these changes. In addition, the mind is very complex and I'm sure there is much more to be discovered!
ReplyDeleteA concept of development that I would like to become more familiar with is behavior. How does childhood development impact the growth and behavior of individuals as they progress through life? Lastly, I enrolled in this class primarily because it was required for my major but I'm also currently pregnant and I think this class will give me some insight as to what to expect as a new coming mother!
Studying developmental psychology is important because without it we would not be able to understand how people grow and change throughout their life. I always think that there is more to learn especially when it comes to humans. The human mind is even more perplexing. I would like to be able to learn more about when and why depression occurs in children and how it influences their lives as they grow up. I enrolled in this course because not only do I need it for nursing, but I think it will be very beneficial to learn about how a child's brain works because I want to become a pediatric nurse.
ReplyDeleteI believe that we need to study developmental Psychology to better understand the way poeple act as a society. I think studying the developmental aspects of all ages is very interesting. It is interesting to see the way some things have stayed the same since the 1800’s. I am taking this course to better understand the way that people behave as a society, so that as a nurse I will be better able to understand some of things that I will see in my everyday dealings with my patients and co-workers. I think it is interesting to see the differences and similarities of how we raise our children from the 1800’s to now.
ReplyDeleteStudying Developmental Psychology is a key part to know how humans are going to evolve. We all 'grow up' in somewhat of the same way. I think there are factors of how we 'turn out' that all play a huge roll into how a human becomes a human. I am taking this not only for a nursing pre-requisite but to further my education of children development. I want to work in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit or be a pediatric nurse. I feel like what I learn in this class I can apply it to my nursing career as well.
ReplyDelete