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?
I feel that every decision that I have made about the atmosphere in which I have brought Teagan to influences her behaviours. Introducing her to new people and children around her own age. Allowing her to have limited freedom. Making her understand that there are some things that are unsafe and that she is not allowed to do, or must deal with the appropriate consequences. And ultimately her reactions in all theses situations I need to understand and adjust to allow her to feel comfortable but at times step out of her comfort zone while being supervised. I base the hypotheses on what I have personally seen with children in the past. In the event that a parent is too overbearing or protective the infant has no way to explore and find out things on their own. If parents don't supervise and guide their children a little bit they might become lost and often zone out when placed with other children because this is what usually happens.
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?
I feel my child is a little shy and wants to stay with her mommy. I encourage her to try things out but I feel she regularly needs support. I hope that she will grow out of this and become an outgoing young girl (just like I did). I feel that she always trying to please as she sorts her toys (19,3) and is quite good at being able to focus. She is able to get along with other kids but it takes awhile for her to adjust to them first. Similar to her interactions with adults she is quiet and shy then is able to interact with them once she has gotten used to a new individual.
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 three principles/theorists from the above list in your answer.
I believe that I do follow the Social Learning Theory as a part of my parenting skills. I always try to ensure that the mental state of my child is normal before I place them in the situation. I know that I am individuals that encourages my child to adjust to a situation. A couple examples being when I introduced Teagan to family and friends. She was uncomfortable but she learned to warm up to them as this is what I expected from her. But just because they learned how to react with other people does not mean that they will behave in that manner every day. The same thing occurred when Teagan was brought to the park, she was unaware as to how to react with other children, but I was there if she needed me.
Ainsworth's Attachment Theory was also a part of my upbringing of Teagan. Teagan is clearly attached to her mother and is proven by every time that she returns back to me when she needs something or feels uncomfortable in the situation that she is placed in. For most of her infancy she would have demonstrated to me what she is doing and feeling never uncomfortable when left without me.
Piaget also has many well thought out theories in which many parents use. Allowing infants, children and young adults to think about what is being told to them or shown in front of them affects their response. An example of this is showing 2 glasses of water at the same level. Then one glass is poured into a taller more narrow glass. The child is asked which glass has more water. Having the ability to think about the previous glass, the water was placed in the taller more narrow glass thus they have the exact same amount of water. But children will usually visually identify that the taller more narrow glass has more water because it visually seems to have more. Using this theory in everyday parent hood allows children to understand what is being said to them or what is happening in front of them and using the information to critically think about it to determine the correct answer. And therefor use their brains rather then what they can see.
Brief background on each principles and theorist
Social Learning Theory (Albert Bandura, Social Learning Theory, 1977)
This is the theory in which observation allows for learning opportunities through 3 concepts.
Bowlby (John)
John Bowlby's Theory of Attachment, 1969.
Ainsworth
(Mary Ainsworth's Theory 1973)
Piaget
(Jean Piaget, Theory of Cognitive Development, 1952, 1962 and 1983)
Vygotsky
(Lev Semenovich Vygotsky, Socioculture Theory, 1926)
Information Process Theory
Developmental Neuroscience
Cellular level of brain neuron development
References
Cherry, K. (n.d.). Social Learning Theory. About.com Psychology. Retrieved October 24, 2013, from http://psychology.about.com/od/developmen
Feldman, R. S., & Landry, O. (2013).Discovering the Lifespan (Canadian ed.). Toronto: Pearson Canada.
McLeod, S. (2009). Attachment Styles. Simply Psychology. Retrieved from http://www.simplypsychology.org/attachment.html
I feel that every decision that I have made about the atmosphere in which I have brought Teagan to influences her behaviours. Introducing her to new people and children around her own age. Allowing her to have limited freedom. Making her understand that there are some things that are unsafe and that she is not allowed to do, or must deal with the appropriate consequences. And ultimately her reactions in all theses situations I need to understand and adjust to allow her to feel comfortable but at times step out of her comfort zone while being supervised. I base the hypotheses on what I have personally seen with children in the past. In the event that a parent is too overbearing or protective the infant has no way to explore and find out things on their own. If parents don't supervise and guide their children a little bit they might become lost and often zone out when placed with other children because this is what usually happens.
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?
I feel my child is a little shy and wants to stay with her mommy. I encourage her to try things out but I feel she regularly needs support. I hope that she will grow out of this and become an outgoing young girl (just like I did). I feel that she always trying to please as she sorts her toys (19,3) and is quite good at being able to focus. She is able to get along with other kids but it takes awhile for her to adjust to them first. Similar to her interactions with adults she is quiet and shy then is able to interact with them once she has gotten used to a new individual.
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 three principles/theorists from the above list in your answer.
I believe that I do follow the Social Learning Theory as a part of my parenting skills. I always try to ensure that the mental state of my child is normal before I place them in the situation. I know that I am individuals that encourages my child to adjust to a situation. A couple examples being when I introduced Teagan to family and friends. She was uncomfortable but she learned to warm up to them as this is what I expected from her. But just because they learned how to react with other people does not mean that they will behave in that manner every day. The same thing occurred when Teagan was brought to the park, she was unaware as to how to react with other children, but I was there if she needed me.
Ainsworth's Attachment Theory was also a part of my upbringing of Teagan. Teagan is clearly attached to her mother and is proven by every time that she returns back to me when she needs something or feels uncomfortable in the situation that she is placed in. For most of her infancy she would have demonstrated to me what she is doing and feeling never uncomfortable when left without me.
Piaget also has many well thought out theories in which many parents use. Allowing infants, children and young adults to think about what is being told to them or shown in front of them affects their response. An example of this is showing 2 glasses of water at the same level. Then one glass is poured into a taller more narrow glass. The child is asked which glass has more water. Having the ability to think about the previous glass, the water was placed in the taller more narrow glass thus they have the exact same amount of water. But children will usually visually identify that the taller more narrow glass has more water because it visually seems to have more. Using this theory in everyday parent hood allows children to understand what is being said to them or what is happening in front of them and using the information to critically think about it to determine the correct answer. And therefor use their brains rather then what they can see.
Brief background on each principles and theorist
Social Learning Theory (Albert Bandura, Social Learning Theory, 1977)
This is the theory in which observation allows for learning opportunities through 3 concepts.
- People can learn through observation.
- Internal mental states are an essential part of this process.
- Recognition that just because something has been learned, it may not directly result in a change in behaviour.
- (Cherry).
Bowlby (John)
John Bowlby's Theory of Attachment, 1969.
- Infants for into the world pre-programmed to create relationships as relationships are required to live.
- He states that infants are pre-programmed to create attachments with others and this creates necessary relationships and is required for long term well-being and ultimately help in their survival.
- This initial relationship should be he main focus of the child life until about the age of 2
- (McLeod, 2009).
Ainsworth
(Mary Ainsworth's Theory 1973)
- Her theory states infants hold the ability to create attachment toward other. Ainsworth distinguishes between different attachment styles. Secure attachment, ambivalent attachment, and avoidance/avoidant attachment which are classified by the reactions outlined in the following chart.
- Bowlby and Ainsworth's theory states that infants develop a secure attachment when the individual taking care of them is sensitive to their signals, and responds to their needs. These may ultimately determine the course of attachment security associated with the infant
- (McLeod, 2009).
Piaget
(Jean Piaget, Theory of Cognitive Development, 1952, 1962 and 1983)
- With each stage of development the quantity of the information increases as well as the quality of knowledge.
- What happens between each stage with the cognitive development of an infant.
- Schemes - How we deal with and understand information that is given to us.
- Assimilation: Understanding a new experience, by changing their way of thinking about a subject.
- Accommodation: Changes of thinking regarding a new stimuli or event.
- (Feldman & Landry, 2013)
Vygotsky
(Lev Semenovich Vygotsky, Socioculture Theory, 1926)
- The cognitive development in which the social interaction of an individual and a culture are placed together to develop an outcome.
- (Feldman & Landry, 2013)
Information Process Theory
- The Model in which seeks information on how individuals take in, use and store information.
- (Feldman & Landry, 2013)
Developmental Neuroscience
Cellular level of brain neuron development
References
Cherry, K. (n.d.). Social Learning Theory. About.com Psychology. Retrieved October 24, 2013, from http://psychology.about.com/od/developmen
Feldman, R. S., & Landry, O. (2013).Discovering the Lifespan (Canadian ed.). Toronto: Pearson Canada.
McLeod, S. (2009). Attachment Styles. Simply Psychology. Retrieved from http://www.simplypsychology.org/attachment.html