Child Psychology

Child Psychology

Child Psychology, often referred to as Child Development, examines the psychological aspects that occur during childhood (from birth to puberty). An incredible number of changes occur during childhood, especially during infancy, which lasts from birth to age two. In particular, there are massive advances in physical, cognitive, and psychosocial development...all of which are key areas of study within child psychology.

At one time, many believed that children were simply "small adults" and not vastly different from adults. Today, however, most recognize that there are great qualitative differences that make children unique.

Child psychology is one of the many branches of psychology and one of the most frequently studied specialty areas. This particular branch focuses on the mind and behavior of children from prenatal development through adolescence. Child psychology deals not only with how children grow physically, but with their mental, emotional and social development as well.

Historically, children were often viewed simply as smaller versions of adults.

When Jean Piaget suggested that children actually think differently than adults, Albert Einstein proclaimed that the discovery was "so simple that only a genius could have thought of it."

Today, psychologists recognize that child psychology is unique and complex, but many differ in terms of the unique perspective they take when approaching development. Experts also differ in their responses to some of the bigger questions in child psychology, such as whether early experiences matter more than later ones or whether nature or nurture plays a greater role in certain aspects of development.

The Different Contexts of Child Psychology

When you think of development, what comes to mind? If you are like most people, you probably think about the internal factors that influence how a child grows, such as genetics and personal characteristics. However, development involves much more than the influences that arise from within an individual. Environmental factors such as social relationships and the culture in which we live also play essential roles.

Some of the major contexts that we need to consider in our analysis of child psychology include:

• The Social Context: Relationships with peers and adults have an effect on how children think, learn and develop. Families, schools and peer groups all make up an important part of the social context.
• The Cultural Context: The culture a child lives in contributes a set of values, customs, shared assumptions and ways of living that influence development throughout the lifespan. Culture may play a role in how children relate to their parents, the type of education they receive and the type of child care that is provided.
• The Socioeconomic Context: Social class can also play a major role in child development. Socioeconomic status (often abbreviated as SES), is based upon a number of different factors including how much education people have, how much money they earn, the job they hold and where they live. Children raised in households with a high socioeconomic status tend to have greater access to opportunities, while those from households with lower socioeconomic status may have less access to such things as health care, quality nutrition and education. Such factors can have a major impact on child psychology.

Remember, all three of these contexts are constantly interacting. While a child may have fewer opportunities due to a low socioeconomic status, enriching social relationships and strong cultural ties may help correct this imbalance.

Importance and Definition of Child Psychology

Psychological development in a human being is a dynamic process which begins at birth and matures through a series of sequential stages resulting in specific characteristic behavior. These stages are governed by genetic, familial, cultural, interpersonal and inter-psychic factors.

Psychology: Is the science of dealing with human nature, function and phenomenon of the soul.

Child Psychology: Is the science dealing with the mental power or interaction between the conscious and subconscious elements in a child.

Importance of Child Psychology: As a parent, it is very important to understand a child’s behavior in order to help them adapt to various situations in life. From a medical perspective, child psychology is important for the following reasons:

o To understand the child better.

o To know that some problems have a psychological origin.

o To establish effective communication between the child and the teachers.

o To gain confidence of the child and of the parent.

o To teach parents and children the importance of primary and preventive care for psychological problems or emotional disturbance of child.

o To produce a comfortable environment for a teaching session.

o To understand the way in which children’s attitude and abilities develop. So that we have better chance of understanding the child and how to teach them.

o To understand what a child at a certain age should developmentally be able to do.

o For providing effective guidance and counselling.

Psychosocial Theory: 

This theory was proposed by Eric Erickson in 1963. Erickson concentrated on a child’s development covering the entire span of their life cycle from infancy to childhood through old age. Unlike Freud, Erickson emphasized the conscious self as much as unconscious instincts. Despite certain differences, they both share some of the important assumptions which include the following:

o Development depends upon a child’s instincts and responses of those around him or her.

o Unresolved issues from early stages of life can affect a person’s ability to deal with subsequent stages.

Erickson described eight stages of the life cycle which are manifested by internal crises defined as the turning points or periods.