Psy/103 Week 4 Individual Assignment
Middle Childhood Development and Personality
Jessica Saar
PSY/103
September 10. 2012
Donna Litteral
Developmentally, middle childhood is a big time in a child’s life. During this time, they begin their academic journey. They are growing and changing in so many ways. Children begin learning how to relate to others outside the home. They also learn to respect others and how to treat others properly. A child’s physical and cognitive development can be affected by many things. Genetics, nutrition, home environment, income, and parenting affect how a child will develop during middle childhood. Culture also comes into play when a person looks at social, moral, and personality development. All of these things will affect how a child thinks and feels about the world around him or her. Genes have an effect on middle childhood development. Everything from height and weight to hair color are determined by genes. While other things such as nutrition do affect whether one will grow to their true potential, genes are the main contributing factor. Genetics can also explain why some children have certain diseases and others do not. Children are resilient and will learn to live with the genetic disorders they may face. It is not only physical disorders that can affect a child, but also cognitive impairment can affect a child as well. Some mental disorders are shown to run in families and can be passed from mother or father to the child. Nutrition is important during middle childhood. Children need good nutrition to prevent a number of problems from occurring. Some of these include “lethargy, poor concentration, greater susceptibility to illness, moodiness, and poor psychomotor skills” (Zembar & Blume, 2009). Children are growing and changing greatly during this period. They need good nutrition to fuel their growth and development. Some schools have breakfast and lunch programs where children are provided with good nutrition for at least two meals a day. This
Jessica Saar
PSY/103
September 10. 2012
Donna Litteral
Developmentally, middle childhood is a big time in a child’s life. During this time, they begin their academic journey. They are growing and changing in so many ways. Children begin learning how to relate to others outside the home. They also learn to respect others and how to treat others properly. A child’s physical and cognitive development can be affected by many things. Genetics, nutrition, home environment, income, and parenting affect how a child will develop during middle childhood. Culture also comes into play when a person looks at social, moral, and personality development. All of these things will affect how a child thinks and feels about the world around him or her. Genes have an effect on middle childhood development. Everything from height and weight to hair color are determined by genes. While other things such as nutrition do affect whether one will grow to their true potential, genes are the main contributing factor. Genetics can also explain why some children have certain diseases and others do not. Children are resilient and will learn to live with the genetic disorders they may face. It is not only physical disorders that can affect a child, but also cognitive impairment can affect a child as well. Some mental disorders are shown to run in families and can be passed from mother or father to the child. Nutrition is important during middle childhood. Children need good nutrition to prevent a number of problems from occurring. Some of these include “lethargy, poor concentration, greater susceptibility to illness, moodiness, and poor psychomotor skills” (Zembar & Blume, 2009). Children are growing and changing greatly during this period. They need good nutrition to fuel their growth and development. Some schools have breakfast and lunch programs where children are provided with good nutrition for at least two meals a day. This
References: Bergen, D. (2009). Play and Social Interaction in Middle Childhood. Phi Delta Kappan, 90(6), 426. Carpenter, S., & Huffman, K. (2010). Visualizing psychology (2nd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. Votruba-Drzal, E. (2006). Economic disparities in middle childhood development: Does income matter?. Developmental Psychology, 42(6), 1154-1167. doi:10.1037/0012-1649.42.6.1154 Zembar, M.J. & Blume, L.B. (2009). Nutritional Needs and Dietary Behavior in Middle Childhood. Retrieved from: http://www.education.com/reference/article/nutritional-needs-dietary-behavior-children/