Infancy and early childhood

1. Explain what myelin does and describe the process of myelination that takes place in the brain of an infant. How does the process of myelination help plaster in newly acquired motor abilities in the infant? Is it important for an infant to experience new things?
2. Why is attachment so important to an infant? How can having a difficult temperament make it seem as if the infant is not securely attached to the caretaker?
3. Pretend that you are a developmental psychologist and the superintendent for a school district in MA wants your opinion on whether they should have a longer recess period for grades Kindergarten through Second grade? Is playing necessary at this age? Make sure you include how play affects development at this age.
4. Explain which one of the parenting styles is the best in your opinion?

ANSWER

Infancy and Early Childhood

Question 1

a)

The myelin sheath is a protective layer that contains filaments called axons. When the myelin sheath wraps the axon, it functions as a separation between axons and extracellular materials surrounding it (Cameron & Bogin, 2012, p. 158). Hence, the function of myelin is to insulate the axon and raises the velocity of possible action dissemination. The primary motivation behind myelin is to increase the speed at which the electrical driving forces are moving through the myelinated fiber. Through unmyelined fibers, electrical impulses travel as coherent waves; in any case, they jump or propagate by salutary conduction in myelinated strands.

b)

New brain circuit activity is required for a baby in order to learn walking or mastering a new skill (Cameron & Bogin, 2012, p. 202). Oligodendrocytes (OLs) which are myelin-producing cells detect the replicate pulse and enclose myelin around the active circuit. This action-driven insulation is what is significant in infant learning.

c)

It is very important for infants to experience new things. This can help him/her improve span of attention, memory, curiosity and development of the nervous system. Furthermore, learning new things can enable an infant to meet developmental milestones faster, as well as assist in motor skill growth (Benson & Haith, 2010, p. 97).

Question 2

a)

The immediate way in which infants learn how to consolidate their feelings and actions is through attachment. They do so by depending on their care-givers. Attachment also helps a child learn how to trust others; hence, it is a very significant part of establishing healthy relationships in adulthood (Benson & Haith, 2010, p. 88).

b)

Insecure attachment occurs when a primary caregiver fails to act appropriately in ways that are warm, affectionate, caring, reliable and attentive to the needs of the child. According to Benson & Haith (2010, p. 91) infants with difficult temperaments elicit more negative care. Therefore difficult temperament places babies at risk for negative, angry or coercing caregiving and thus causes them to become insecurely attached to the caregiver.

Question 3

a)

As a developmental psychologist, I would recommend children to be granted a longer recess time. This is because short time cannot allow kindergarten to deeply dive into their imaginary worlds or create elaborate play schemes. Besides, short recess will not allow kids to manage their bodies to prepare them for learning experiences of a higher level. According to Cameron & Bogin (2012, p. 221) having little longer recess periods will undoubtedly see drastic improvements in child attitudes, focus, and even ingenuity.

b)

Playing is necessary for kindergartens. It is important for growth, as it leads to the cognitive, physical, social, and emotional development of children. To help young ones develop social skills, playing is fundamental because they learn to get along with others, take turns and much more. In addition, playing is vital to the advancement of children’s neurology. By playing, children foster healthy brain growth, as they develop several neural synapses that would either vanish or destabilize unless used.

Question 4

Authoritative style of parenting is best. This is because parents who demonstrate this kind of style set up clear disciplinary rules for their children and explain reasons behind these rules. Besides, parents who are authoritative exhibit rationality and caring nature. Their expectations for their kids are also high and clear. Kids raised by parents who exhibit this style appear to be self-disciplined; therefore, they are thought to benefit most from this style (Benson & Haith, 2010, p. 147).

References

Benson, J. B., & Haith, M. M. (2010). Social and emotional development in infancy and early childhood. Academic Press.

Cameron, N. P., & Bogin, B. (2012). Human growth and development. Academic Press.