Question

1. Discuss some of the accomplishments of early childhood. What age group represents early childhood? Discuss Piaget, Freud and Erikson's theories on this period?

2. Why do psychologists characterize this period as "The play years? discuss the different types of play?

3. Define the Marshmallow test. Who did research on this phenomena? What is the significance of the Marshmallow test? How do parents contribute to a child's ability to control his or her impulses? Why is one's ability to control one's impulses important when adapting to society? Do you know anybody in your life who does not have good impulse control? Why is it difficult to be around such people?

Answer 1

1.  The early childhood is the period between birth and the age of six years. This is the period when there is a gradual progress from complete dependence on the mother to the beginning of independence.

Physical development – In infancy there is a rapid physical development. At the age of one month the child can hold up its head, it can sit at the age of six months, walk at the age of one year and run at the age of eighteen months. He learns to eat, drink, wear clothes, communicate with others and develop simple motor skills. The brain develops faster than other parts of the body. The lungs too develops fast and the capacity for breathing is increased. The heart grows and its action is strengthened. The pulse rate also drops.

Mental development – During this stage the infants behave instinctively and their most predominant instinct is to seek food and pleasure. Their concept of quantity and time is naive. They have strong instincts of curiosity and self-assertion. This period is marked by an absence of shame, self-discipline and self-respect; physical pain is the only deterrent to conduct.

According to Piaget, it is the sensorimotor stage. In this stage the child comes to know the world through sensation and the main characteristics of the age are grasping, listening, sucking and so on.

On the other hand, Freud says that the period of early childhood is the mouth sucking, swallowing etc. Ego develops in this stage. It is the beginning of the psychosexual stages of development.

Erikson says that the first stage of the child development is trust vs. mistrust. In this stage the child grows an attachment with caregiver and the attachment depends on trust or mistrust.