Annual Editions: Child Growth and Development 10/11
Preface
Correlation Guide
Topic Guide
Internet References
UNIT 1: Conception to BirthUnit Overview
1. New Calculator Factors Chances for Very Premature Infants, Denise Grady,
The New York Times, April 17, 2008Researchers have developed a
statistical tool to determine the chance of a
premature baby's
survival and the likelihood of
birth defects. Gender and birth weight are key factors in helping babies born as early as 22 to 25 weeks survive. The calculations influence
medical decisions that are to be taken for the care of these premature infants.
2. Success at Last, Deborah Kotz,
U.S. News & World Report, May 7, 2007Couples fighting
infertility have some control over
conception through the
alteration of diet, exercise, and stress levels. Many factors in these areas can affect
ovulation and hormone levels in women, thus influencing fertility, but men's habits matter as well.UNIT 2: Cognition, Language, and LearningUnit Overview
Part A. Early Cognition and Physical Development3. Infants' Differential Processing of Female and Male Faces, Jennifer L. Ramsey-Rennels and Judith H. Langlois,
Current Directions in Psychological Science, April 2006This article about
infants' processing of faces discusses infants' difficulty in forming a male prototype and also the fact that infants
preferred female faces to male faces. This is explained in terms of
environmental experiences with female faces and
evolutionary dispositions.4. The Other-Race Effect Develops during Infancy, David J. Kelly et al.,
Psychological Science, December 2007Additional support for
environmental influences on
face processing is presented in this article.
Infants learn to discriminate faces in their own race from other races by 9 months of age, a form of
perceptual narrowing, which may facilitate the development of the
other-race effect seen in adults.
5. New Advances in Understanding Sensitive Periods in Brain Development, Michael S. C. Thomas and Mark H. Johnson,
Current Directions in Psychological Science, January 2008The human brain is marked by
plasticity early in life but also is susceptible to the power of experiences at different ages.
Sensitive periods occur when the brain seems optimally prepared to learn certain skills and knowledge, such as
imprinting and
attachment and even
second languages. 6. Contributions of Neuroscience to Our Understanding of Cognitive Development, Adele Diamond and Dima Amso,
Current Directions in Psychological Science, February 2008Neuroscience has shown that
biology is not destiny-that experience affects the growing brain. Authors Diamond and Amso describe recent neuroscience research in several areas, including
infant imitation and mirror neurons, neurotransmitters, maternal touch and
infant stress, and the
intergenerational transmission of biological and behavioral characteristics. 7. It's Fun, but Does It Make You Smarter?, Erika Packard,
APA Monitor on Psychology, November 2007Children's
Internet usage has increased greatly in recent years, but how does it
affect their learning? Research suggests that because of the heavy text-based material online, Internet usage may improve children's
reading performance. Children need to learn skills that are necessary for
self-directed online learning for it to be productive.
8. Language and Children's Understanding of Mental States, Paul L. Harris, Marc de Rosnay, and Francisco Pons,
Current Directions in Psychological Science, February 2005Normal children develop a
theory of mind-they learn to understand other people's feelings and points of view. The scientists discuss research on the crucial role of
maternal conversation and language interventions to promote children's understanding of mental states.
9. Children's Biased Evaluations of Lucky versus Unlucky People and Their Social Groups, Kristina R. Olson et al.,
Psychological Science, October 2006Society tells us to take care of the disadvantaged or unlucky yet we often prefer people of privilege. To understand the
origin of biases, the authors designed an experiment to test children's
feelings toward lucky or unlucky peers. Young children
like people with good luck rather than those with bad luck and
generalize this liking to the group to which the lucky person belongs.
10. Future Thinking in Young Children, Cristina M. Atance,
Current Directions in Psychological Science, April 2008The ability to
mentally time travel may be uniquely human, but when can children mentally project themselves into the future? Using experimental evidence, Atance shows that this skill emerges during the
preschool years and may be involved in
planning future behaviors and
delaying gratification. Part B. Learning in School11. When Should a Kid Start Kindergarten?, Elizabeth Weil,
The New York Times Magazine, June 3, 2007This article presents
multiple perspectives on when a child should begin school. The phenomenon of
redshirting, or opting to hold a child back, is explored, especially in terms of
academic achievement. School readiness and family dynamics are also discussed.UNIT 3: Social and Emotional DevelopmentUnit Overview
Part A. The Child's Feelings: Emotional Development12. A Neurobiological Perspective on Early Human Deprivation, Charles A. Nelson,
Child Development Perspectives, January 2007Many children worldwide are raised
in institutional settings, which have been shown to have
deleterious effects on development. Early institutionalization
causes reduced cortical activity in the brain and a disturbed
neuroendocrine system that regulates social behavior. These findings help explain how institutional care leads to
developmental problems.13. Children's Capacity to Develop Resiliency, Deirdre Breslin,
Young Children, January 2005Some children show
resiliency, the ability to develop normally and thrive despite the presence of risk factors in their lives. This article describes factors that are common in resilient children, including heightened
sensory awareness and high expectations from others.14. Emotions and the Development of Childhood Depression: Bridging the Gap, Pamela M. Cole, Joan Luby, and Margaret W. Sullivan,
Child Development Perspectives, December 2008Our understanding of
typical or
normal emotional development can help us understand children who have
emotional problems, and vice versa. The authors describe emotional development and
childhood depression, identifying
risk factors for the disorder and the roles of
negative emotions and positive emotions in early development.
Part B. Entry into the Social World: Peers, Play, and Popularity15. Children's Social and Moral Reasoning about Exclusion, Melanie Killen,
Current Directions in Psychological Science, February 2007How do children develop
morality? Today researchers are looking at different forms of
social and moral reasoning present in children. Using
social domain theory, the article frames how
prejudice and stereotypes form and how children
reason about exclusion.16. A Profile of Bullying at School, Dan Olweus,
Educational Leadership, March 2003
Bullying involves the repeated exposure of negative actions by one or more peers toward an individual. In the past two decades, a
50 percent increase in the occurrence of bullying has been documented. Leading expert Dan Olweus outlines the typical process involved with bullying and gives supporting data for a
prevention program that he has developed over the past 20 years.
17. When Girls and Boys Play: What Research Tells Us, Jeanetta G. Riley and Rose B. Jones,
Childhood Education, Fall 2007Play has many benefits for all children, but research shows that girls and boys often play in different ways. The authors review research on gender patterns in social interactions, physical play, and language usage. Implications for educators and parents are also discussed.
18. Girls Just Want to Be Mean, Margaret Talbot,
The New York Times Magazine, February 24, 2002This article describes girls'
cliques: Queen Bees, Alpha Girls, and the Really Mean Girls. Although boys are often viewed as the more aggressive sex because of their overt physical aggression, this article discusses
verbal and interpersonal aggression that is more common in girls.19. The Role of Neurobiological Deficits in Childhood Antisocial Behavior, Stephanie H. M. van Goozen, Graeme Fairchild, and Gordon T. Harold,
Current Directions in Psychological Science, March 2008Some children early in childhood engage in antisocial behavior. There are biological and social influences on these problem behaviors. This article describes the interplay between children's adverse early environments and certain neurobiological deficits that lead to antisocial behavior later in childhood.UNIT 4: Parenting and Family IssuesUnit Overview
20. Children of Lesbian and Gay Parents, Charlotte J. Patterson,
Current Directions in Psychological Science, October 2006Does
parental sexual orientation affect child development? After years of research, there is
little difference between the children of heterosexual and homosexual parents. In fact, the
quality of relationships in the family seems to matter more than parents' sexual orientation.
21. Evidence of Infants' Internal Working Models of Attachment, Susan C. Johnson, Carol S. Dweck, and Frances S. Chen,
Psychological Science, June 2007
Internal working models of attachment underlie the
instinctual behaviors children display in their attachment relationships. The authors use an ingenious visual
habituation technique to measure infants' internal working models of attachment, showing that infants'
personal attachment experiences are reflected in their
abstract mental representations of social interactions.
22. Children of Alcoholics, Cara E. Rice et al.,
The Prevention Researcher, November 2006This article addresses the 25 percent of children in the United States who have been exposed to alcohol abuse or dependence in the family. These
children of alcoholics, or COAs, show increased risk for problems. The article examines
prenatal risk factors and the
role of resilience/protective factors in preventive intervention possibilities.23. Within-Family Differences in Parent-Child Relations across the Life Course, J. Jill Suitor et al.,
Current Directions in Psychological Science, May 2008In the same family, parents often treat their children very differently. Such differential treatment and sometimes favoritism are expressed in different levels of closeness, support, and control of siblings.
24. Adoption Is a Successful Natural Intervention Enhancing Adopted Children's IQ and School Performance, Marinus H. van IJzendoorn and Femmie Juffer,
Current Directions in Psychological Science, December 2005This article includes a
meta-analysis of research on
adopted children's cognitive development. Findings show
improved IQ and school performance in adopted children relative to children who stayed institutionalized or returned to birth families, if of higher class.
25. The Case against Breast-Feeding, Hanna Rosin,
The Atlantic, April 2009Cultural influences from parenting experts to mothers' magazines presume that mothers who don't breast-feed their babies are impairing their optimal
physical and intellectual health. In this essay, Rosin combines
research evidence from medicine and psychology with her
personal experiences as a new mother to call into question the presumed superiority of breast-feeding.UNIT 5: Cultural and Societal InfluencesUnit Overview
Part A. Social and Cultural Issues26. Goodbye to Girlhood, Stacy Weiner,
The Washington Post, February 20, 2007This article describes the troubling trend in the way women and girls are
depicted by the media. Pop culture images are
targeting younger girls, and the psychological damage as a result may include
eating disorders, lower self-esteem, and
depression.27. Trials for Parents Who Chose Faith Over Medicine, Dirk Johnson,
The New York Times, January 21, 2009A child is seriously ill, but the
parents' religious beliefs forbid any standard medical treatment. What are the
child's and parents' rights here, and whose should be legally protected? Johnson describes some recent real-life American families that are struggling with these challenges.
28. How Many Fathers Are Best for a Child, Meredith F. Small,
Discover, April 2003Through an anthropological study of the Bar' tribe of Venezuela,
the American concept of a normal family unit is challenged. Questions of
culture and evolution are raised and lead to an intriguing question: Is one father enough?
29. Childhood for Sale, Michele Stockwell,
Blueprint, 2005Children are part of the
American consumer culture. The author describes some
steps to protect children, including age-appropriate advertising, restricted marketing in schools, and protection of children's privacy.
Part B. Special Challenges30. Childhood's End, Christopher Hitchens,
Vanity Fair, January 2006In an ongoing tragedy,
children in Uganda have been victimized in many ways, from being murdered to raped; many children are
enslaved as soldiers who kill and maim other children. Terrible
political and economic conditions contribute to this nightmare.
31. How to Win the Weight Battle, Deborah Kotz,
U.S. News & World Report, September 10, 2007Many experts now believe that the emphasis on
dropping weight rather than adding healthy
nutrients and exercise is doing more harm than good. This article discusses
various approaches that schools are adopting to address
child obesity in America, such as Planet Health and CATCH.
32. The Epidemic That Wasn't, Susan Okie,
The New York Times, January 27, 2009In the 1980s, increased use of
crack cocaine was seized by the media to fan the flames of fears of a generation of
crack babies. However, the data show that while cocaine exposure is certainly dangerous for the fetus, the developments of former crack babies are often more positive than originally predicted on outcomes such as
IQ, attention, and executive function. 33. Three Reasons Not to Believe in an Autism Epidemic, Morton Ann Gernsbacher, Michelle Dawson, and H. Hill Goldsmith,
Current Directions in Psychological Science, February 2005According to conventional wisdom, there is a surge in the number of children with autism. These scientists challenge such claims, arguing that these public perceptions are actually due to changes in diagnostic criteria for autism as well as sloppy analysis of the data.
34. Getting Back to the Great Outdoors, Amy Novotney,
APA Monitor on Psychology, March 2008This article examines
children's physical well-being and also includes concepts such as increased cognitive ability and
increased resilience against stress and adversity. Psychologists are helping children
reconnect with nature through varied efforts, such as conducting research, incorporating the outdoors in clinical interventions, and educating parents on the benefits associated with outdoor experiences.
35. What Causes Specific Language Impairment in Children?, Dorothy V. M. Bishop,
Current Directions in Psychological Science, October 2006Children with Specific Language Impairment (SLI) have problems acquiring language, which normally comes naturally to children. Bishop's research of 20 years suggests the need to look at discrete subtypes of the syndrome and genetic factors to better understand this disorder.
36. Treatment and Prevention of Posttraumatic Stress Reactions in Children and Adolescents Exposed to Disasters and Terrorism: What Is the Evidence?, Annette La Greca and Wendy K. Silverman,
Child Development Perspectives, April 2009Many children are exposed to
traumatic experiences, from
terrorism to
natural disasters. La Greca and Silverman review various
treatment methods for helping c hildren and youth with
posttraumatic stress. Some treatments have no data to confirm their efficacy but others do.
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