Child Growth and Development 2006-2007

UNIT 1. Conception to Birth1. Brave New Babies, Claudia Kalb, Newsweek, January 26, 2004Advances in fertility technology are giving couples the power to choose the sex of their baby. Claudia Kalb discusses the technology and ethics of "sex selection."2. Inside the Womb, J. Madeleine Nash, Time, November 11, 2002The author gives a detailed description of development from conception to birth and what it means for the expectant mother. By examining the link between mother and child, the article emphasizes the importance of prenatal care to the growth of a healthy fetus.3. Treating the Tiniest Patients, Claudia Kalb, Newsweek, June 9, 2003Medical advances in surgical procedures for in utero patients are changing the way people view the earliest stages of life. Due to such improvements in science and medicine, unborn babies are now considered treatable patients, though there are ethical complications as to whether the benefits outweigh the costs.UNIT 2. Cognition, Language, and LearningPart A. Early Cognition and Physical Development4. Crib Death: A Biobehavioral Phenomenon?, Lewis P. Lipsitt, Current Directions in Psychological Science, October 2003More babies die from SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) in developed countries than from all other causes combined. Prominent psychological scientist Lipsitt describes neurobehavior transitions during the first year of life, especially between 2 and 5 months of age, that affect infants' vulnerability to SIDS. 5. Memories From the Cradle, Mark L. Howe, Current Directions in Psychological Science, April 2003This leading scientist describes research on the development of early memory and explains how memory is linked to emergence of a sense of self. Autobiographical memory may not develop until a child creates a "cognitive self" around 18-24 months of age.6. Gender Bender, Sadie F. Dingfelder, APA Monitor on Psychology, April 2004The author describes recent research evidence on the role of genes and prenatal hormones in gender identity and gender-related behaviors. These findings help illuminate the interplay between nature and nurture in boys' and girls' behavior.7. Representation of Objects and Events: Why Do Infants Look So Smart and Toddlers Look So Dumb?, Rachel Keen, Current Directions in Psychological Science, June 2003Is it possible that children regress in their knowledge of the physical world? This question arose due to the recent and counterintuitive finding that 2- and 3-year-olds' knowledge of continuity and solidity laws was worse than infants' knowledge. Developmental scientists are trying to determine what causes such a surprising discrepancy. 8. What Children Know About Mental Experiences, John H. Flavell and Beverley M. Hartman, Young Children, March 2004Flavell, one of the leading scholars of cognitive development, describes how children acquire a "theory of mind," an understanding of other people's thoughts, attitudes, feelings, and intentions. Suggestions are offered to help children develop such understanding.Part B. Learning in School 9. A Deeper Sense of Literacy, Cynthia L. Schiebe, American Behavioral Scientist, September 2004Children may be influenced by the images and messages within media, so teaching media literacy in the primary grades may help children develop critical thinking and technological competence. Schiebe describes her work with examples from social studies and language arts in the classroom. 10. Parental School Involvement and Children's Academic Achievement, Nancy E. Hill and Lorraine C. Taylor, Current Directions in Psychological Science, Vol. 13 2004Collaborations between schools and families promote children's academic performance, and the authors describe research and policy recommendations on such healthy interaction. Involvement is considered in light of socioeconomic, community, and cultural context as well as children's developmental levels.11. Preschool: The Most Important Grade, W. Steven Arnett and Jason T. Hustedt, Educational Leadership, April 2003The benefits of preschool education have gained recent attention from parents, educational experts, and public policy makers. From a reduction in special education placement to better jobs and a lower crime rate, a quality preschool education is an increasingly valued commodity. The challenge remains, however, to make such programs available to all children.UNIT 3. Social and Emotional DevelopmentPart A. The Child's Feelings: Emotional Development12. Emotional Intelligence: What the Research Says, Casey D. Cobb and John D. Mayer, Educational Leadership, November 2000Success in life may have more to do with how we understand ourselves and others, whether we have empathy, and how well we interact with others. This emotional intelligence--EQ--is more important than IQ, some say, and the authors present the debate on whether EQ really exists, how it is measured, and whether it can be taught in schools.Part B. Entry Into the Social World: Peers, Play, and Popularity13. Friendship Quality and Social Development, Thomas J. Berndt, Current Directions in Psychological Science, February 2002Do childhood friendships dictate future success in the social world? Recent research suggests that they do. Interestingly, when examining social development in children, the quality of a friendship does not appear to be an indicator of how much friends influence each other.14. Loneliness and Peer Relations in Childhood, Steven R. Asher and Julie A. Paquette, Current Directions in Psychological Science, June 2003Some children are chronically lonely. Research shows this dimension of children's social development is linked to being rejected and victimized by peers. The authors discuss how loneliness is related to children's emotional maladjustment and school problems. 15. The Power of Make-Believe, Sora Song, Time, February 14, 2005Imaginary playmates are common in children's lives, and they seem to promote development by providing companionship and helping children use their imagination to resolve emotional issues and problem situations.16. Gender and Group Process: A Developmental Perspective, Eleanor E. Maccoby, Current Directions in Psychological Science, April 2002This psychologist describes how much of children's gender socialization occurs within same-sex social groups. Interestingly, many sex-related qualities and behaviors emerge within a group setting more than when children are alone.17. Girls Just Want to Be Mean, Margaret Talbot, New York Times.com, 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. Research is discussed on verbal and interpersonal aggression that is more common in girls.18. A Profile of Bullying at School, Dan Olweus, Educational Leadership, March 2003Bullying involves the repeated exposure to 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.UNIT 4. Parenting and Family Issues19. The Case for Staying Home, Claudia Wallis, Time, March 22, 2004Many women struggle to balance the demands of work and family. The author describes national trends and many case studies on the increasing numbers of mothers who choose to stay home rather than be employed.20. Contemporary Research on Parenting: The Case for Nature and Nurture, W. Andrew Collins, Eleanor E. Maccoby, Laurence Steinberg, E. Mavis Hetherington, and Marc H. Bornstein, American Psychologist, February 2000This distinguished team of leading developmental psychologists summarizes research on parenting related to the interaction of nature and nurture, children's temperament, and the roles of peers and the neighborhood. 21. Stress and the Superdad, Michele Orecklin, Time, August 23, 2004Fathers, like mothers, struggle to balance the competing needs and pressures of work and family. Orecklin provides data on fathers' values and behaviors and discusses how fathers balance work and home.22. Spanking Children: Evidence and Issues, Alan E. Kazdin and Corina Benjet, Current Directions in Psychological Science, June 2003Disciplinary measures, especially spanking, have always generated controversy. Alan Kazdin and Corina Benjet discuss how spanking should be defined and offer three different views of spanking. This article describes research on spanking and the impact of such punishment on developmental processes. 23. A Nation of Wimps, Hara Estroff Marano, Psychology Today, November/December 2004Parents seem very protective and anxious in raising their children. Hara Marano examines how "overparenting" may create anxiety and depression in children, as parents seem afraid to cut the "eternal umbilical cord."24. Why Our Kids Are Out of Control, Jacob Azerrad and Paul Chance, Psychology Today, September/October 2001Is it possible that our modes of discipline actually reinforce bad behaviors? American children are notorious for their aggressive behaviors. Jacob Azerrad and Paul Chance reason that it is due to the attention they receive when misbehaving. Case studies illustrate how bad behavior is reinforced through attention. 25. Siblings' Direct and Indirect Contributions to Child Development, Gene H. Brody, Current Directions in Psychological Science, Vol. 13, 2004The role of siblings in children's development is often neglected due to the emphasis on parent-child relations. But Brody, a prominent scholar, describes research on how siblings affect children's thinking, language, and social behavior. Brody also explores parents' differential treatment of siblings as an important aspect of family life.26. The Environment of Childhood Poverty, Gary W. Evans, American Psychologist, February/March 2004Poverty is linked to many risk factors in childhood, from family instability and violence to academic difficulties. Poor children are also exposed to more polluted environments and neighborhood crime. The author describes research evidence on the unhealthy impact of poverty, especially the cumulative effect of multiple environment risks.UNIT 5. Cultural and Societal InfluencesPart A. Social and Cultural Issues 27. Kid Power, Katy Kelly and Linda Kulman, U.S. News & World Report, September 13, 2004Children are now powerful consumers in American economy. The authors explore how this culture of childhood consumerism affects children, the development of values, and family conflict.28. The Culture of Affluence: Psychological Costs of Material Wealth, Suniya S. Luthar, Child Development, November/December 2003Most people assume that only poor children are at-risk for developmental problems. The author describes ample evidence showing the perils associated with wealth--including anxiety, depression, and substance abuse. 29. Parents or Pop Culture? Children's Heroes and Role Models, Kristin J. Anderson and Donna Cavallara, Childhood Education, Spring 2002The media offer children countless role models in TV, music, movies, and comic books. Interesting differences emerged when the authors surveyed African American, Asia American, Latino, and white children on whether children admire people they know--parents, for example--or media figures. 30. Forensic Developmental Psychology: Unveiling Four Common Misconceptions, Maggie Bruck and Stephen Ceci, Current Directions in Psychological Science, Vol. 13 (6), 2004In cases of child sexual abuse, children are often crucial witnesses and informants. Thus, research is necessary to determine if children are accurate reporters of abuse and whether suggestive interviewing misleads them.31. How Many Fathers Are Best for a Child?, Meredith F. Small, Discover, April 2003Through an anthropological study of the Bari 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?32. The Medication Merry-Go-Round, Kathryn Brown, Science, March 14, 2003Kathryn Brown explains that most drugs prescribed for children have not been tested in young children. Brown reviews commonly prescribed medications comparing risks to rewards, and she also addresses the importance of drug testing to see what really is safe for our young people.Part B. Special Challenges33. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Very Young Children: Early Signs and Interventions, Rebecca R. Fewell and Barbara Deutscher, Infants and Young Children, January 2002ADHD is the most common neuropsychiatric syndrome in children. Included in this article are tables outlining detection signs, medical treatment possibilities, and coping mechanisms, all to promote normal childhood development.34. Where Living is Lethal, Geoffrey Cowley, Newsweek, September 22, 2003In tragic circumstances around the world, millions of children die early in childhood. The causes include contaminated water, hunger, and easily-treatable diseases. International economic and political efforts are needed to remedy this horrible problem. 35. Children of the Fallen, Jerry Adler, Newsweek, March 21, 2005More than 1,000 American children have lost a parent in the Iraq war. Adler describes how these families and children are emotionally coping with their losses. Psychologists discuss children's bereavement and therapy treatments. 36. When Does Autism Start?, Claudia Kalb, Newsweek, February 28, 2005Interest in autism has exploded recently and the author captures much of the current activity on this disorder. Research on different kinds of autism spectrum disorders is described, as are different therapies and support groups for families that have children with autism. 37. Savior Parents, Elizabeth Weill, Time, May 2004When children have genetic and chromosomal abnormalities, many parents must take extraordinary steps to help their children develop as normally as possible. Weill describes how several families have changed their own lives as well as formed organizations to help other families.