Annual Editions: Child Growth and Development 07/08

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. 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 Development3. Reading Your Baby's Mind, Pat Wingert and Martha Brant, Newsweek, August 15, 2005Psychologists are learning more about infants' social, emotional, and cognitive skills. New insights come from studying brain development, leading to a more detailed picture of the baby's mind.4. Brain Research and Early Childhood Development: A Primer for Developmentally Appropriate Practice, Kathleen C. Gallagher, Young Children, July 2005This article describes how developmentally appropriate practice by teachers and parents can enhance children's brain development. Research is described on how experiences can affect the development of synapses and levels of stress hormones, all to support children's cognitive, social, and emotional growth.5. Culture and Language in the Emergence of Autobiographical Memory, Robyn Fivush and Katherine Nelson, Psychological Science, September 2004Our ability to remember early experiences reflects the contributions of different developmental processes. These leading scientists emphasize the roles of culture, narrative, styles of reminiscing, and gender in our ability to recall our early experiences.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. 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. These scientists describe research on the crucial role of maternal conversation and language interventions to promote children's understanding of mental states.Part B. Learning in School8. A Deeper Sense of Literacy, Cynthia L. Scheibe, 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. Scheibe describes her work with examples from social studies and language arts in the classroom.9. 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.10. The Trouble with Boys, Peg Tyre, Newsweek, January 30, 2006After public debate about the challenges girls faced in public education, attention has turned to boys, who receive lower grades and are diagnosed more often with learning disabilities. The author discusses many influences, ranging from temperament, evolution, and the structure of classrooms.11. The Preschool Promise, Julie Poppe and Steffanie Clothier, State Legislatures, June 2005Young children who attend preschool seem to enjoy many later benefits in school readiness. This article addresses socioeconomic factors and legislative actions that influence young children's preschool involvement.UNIT 3. Social and Emotional DevelopmentPart A. The Child's Feelings: Emotional Development12. 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.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. Taming Wild Girls, Jeffrey Kluger, Time, May 1, 2006Although boys are more physically aggressive, girls more commonly engage in relational aggression-verbal and interpersonal aggression. Some schools are developing intervention programs to help girls deal with their interpersonal conflicts.18. 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.19. 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 Issues20. The Case for Staying Home, Claudia Wallis, Time Magazine, 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.21. 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 re
search on parenting related to the interaction of nature and nurture, children's temperament, and the roles of peers and the neighborhood.22. 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.23. Physical Discipline and Children's Adjustment: Cultural Normativeness as a Moderator, Jennifer Lansford et al., Child Development, November/December 2005This article describes cross-cultural research in many different countries to examine the link between mothers' use of physical discipline and children's emotional and behavior adjustment. Cultural values appear to play a role not only in mothers' use of physical punishment but in their children's response to it.24. 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 "over parenting" may create anxiety and depression in children, as parents seem afraid to cut the "eternal umbilical cord."25. 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.26. 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. 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.27. 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 Issues28. 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.29. 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.30. Watch and Learn, Eric Jaffe, APS Observer, December 2005Psychologists have studied educational television to learn how children learn from it. Recent research has explored children's viewing in terms of theories of cognitive development as well as children's attention deficits. New attention is now given to interactive media and the power of Sesame Street to encourage children to eat healthier.31. Forensic Developmental Psychology: Unveiling Four Common Misconceptions, Maggie Bruck and Stephen Ceci, Current Directions in Psychological Science, Vol. 13, 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.32. 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?33. The Pediatric Gap, Jerome Groopman, The New Yorker, January 10, 2005Many children are now on prescription medications for physical and psychological problems. However, most of these medicines have never been properly tested for use by children. This article describes the views of pediatricians and families on this issue, as well as research and actions by advocacy groups and legislatures.Part B. Special Challenges34. 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.35. 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.36. 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.37. 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.38. 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 numbers 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.39. 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.