Child Growth and Development 2004-2005

UNIT 1. Conception to Birth 1. What Makes You Who You Are, Matt Ridley, Time, June 2, 2003 The debate between nature and nurture continues, but instead of turning the two factors against each other, Matt Ridley argues that they work together to create an individual. Both learned and innate processes are shown to influence language, love, antisocial behavior, and homosexuality in humans. 2. Making Time for a Baby, Nancy Gibbs, Time, April 15, 2002 Advances in fertility technology are giving couples the chance to have children at later ages. Nancy Gibbs discusses the increased risk of problems such as miscarriage and chromosomal abnormalities of late-in-life babies. 3. Inside the Womb, J. Madeleine Nash, Time, November 11, 2002 The 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. 4. Treating the Tiniest Patients, Claudia Kalb, Newsweek, June 9, 2003 Medical 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. 5. Grade A: The Market for a Yale Woman's Eggs, Jessica Cohen, The Atlantic Monthly, December 2002 Jessica Cohen, a college undergraduate, describes a first-hand account of her unsettling experience in the egg donation process. The secret behind this solution to infertility is the highly competitive industry of donor selection. Cohen learned that not only is the physical process grueling, but the selection process can be just as painful. UNIT 2. Cognition, Language, and Learning Part A. Early Cognition and Physical Development 6. The Quest for a Super Kid, Jeffrey Kluger and Alice Park, Time, April 30, 2001 More than ever, parents seem eager to help their children become smarter and smarter at earlier and earlier ages. This article addresses some of the myths of early childhood and parents' sources of guilt and describes how some parents are fighting this recent trend to create a "super kid." 7. Long-Term Recall Memory: Behavioral and Neuro-Developmental Changes in the First 2 Years of Life, Patricia J. Bauer, Current Directions in Psychological Science, August 2002 This leading scientist describes research demonstrating that babies have long-term memory to recall past events well before their verbal skills develop. Babies' memory skills may be based in their brain development. 8. Evolution and Developmental Sex Differences, David C. Geary, Current Directions in Psychological Science, August 1999 David Geary uses an evolutionary framework and Darwinian principles to predict and understand sex differences in childhood in behaviors such as social development, play, and sexual selection. The influence of culture is also considered. 9. Representation of Objects and Events: Why Do Infants Look So Smart and Toddlers Look So Dumb?, Rachel Keen, Current Directions in Psychological Science, June 2003 Is 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. 10. Do Young Children Understand What Others Feel, Want, and Know?, Angeline Lillard and Stephanie Curenton, Young Children, September 1999 When do children understand the minds of others? The authors describe research showing the emergence of young children's intuitive or folk psychology and discuss how parents and the culture can influence children's understanding of others. 11. Giftedness: Current Theory and Research, Ellen Winner, Current Directions in Psychological Science, October 2000 Gifted children generate interesting questions for us. Are they born that way? If children are gifted in one domain, are they gifted in others? How important is the environment and "practice, practice, practice"? Ellen Winner addresses these issues and concludes that we do not yet know whether nature or nurture matters more in the creation of giftedness. Part B. Learning in School 12. Preschool: The Most Important Grade, W. Steven Barnett and Jason T. Hustedt, Educational Leadership, April 2003 The 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. 13. How Should Reading Be Taught?, Keith Rayner, Barbara R. Foorman, Charles A. Perfetti, David Pesetsky, and Mark S. Seidenberg, Scientific American, March 2002 The scientists discuss the long-standing debate between "phonics" and "whole-language" approaches to teaching reading. The authors also discuss issues such as IQ and spelling errors. Their evidence supports the more traditional phonics approach as more effective. 14. The 'Re-Engineered' Child, Andrea Petersen, Wall Street Journal, April 8, 2003 Children misbehave, but which behaviors should a parent or teacher allow and which should be monitored or eliminated? Recent studies on the lasting effects of teasing have prompted some schools to crack down on such behaviors as mean looks and name-calling in order to "make childhood nicer." UNIT 3. Social and Emotional Development Part A. The Child's Feelings: Emotional Development 15. Emotional Intelligence: What the Research Says, Casey D. Cobb and John D. Mayer, Educational Leadership, November 2000 Success in life involves how we understand ourselves and others, whether we have empathy, and how well we interact with others. Does this emotional intelligence EQ really exist, how is it measured, and can it be taught in schools. Part B. Entry Into the Social World: Peers, Play, and Popularity 16. Friendship Quality and Social Development, Thomas J. Berndt, Current Directions in Psychological Science, February 2002 Do childhood friendships dictate future success in the social world? Recent research suggests that they do. 17. What Ever Happened to Play?, Walter Kirn and Wendy Cole, Time, April 30, 2001 Children's lives are more structured and more organized than ever. Can the "overscheduled child" suffer from "play deprivation" in a culture where coporate America is marketing edutainment and schools are doing away with recess? 18. Gender and Group Process: A Developmental Perspective, Eleanor E. Maccoby, Current Directions in Psychological Science, April 2002 This 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. 19. Girls Just Want to Be Mean, Margaret Talbot, New York Times.com, February 24, 2002 This article describes girls' cliques. Boys are often viewed as the more aggressive sex. Here, research is discussed on verbal and interpersonal aggression that is more common in girls. 20. A Profile of Bullying, Dan Olweus, Educational Leadership, March 2003 In the past two decades, there has been a 50 percent increase in the occurrence of bullying.Dan Olweus gives supporting data for a prevention program that he has developed. UNIT 4. Parenting and Family Issues 21. Should You Stay Together for the Kids?, Walter Kirn, Time, September 25, 2000 Judith Wallerstein, a leading scholar of divorce, offers the provocative statement that "children don't need their parents to like each other... they need them to stay together, for better or worse." Walter Kirn presents different sides in this controversial topic and describes research showing that the effects of divorce on the child last longer than parents might think. 22. 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 2000 This 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. 23. Who's in Charge Here?, Nancy Gibbs, Time, August 6, 2001 All parents struggle with discipline and control issues. Nancy Gibbs discusses attitudes about children and parenting that may have created monsters in some families, or at least spoiled children in too many. 24. In (Self-) Defense of the Fanatical Sports Parent, Gordon Marino, New York Times Magazine, January 26, 2003 Drawing on his own personal experiences, Gordon Marino sheds new light on the sports-obsessed parent. However, Marino seems to concede that for children to grow up "normally" it is important for the parent to recognize that the child's life is not the parent's but the child's. 25. Spanking Children: Evidence and Issues, Alan E. Kazdin and Corina Benjet, Current Directions in Psychological Science, June 2003 Disciplinary 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. 26. Raising a Nation of Crybabies?, Laura Sessions Stepp, Washington Post National Weekly Edition, January 20--26, 2003 Fear is an ever-increasing characteristic in today's society, and it can be seen in the way parents are raising their children. Laura Stepp examines the possibility that overprotective parents may be encouraging kids to be timid and avoid risks. 27. Why Our Kids Are Out of Control, Jacob Azerrad and Paul Chance, Psychology Today, September/October 2001 Is 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. 28. Family Poverty, Welfare Reform, and Child Development, Greg J Duncan and Jeanne Brooks-Gunn, Child Development, January/February 2000 This article discusses the implications of poverty on the growth and development of children. According to research, the effects of poverty in early childhood are persistent over time, making normal growth and development difficult. 29. The Moral Development of Children, William Damon, Scientific American, August 1999 William Damon, a prominent developmental psychologist, discusses the origins of morality, the universality of values, and the key role that parents play in promoting their children's moral development. UNIT 5. Cultural and Societal Influences Part A. Social Issues 30. Tomorrow's Child, Jerry Adler, Newsweek, November 2, 1998 In this article, Jerry Adler presents historical evidence on various aspects of development, from family life to technology and education to religion and the media. 31. Getting Stupid, Bernice Wuethrich, Discover, March 2001 Adolescents' alcohol consumption has many negative effects, including the loss of brain cells and impaired memory and intellectual functioning. 32. How U.S. Children and Adolescents Spend Time: What It Does (and Doesn't) Tell Us About Their Development, Reed W. Larson, Current Directions in Psychological Science, October 2001 Children have a lot of free time. Reed Larson analyzes data from different countries to compare the time American youths spend on schoolwork, jobs, leisure, sports, volunteer activities, and media. How children use their time may promote the development of different skills and values. 33. Parents or Pop Culture? Children's Heroes and Role Models, Kristin J. Anderson and Donna Cavallaro, Childhood Education, Spring 2002 The media offer children countless role models in TV, music, movies, and comic books. Interesting differences emerged when the authors surveyed African American, Asian American, Latino, and white children on whether children admire people they know parents, for example or media figures. 34. How Many Fathers Are Best for a Child?, Meredith F. Small, Discover, April 2003 Through 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? Part B. Special Challenges 35. The Medication Merry-Go-Round, Kathryn Brown, Science, March 14, 2003 Kathryn 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. 36. Scars That Won't Heal: The Neurobiology of Child Abuse, Martin H. Teicher, Scientific American, March 2002 Martin Teicher describes evidence on the effects of abuse on the child's brain development, especially on the hippocampus and amygdala. Long-term effects on the child's personality and antisocial behavior are also discussed. 37. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Very Young Children: Early Signs and Interventions, Rebecca R. Fewell and Barbara Deutscher, Infants and Young Children, January 2002 ADHD 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. 38. Voices of the Children: We Beat and Killed People, Tom Maslind, Newsweek, May 13, 2002 In a tragedy around the world, children in many countries carry arms and fight as soldiers. Tom Maslind reports on efforts by the United Nations Special Session on Children to take children out of harm's way. 39. Young and Bipolar, Jeffrey Kluger and Sora Song, Time, August 19, 2002 This article, an examination of the disorder once known as manic depression and thought to primarily afflict adults, describes the recent increase in childhood diagnosis of bipolar depression through six different accounts of children.