Childhood Development

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Pages: 3

Social and Cultural Effects on Childhood Development
Matthew G. Bean
Western Oklahoma State College
Social and Cultural Effects on Childhood Development
Child development is a constantly changing and evolving field. There are hundreds of theories about how and why children develop they way they do. Some may say it’s nature, some say nurture. Narrowing down common concepts will allow individuals to understand better how peer groups and parents effect their children. In many of these theories there are multiple factors that go into a child’s development. By processing these factors, mental health professionals and parents will be better able to help children as they develop. Three common theories that are on the cusp of childhood psychology are nature vs. nurture, parent vs. peers, and cultural norms.
Nature Vs. Nurture
Biologic markers within a human being can be passed from parent to child in their DNA. Predisposition to disease, eye color, and height can all be relatively determined through
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It may be surprising to think that there are a multitude of cultures within any given city in the United states, but it’d be even more so when considering that there are millions of different cultures around the globe. Taking this into consideration, it’s not surprising that it may be difficult for a person who grew up in a middle-class white family to understand the culture of a poor black family, even if they live in the same geographic area. These cultures have an incredible impact on how children develop. If a child is moved from a small city in Iowa to a large city in California, it’d be expected that they’d adapt to the new home. (Maschinot, 2008) All three of these theories have a likelihood of truth, and could be applied to everyday childhood psychology and behavior. Childhood psychology is an ever-changing concept and will continue to evolve