In the expanding and dynamic culture recently, it unquestionably becomes a high priority for the community to unfold the profound truths that cause the behavioral patterns unique to children at an early age. This work presents the case study of Teresa, a brave and headstrong four-year-old girl who can stand alone and is known for going against all wishes. In reaction to the images of her uptown home environment and pleasant family bonds, these behaviors illustrate a complex phenomenon that includes the ongoing interaction of cognitive, social, and emotional factors contributing to early childhood intellectual development (Course hero. (n.d)). By coming closer to a particular situation where Teresa shows an astonishing possession of her toy in a park, an attempt is made in this paper to look into deeper motivations and cognitive processing of emotions, drawing a theoretical framework from leading psychologists to cover all the possible aspects. In doing this, we aspire to gain more insight into what child development is all about and be informed of the essential strategies that can be used to improve the development of children during their early years.
Scenario
The energetic little girl Teresa meets her friends at the local park for a fun-filled adventure on the rainbow-painted swings. Her joyful, sparkling eyes show how she is intrigued by the world around her. A sight that commands her cannot be ignored. A red ball applies its existence to the playground, right next to the swings. Being deaf to the calls of the factual matrix, she readily grasps unto it, her teeny hands enveloping its sleek finish proprietarily.
Nevertheless, Teresa’s playmate protests a lot, and she feels their worried looks. Teresa stays adamant and does not want to give up her nice possessions. The old kite she finally catches implies her burgeoning personality traits, such as the unafraid attitude to contain the circumstances within the initial phase of childhood behavior.
Social Learning Theory
As Bandura stated, social learning theory suggests children acquire skills by just watching and role-playing their surroundings, especially those they look up to, which, in this case, are the influential adults in their lives (Newman & Newman, 2022). Teresa’s transgression roughly corresponds to her sibling’s gesture. She might be following the behavior of others she has observed at home or in her peer group. She would likely perceive such behavior as normal or acceptable if involved in multiple incidents where others would take her toys or possessions without consequences.
Cognitive Development Theory (Piaget)
Jean Piaget’s theory of cognitive development believes that human thinking does not go through the same stage as the child passes through multiple stages. When Teresa is as old as she is now, she is most likely in the first or second phase, which includes egocentrism and the absence of awareness of other’s life experiences. In a game that has both balls and wins, she, for some reason, grabs one with no knowledge if she has to share or not or if other players need it. It is a clear sign of narcissism, where her will and interests are above all.
Attachment Theory
Attachment theory, which John Bowlby developed, says that the people in charge of children at the very beginning should be able to provoke specific emotions that will help these children grow socially and emotionally. Through her behavior, Teresa might be unconsciously insecure regarding her attachments because she fears or distrusts her connections. The possessive acts that Teresa may indulge in, such as breaching the rules of sharing attention or the toys, may arise from the perception of scarcity and competition for resources as a tool for securing and establishing her control over her surroundings.
Behavioral Theory
Operant and classical conditioning are the behavioral theories that state that reinforcement and punishment determine behavior. If Teresa had ever been rewarded or supported for similar patterns of behavior, such as the one that might have involved her in getting the intended results, like garnering attention or praise, she could even have been capable of repeating such attempts. On the other hand, she may face negative consequences or reprimands if her conduct continues that way; in this case, she may become responsible and change her behavior.
Conclusion
While Teresa’s act of taking the ball without asking allows us to examine how psychological theories can give us an insight into the hidden reasons and drives, it also shows us how psychological theories can provide insights into these hidden reasons and motivations. Social learning, information processing, bonding scenarios, and behavioral reinforcement help us understand how children behave based on past experiences. Henceforth, movements that focus on encouraging anti-social activities and interactions and empathy and conflict resolution skills can contribute to Teresa’s healthy development and growth.
References
Course hero. | Course Hero. (n.d). https://www.coursehero.com/study-guides/wmopen-lifespandevelopment/
Newman, B. M., & Newman, P. R. (2022). Theories of human development. Routledge.
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