Assignment Details 501 1 Unit 2 Nature Vs. Nurture ✓ Solved

Assignment Details 501 1 Unit 2nature V Nurturethis Assignment Asses

Write a case scenario that explores information related to development and the impact of nature versus nurture for a child aged 3 to 12. Describe the child's current situation, including living arrangements and relevant history. Discuss specific positive and negative influences in the child's life, such as church, school, peers, family, neighbors, media, culture, and community social services. After presenting the scenario, explain the child's developmental stage according to Freud, Erikson, and Piaget, providing details relevant to that stage.

Illustrate how the child is impacted according to Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Theory, analyzing influences within the microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, and macrosystem. Finally, analyze how the child's development has been affected from a perspective of nature versus nurture. The paper should be 4-6 pages in APA format, reflecting professional writing standards, with at least three credible sources. The writing should demonstrate correct academic tone, style, and accurate application of human development theories.

Sample Paper For Above instruction

Introduction

Understanding human development requires examining both intrinsic biological factors and environmental influences. The ongoing debate of nature versus nurture emphasizes the necessity of analyzing how genetic predispositions and external circumstances collectively shape a child's growth. In this paper, a comprehensive case scenario of a child aged 8 years old will be presented to explore these dynamics within the context of various developmental theories and ecological models.

Case Scenario

Emma is an 8-year-old girl living with her single mother in a suburban neighborhood. Her mother works full-time as a nurse, which often limits her availability, placing Emma in after-school care. Emma's father is absent since his divorce from her mother two years ago. She has a close relationship with her maternal grandmother, who occasionally provides additional caregiving. Emma attends a local elementary school, where she is well-liked by peers but struggles academically in reading. Her extracurricular activities include dance classes and participating in the local church youth group. Emma's social environment exposes her to a diverse mix of influences. Her family values religious participation, which emphasizes moral development, but Emma also faces challenges such as economic instability and limited parental supervision due to her mother's demanding schedule. Her neighborhood is generally safe, but she occasionally interacts with neighbors and friends whose environments differ significantly, including media influences promoting peer popularity and material success.

Developmental Stage According to Freudian, Erikson, and Piaget

Freud's psychosexual stages suggest Emma is in the latency stage, characterized by a focus on developing skills and peer relationships rather than resolving earlier conflicts. Erikson's psychosocial theory indicates Emma is in the industry vs. inferiority stage, where her efforts to succeed academically and socially are critical to her self-esteem. Piaget's cognitive development theory places Emma in the concrete operational stage, where she begins to develop logical thinking about concrete objects and understands more complex relationships, although she may still struggle with abstract concepts.

Impact According to Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Theory

Emma's microsystem is composed of her family, school, peers, and church, directly influencing her development. Her relationship with her mother and grandmother provides emotional support but also presents challenges due to her mother's busy schedule. The mesosystem includes interactions between her family and school, such as communication with teachers and involvement in extracurricular activities, shaping her social and academic growth. The exosystem involves her mother's workplace policies affecting her supervision and support at home, indirectly impacting her well-being. The macrosystem reflects societal and cultural values about family, education, and religion, influencing Emma's worldview and aspirations.

Analysis of Nature Versus Nurture

The development of Emma exemplifies the intricate interplay between genetic predispositions and environmental influences. Her innate temperament and personality traits, such as resilience and curiosity, interact with her environmental contexts. Her genetic ability to learn and adapt supports her cognitive development, but external influences like her family’s socio-economic status and community environment significantly shape her opportunities and experiences. For instance, her academic struggles can be partly attributed to her cognitive capacities but are also heavily influenced by her educational environment and familial support systems. This scenario underscores that development is not solely dictated by biology or environment but by their dynamic interaction.

Conclusion

Emma’s case highlights that an integrative approach—considering developmental stages, ecological influences, and the debate of nature versus nurture—is essential in understanding a child's growth. Recognizing the multiple layers of influence allows practitioners and caregivers to tailor interventions that promote optimal development by addressing both inherent capacities and environmental factors.

References

• Berk, L. E. (2018). Child development (9th ed.). Pearson.
• Bronfenbrenner, U. (1979). The ecology of human development: Experiments by nature and design. Harvard University Press.
• Erikson, E. H. (1968). Identity: Youth and crisis. W. W. Norton & Company.
• Piaget, J. (1964). The development of thought: Equilibration of cognitive structures. Viking.
• Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Harvard University Press.
• Fiese, B. H., & Sameroff, A. J. (Eds.). (2009). Handbook of infant mental health. Guilford Press.
• Ginsburg, K. R. (2007). The importance of play in promoting healthy child development and maintaining strong parent-child bonds. Pediatrics, 119(1), 182-191.
• Bronfenbrenner, U., & Morris, P. A. (2006). The bioecological model of human development. In R. M. Lerner (Ed.), Handbook of child psychology (6th ed., Vol. 1, pp. 793–828). John Wiley & Sons.
• Havighurst, R. J. (1952). Developmental tasks and education. David McKay Company.
• National Scientific Council on the Developing Child. (2010). The Foundations of lifelong health are built in early childhood. Working Paper No. 5. Harvard University.