Assignment Prompt
Prompt 1. Choose one of the following experiments (see Social-Emotional Development Videos). Describe the experiment and then discuss the implications for infant/toddler development. Be thorough. This means that you should be considering what developmental concepts you can connect to the actual experiment and the results, AND you will need to discuss what the results mean in the real world. Make sure you include your personal thoughts on the one that you chose. It's okay to disagree or have differing opinions on the studies as long as you can back up your thoughts with course concepts. a. Still Face experiment (both mother and father) b. Ainsworth's strange situation and attachment styles c. Born Good? Baby morality study Prompt 2. Go online and find at least one toddler (age 13 months- 36 months) activity that is recommended for parents to use. You can find hundreds of these on sites like Pinterest. Describe the activity in detail. You can include a picture if you want. Then critique it for social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development based on what you have learned in this course. In other words, how does it support development? You must show connection to specific course concepts. Make sure you discuss the developmental appropriateness of the activity. Not all of the activities on the internet are age appropriate for the ages suggested from the source.
Prompt 1: Still Face Experiment
One of the experiments that I have chosen is the 'still face experiment' (both mother and father). In this experiment, the baby is sitting face-to-face with the parent. The parent, either father or mother, starts playing with the baby smiling and talking to them and then the parent turns away. In the next step, the parent shows a still face to the baby for 2 minutes. After the still-face period, the parent returns to being playful and talking to the baby. What is interesting in this experiment is the reaction of the baby. At the beginning of the experiment, the baby is smiling and playing with the parent. Once the still face is introduced, the baby looks confused and they attempt to make a connection with the parent. Eventually, the baby becomes very frustrated and begins crying. At the end of the experiment, the baby is seen happy again as the mother continues playing with her (Gregory, 2022). The experiment brings into light the different stages of a baby's reaction. The first stage is the reach which involves physical movement of the arms; the second stage is protest where the baby is crying in an effort to reconnect with the parent; in the third stage, the baby is overwhelmed with emotions trying to get a reaction from the parent; in the fourth stage, the baby makes the final effort to make a connection and they appear dysregulated; and in the final stage, they stop attempting to make connections. However, a healthy relationship is restored in the end (Gregory, 2022).
Prompt 2: Toddler Activity
One of the activities that would be ideal for a 24-month-old toddler is hiding an object under semi-transparent blankets and having a toddler look for it. This activity will involve using a semi-transparent blanket such as sheer curtains or a tulle to hide an object as the child is watching. Then, ask the toddler to look for it. A semi-transparent blanket can also be used for a simple peek-a-boo game where the parent places the fabric over their head and have the child pull it and say ‘peek-a-boo’. This activity enhances the child's social development as it helps the baby bond with the parent and learn that playing with people is fun. This form of peekaboo game promotes the baby's emotional development as it enables them to express emotions such as surprise and happiness. The game boosts the baby’s cognitive development by enhancing their object permanence which is the knowledge that the object continues to exist even if they cannot see it (Seeme & Liz, 2023). Additionally, the activity enhances the baby’s physical development by enhancing their visual tracking.
References
- Gregory, M. (2022). What does the ‘still face’ experiment teach us about connection? PsychHelp. https://psychhelp.com.au/what-does-the-still-face-experiment-teach-us-about-connection/
- Seeme & Liz. (2023). The baby peek a Boo game: Why is it so important? Seeme & Liz. https://seemeandliz.com/the-baby-peek-a-boo-game/
Related sample: Lifespan Development Stages Overview