Chapter reviews
Chapter reviews
Chapter 7 Summary: Cognition
Readers can also learn the weaknesses of Piaget’s theory through its critics who look at it as a theory that under-estimates the development of children which can be beyond the factors examined by him. The chapter reading also shows that other modern constructivist theories look at the causes to different cognitive skills. The sociocultural perspective by Vygotsky's looks at the social and cultural influences as the main causes of cognitive development in children. On the other hand, Fischer's dynamic skills framework looks at skill levels as the main course for development (Sigelman, & Rider, 2014).
Important topic: Aging and cognitive skills
I tend to believe that 'Aging and cognitive skills' is an important as it helps me understand the point to which an individual's cognitive skills reduce. The topic is important as it will facilitate research on the different patterns of thinking for different age groups. Human development is an interesting subject for any person to look at thus the topic will help me understand comprehensively the developmental stages of an average human being.
Chapter 8 Summary: Memory and Information Processing
The chapter shows the relations between how the mind works to process information and computer analogy. The chapter helps the readers in understanding how the human mind processes information through the sensory registers and the memory. In the chapter, readers can understand and differentiate the long term and short term functionality of the human memory and brain functionality. Additionally, the chapter helps the readers understand the functions of the brain and the memory at large to comprehend the need for a brain (Sigelman, & Rider, 2014).
Development of the brain is also shown in the chapter regarding when a person grows from early childhood to adulthood. People's brains develop, and they become more sensitive and informed. The thinking ability of individuals as they grow is gradual until a certain threshold. There is an age limit where the human brain stops developing, and individuals can no longer have the ability to think and interpret concepts as before. The chapter has helped in understanding the need for problem-solving from adults that infants get due to the abilities of adults to tackle challenging issues for them. Children look at adults as people who can help them solve their small issues that they suffer from.
Important topic: Aging and Problem solving
I believe that the topic, the "Aging and Problem solving" is important in understanding on how as people grow older they acquire more knowledge of problem-solving as compared to the younger ones. The topic is important for me since the concept is practically applicable but individuals do not know the age limit where the problem-solving abilities of a person diminish completely. Research helps develop a wide scope of knowledge about a particular issue that might be disturbing to persons in the world (Sigelman, & Rider, 2014).
Chapter 9 Summary: Intelligence and Creativity
The article chapter helps in understanding human intelligence and creativity and how different people have different abilities. According to the chapter reading, the stability of IQ for children in elementary schools is different from when they grow up. Children tend to have different abilities which when not properly utilized; they lose the grip on their knowledge and end up not being intelligent enough. The IQ of individuals fluctuates over time as they develop from childhood to adulthood. Children in the adolescent stage experience much more fluctuations in their intelligence than any other stage of their life. The fluctuations are due to the increased distractions through hormonal changes that they experience during that period.
The chapter reading thus shows the readers the simple basics with regards to how IQ would affect the children’s performance in schools at different stages of their life. In further understanding of the human intelligence and creativity, the article looks at the factors that might end up affecting IQ which includes, health of an individual, age of an individual, and the gene and environment a person is subjected to during their lifespan. The reading is, therefore, important for understanding how the human intelligence varies depending on numerous factors in the society that affect individuals (Sigelman, & Rider, 2014).
I was attracted to "human intelligence and adolescence" as a chapter topic because of its applications in the real world where individuals find difficulties in developing their lives due to the factors that affect them during the adolescence stage. School going children undergo the adolescence stage which is tough for them to adapt to it due to the difficulties that they may undergo. Such distractions cause shifts in their grades which in the long run end up dropping. Knowing more about this topic will help me prepare myself to be a parent. I will be in a position to look for solutions to problems of my adolescent children
Chapter 10 Summary: Language and Education
The chapter helps readers understand the basic components of language and the differences between nurtured and natured language which involves the biological contribution and physical contribution to language in human development. In the chapter reading, the contribution to language changes with the growth of an individual. Infants develop their language through both nature and nurture. The capabilities of a person concerning understanding language are only compared to the abilities of the person to understand the language from the early childhood education.
The reading also looks at the topic of adolescence on how it affects the level of achievement of students in school. There are numerous problems that adolescence leads to, and all of them are related to distractions that students get during this adolescence period of their life. The changes in interest for education and the academic knowledge are seen as gradual as individuals grow into adulthood (Sigelman, & Rider, 2014). The chapter reading thus explains these changes and looks at them regarding the stages of life as a result making the readers understand the different stages where individuals grow and change their lifestyles.
Important topic: Student environment motivation
I was touched by the topic "student-environment motivation." This is an important topic because the problem affects individuals even in the present age. People who are unable to interact properly with the environment are likely to suffer in the long run. For example, schools look at having compounds that are silent enough to ensure that students have the best possible environment that will enhance their academic development. Having knowledge about this topic will help me learn more about the degree with which it affects the studies of students.
Maturation as a role of experience
Maturation is with regards to the change in stage of individuals from on point of life to another. For example; the development from childhood to puberty to adulthood represents maturation. When this role of experience occurs, other experiences are insignificant in the development of abilities of individuals. Brain development is a process that continues from childhood to adolescence. The factors that drive brain development are mostly innate. The impact of maturation on a role of experience is seen through the brain development which is aided by the experience that people undergo from one stage to another (Sigelman, & Rider, 2014).
For example, as children develop from, the peak volumes of striatum are likely to be experienced. Such volumes are linked directly to the period which children are likely to experience motor learning. Such show the interaction between the brain and behavior maturation in children at a young age. Another example that shows maturation as a role of experience is the structural maturation of the prefrontal lobe due to memory functions of the brain.
Von Grünau, M. W. (2009). The role of maturation and visual experience in the development of eye alignment in cats. Experimental brain research, 37(1), 41-47.
The article by “Von Grunau” on ‘The role of maturation and visual experience in the development of eye alignment in cats’ looks at the different stages of development that cats undergo and the relation to their eye development. In a cat, the visual experience affects the development of the eye and its alignment. For example, if a cat is kept in the light for a longer period, it will have difficulties navigating in a darker environment. The article thus shows how maturation in cats is highly gauged by the experience that the cats have during their early life period.
The article looks at the problem similar to the ones discussed in the chapter readings. The development of the human body largely relies of their experience. On the other hand, the maturation of children in school depends on the experience that they acquire from interacting with their peers. The author of the article has thus covered an area that can easily be related to the human beings in the world. The author has therefore succeeded in portraying the message that readers will easily relate to their daily activities in their development (Von Grünau, 2009).
New Research Study
Dealing with adolescents has always been a very big challenge. It is always difficult to predict the kind of indulgences that they will partake as individuals undergoing that process. Therefore much research should be conducted in this line so that we can learn more about handling this children. Can we learn about adolescents using a controlled experiment?
Conclusion
The chapter readings have help in gaining a deep understanding on the human development life-span. During the development of a normal human being, there are numerous things that affect the development. Stages of life and maturation are also seen as key issues to human intelligence. The relations are also taken into the human school experience and career experiences in the life cycle.
References;
Von Grünau, M. W. (2009). The role of maturation and visual experience in the development of eye alignment in cats. Experimental brain research, 37(1), 41-47.
Sigelman, C. K., & Rider, E. A. (2014). Life-span human development. Australia: Wadsworth
