PSYCH 223 - Chapter 5: Middle Childhood

lectures from Prof. Vrushali Rao Gumnur

What are some factors influencing height in middle childhood?

1. Nutrition

2. health conditions

3. Racial and ethnic differences

How does nutrition influence height in middle childhood?

Adequate nutrition fuels normal growth

How do health conditions influence height in middle childhood?

Illnesses and stress can restrict growth

How do racial and ethnic differences influence height in middle childhood?

Varying average heights are seen across populations

What is average height in middle childhood?

Female → 4 ft 11 inches

Male → 4 ft 9.5 inches

How does adequate quality nutrition impact the various areas of middle childhood development?

1. Cognitive development → attentiveness, responsiveness

2. Emotional Development → better emotional regulation

3. Social Development → prosocial behaviours

What are some issues that arise in middle childhood regarding weight?

• Undernutrition or low-quality nutrition could lead to being underweight

• Weight concerns emerging from societal standards of beauty leading to preoccupation with body image

  • Eg. ‘slim’ or ‘muscular’ or ‘typical curves’

What may seen in middle childhood regarding activity? How is this seen?

A reduction in activity levels:

• Tendency to socialize indoors

• Increasing screen time

• Constant snacking

What issues come with a reduction in activity levels during middle childhood? How is avoided?

Obesity linked to heart problems like diabetes, heart conditions, etc.

• Children need to learn to exercise self-control

What are improvements in motor development seen in middle childhood?

• Improvement in muscle coordination

• Increased myelination of motor neurons

• Better dexterity to perform small maipulations

What are some minor sex difference in motor capabilities that have been noted?

Generally boys are seen to have greater motor capabilities than girls at this age:

• Farther throwing distance

• Higher vertical jump

• Faster running speed

What does nervous system development look like in middle childhood?

Development is focused on the frontal lobes of the cerebral cortex:

• Improvements in attention, logic and planning

• Research emphasizes integrated brain function

What is selective attention?

The ability to focus on some important elements of a problem or situation

What are association areas?

Regions of the brain where sensory, motor and intellectual functions are linked

What is spatial cognition?

The ability to infer the position and make predictions about the movement of objects in space

• Leads to improvement in spatial perception

What is spatial perception?

The ability to identify relationships between objects in space

What may help with the development of spatial cognition?

Tendency of exploration and construction

What are some health and safety concerns in middle childhood?

1. Asthma

2. Accidents

3. Cyber Safety

What is asthma?

Chronic condition characterized by periodic attacks of wheezing, coughing and shortness of breath

• Irritants can include allergies, poor air quality, stress, physical strain

How are accidents a health/safety concern in middle childhood?

Frequent automobile accidents occur, making road safety rules necessary

• Boys more likely to be injured

How is cyber safety a concern in middle childhood?

Exposure to the internet can put children at dangerous material and loss of privacy

• Parental supervision and safety regulations can help

How do psychological disorders present in middle childhood?

Depression (5%) and anxiety (13%) are fairly common psychological issues faced by preteens

What are some treatments for psychological disorders in middle childhood?

1. Counselling

2. Antidepressants

• Eg. SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors)

Are antidepressants safe to use during middle childhood?

Potential risks of antidepressants include overdosing, withdrawal symptoms including self harm tendencies

• Long term consequences for antidepressants used during childhood are still unconfirmed

What are some different sensory development difficulties that occur in middle childhood?

1. Visual impairments

2. Auditory impairments

3. Speech impairments

What visual impairments can be seen in middle childhood?

1. Blindness: acuity = 20/200

2. Partial sightedness: acuity: 20/70

• Visual impairments can worsen with age

What auditory impairments can be seen in middle childhood? What impact do they have on development?

Hearing loss can can occur at certain frequencies

• Hearing loss developed with no exposure to language can seriously affect linguistic abilities

What are speech impairments?

Speech deviations that interfere with with communication

What is the main speech impairment that can be seen in middle childhood? How does it affect development?

Childhood-onset fluency disorder (stuttering) - substantial disruption in rhythm and fluency of speech

• Chronic stuttering could cause lower self-esteem

What are learning disabilities? What is the main learning disability that can be seen in middle childhood?

Difficulties in mastering academic skills involving use of listening, speaking, reading and writing

• Eg. Dyslexia

What is dyslexia?

Learning disability characterized by problems with reading and writing resulting in visual misrepresentation of words and issues with spellings

• Involves lack of morphological awareness

What is morphological awareness?

The ability to understand and use words

• Lacking in children with dyslexia

What is the cause of dyslexia? What is the treatment?

• Caused by structural and functional differences in the brain

• Early interventions could help minimize difficulties

What is ADHD?

A mental disorder marked by inattention, impulsiveness and high levels of activity

• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

What are some characteristics of ADHD?

• Fidgeting

• Inability to focus and complete tasks

• Frequent interrupting

• Impulsiveness

• Unstable sleep duration

What are some stats on ADHD in middle childhood?

In Canada, 3.7% of boys and 1.5% of girls between ages 6-9 yrs have ADHD

What are some potential causes of ADHD?

• Delay in neural development

• Neurotransmitter imbalance

• Prenatal exposure to toxins

What are some treatments for ADHD?

• Ritalin or Dextrine

• Behaviour therapy to improve control

• Dietary routines (in addition to therapy or drugs)

Which of Piaget’s cognitive development stages is seen during middle childhood?

Concrete operational stage (7-12 years) - Period where children can use appropriate logic to understand and solve problems

What are some aspects of concrete operational thought that develop in middle childhood according to Piaget?

1. Decentering

2. Reversibility

3. Inductive logic NOT deductive logic

4. Class inclusion

What is decentering?

The ability to take in multiple aspects/dimensions of an object/situation at a time

• Understand abstract concepts of speed, time and distance

What is reversiblity?

The understanding that some changes can be undone

• Confers ability to understand relationships in different ways

  • Eg. Mathematics → 1+2 = 2+1; 5>2 so 2<5

What is inductive logic?

A type of reasoning where general principles are inferred from specific cases

• Eg. Are whales a kind of fish? → Every whale I’ve seen is aquatic and has a tail, all whales must be fish

What is deductive logic?

Type of reasoning based on hypothetical premises, requires predicting specific outcomes from general principles

Which type of logic/reasoning develops in middle childhood?

Inductive logic NOT deductive logic

What is class inclusion?

The understanding that subsets are included in larger superordinate classes

• Eg. coins and dollar bills are both money

What is horizontal décalage?

The slow shift from preoperational to concrete operational thought

• Children grasp different aspects of conservation at varying times

What are some criticisms/evaluations of Piaget’s concrete operational stage?

• Some evidence shows that children’s logical abilities emerge earlier than Piaget’s predictions

• Training and language development can change the way children perform in Piagetian tests

  • Eg. Australian Aborigine children, when trained in tasks of conservation, showed conservation skills similar to urban counterparts