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Child Project
A. When you have chosen a child for your study and you are securing the parents’ consent, explain that you are doing this research for a course in life-span development, that the child’s name will not be used in the report, and that the main purpose of the report is to help you see the relationship between textbook knowledge of child development and real children.
B. Before you begin the study, read/review the text chapters that apply to the age group to which your subject belongs.
C. Collect the information for your paper by using SOME OR ALL of the following research methods:
(a) Naturalistic observation. Ask the parents when the child is likely to be awake and active, and observe the child for an hour during this time. You should try to be as unobtrusive as possible during your observation.
(b) Informal interaction. Interact with the child for at least half an hour. Your goal is to observe the child’s personality and abilities in a relaxed setting. The particular activities you engage in will depend on the child’s age and character. Most children enjoy playing games, reading books, drawing, and talking. Asking a younger child to show you his or her room and favorite toys is a good way to break the ice; asking an older child to show you the neighborhood can provide insights.
(c) Interviewing parents and other adults responsible for the child’s care. Keep these interviews loose and open-ended. Your goals are to learn: (1) the child’s history, especially any illnesses, stresses, or problems that might affect development; (2) the child’s daily routine, including play patterns; (3) current problems that might affect the child; (4) a description of the child’s character and personality, including special strengths and weaknesses. You are just as interested in the parents’ attitudes as in the facts, so it might make sense to concentrate on conversing during the interview, and then to write down all you have learned as soon as the interview has been completed.
(d) Testing the child. Assess the child’s perceptual, motor, language, and intellectual abilities by using specific test items you have planned in advance. The actual items you use will depend on the age of the child. For instance, you would test object permanence in an infant between 6 and 24 months old; you would test conservation in a child between 3 and 9 years old; and logical thinking in an adolescent. Likewise, testing language abilities might involve babbling with an infant, counting words per sentence with a preschooler, and asking a school-age child to tell a story.
D. When writing the report, do not simply transcribe your findings from the various techniques you used.
(a) Begin by reporting relevant background information, including the child’s sex, age and sex of siblings, economic and ethnic background of the family, and the educational and marital status of the parents.
(b) Describe the child’s physical, cognitive, emotional, and social development, citing at least 10 (underline these in the body of your paper) supporting theories and concepts from the textbook or your research to substantiate any conclusions you have reached.
The final paper should be 3 to 4 pages, double-spaced with one inch margins. Please use a 12 point font.
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