CHILD PSYCHOLOGY

Child Psychology: Determinants of Child's Intelligence

Child Psychology: Determinants of Child's Intelligence

Introduction

Child Psychology falls under the branch Human Psychology, and it is considered one the most important psychological field to analyze human development. Child psychology studies the behaviour and mind of children during the prenatal development and throughout the adolescent. The field also focuses on the social and emotional development of children.

Historically, it was thought that children's intelligence was developed in a same manner as in adults. However, later on, Jean Piaget argued that children cognitive development is different from that of adults.

Today, it is widely accepted fact that child psychology and cognition is unique and multifaceted. However, there is difference of opinion among researchers regarding the question that if child intelligence is genetically determined and environmentally influenced (Berk 2009, pp.14).

Discussion

Early Psychology of Children

The period of life ranging from two and a half to six years is called preoperative and can be subdivided into two stages: one that ends at the end of the fourth year and another including 5-6 years. The overall characteristics of the first stage of this period are psychological.

Symbolism and representation - At the age of around two and a half years the child enters the world of symbols in different ways such as pretend play, language, speech and internal images, dreams, etc (Hockenbury & Hockenbury 2007, pp.52).

Pre-conceptual reasoning - It goes from general to specific or particular to the general, but passes from the particular to the particular and operates by the mere combination of parts without achieving true joint between them.

Realism - Children consider that things are what they appear to be in immediate perception. Thus, dreams, names of things, the moral obligations are treated as tangible, and substantial.

Animism - Children interpret the phenomena of reality differently than adults, attributing physical properties of objects and events as life, consciousness, etc.

Artificialism - Children consider physical phenomena as products of human creation, thinking that people can influence them.

Communication - Occurs primarily through speech. Communication with parents, especially mother, is considered as the first source of learning in young children.

In the second stage of this period (5-6 years) child psychology produces a significant transition from the pre-logical or pre-conceptual to the intuitive learning, which is the first step to building genuine mental logical operations (Hockenbury & Hockenbury 2007, pp.52).

Most of these phenomena's occur in the outer environment and are not related to genetics. Communication is the major factor in the early development of child's cognition. Here, we have high influence of mother and father. Mother's speech is the first and most important process for child's perceptive building. Children are mostly influenced by the actions and speech of their mother.

External Environment Context

Development is often considered as an internal learning, early childhood experiences, and parental treatment. Genetics and personal traits are considered as major factors in the development of child's intelligence. Development consists of wider experiences and not only based on personal and genetic factors. Factors such as culture, social relationships, schooling, determine one's ...