Concept of Childhood | Erickson's Theory | Kohlberg's Theory

                     Concept of childhood

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          Whenever we think about word "Child" it defines to below the legal age. In another word simply we can say that "an immature and irresponsible person of under age is called child." 

Adolescence: "it is the age of transition from childhood to adulthood."

Childhood:

                   The age range of human's child from birth to adolescence is called Childhood.

Childhood largely defines to a phase of life which includes a certain number of years till the adolescence or adulthood.

UNICEF (Unites Nations International Child's Emergency Fund) defines childhood as " The time for children to be in school and at play, to grow strong and confident with the love of encouragement of their family and society or community.

"Childhood is the space between birth and attainment of adulthood, which refers to the child's life."

Childhood as a Social construct:

                                                    Social construct is defines to the "made or constructed by the society".

Childhood is not only a biological stage of development, rather it is the involvement of community or culture and society which enables the attitude, beliefs and values as well as cognition of children.

childhood also consider as a "Socio-cultural construct". Children observed society's activities through their senses and language which direct impact on child's growth and development.

There are many advantages and disadvantages which make impact directly on child's development and societies leave an image in the mind of children. That is why one statement is true which is- 

      "we make society and culture, society and culture does not make us" but in the sense of Child's growth and development this statement get invalid and it should be-

                              "Society and culture makes a child, child does not make society and culture." 

For Example, 

                    In a Rural or Urban area  a 14-16 years old child may be they were busy in preparation of their board exams. his family has told him not to do any work even at home and to focus only on their study. 

in the same area it is possible that of same age of another child may be they were busy in helping to his family. He or she may or may not be going to school. they may be considered as old enough to work. in the age of childhood he is treating like a adult.why? only because of impact of family, society or community. 

Society, culture and community plays a vital role in growth and development of child.

Now simply we can say that "in what society you are living it will make future of your child".

There is not a single universal childhood, it differs across society, culture, community, place. It is possible that there may be different childhood at same place and same society.

Historical and Contemporary Perspectives:

                                                                    In India, the situation of children is not very different than earlier time and from children in other parts of World.

Still there are children work  along the parents in farming or in all other work. 

Still there is a conception of boys are superior than girls, existing nature of gender discrimination by which girl's childhood is not get love encourage by family or society, which make negative impact on girl's growth and development. But one beautiful fact is that still the existence of level of intelligence is observed more than boys in girls. 😊

But it is also true that according to child rights and child labour association found that in comparison to before, in modern India situation of child is slightly changed in positively. 

But still we have to change to myself then my family then society then community then India will be changed. earlier elementary education was provided to only children of the upper class or caste.

In the period of Colonial (Dependency), British introduced child related law that were similar to the Law of England during that period. which includes the child marriage, child admitting in school and child crime to overcome their backwardness.

Major Discourse (Discussion): 

                                               There are three basic issues which have to major discourse or discussion is given following-

 1. Is the course of development continuous or discontinuous?

2. Does one course of development characterize all children? or are there many possible course?

3. What are the role of genetics and environmental factors in the development?

Role of Family, Neighbourhood, community and School in the development of childhood:

 Role of Family in the development of childhood:

                                                                      Loving, responsive and stable relationships are fundamental properties in development of children. Learning and socialization of child are mostly influenced by their family relationship. through relationships children learns how to think,talk, understand and behave.

"Physical, Emotional, Social and intellectual development happens during this time period."

Role of Neighbourhood in the development of childhood:

                                                                      When child is growing up in a area of narrow circumstance then they are more interacting with neighbour friendly so how neighbour will behave in the same way children will observe and make them self in that way. So good neighbour is making a role in the development of emotions, behaviour as well as language.

Role of Society or community in the development of childhood:

                                                                                     Community or Society makes like foundation in the over all development of children.It helps them to learn about themselves. It learns to about how to develop and face challenges, how to develop emotions, language, behaviour. 

in the society child first take cognation about what is happening around them then they are trying to think by self and discover logical abilities which playing a role like a pillar or foundation in the cognitive development.

Role of School in the development of childhood: 

                                                            "Life is not only about living but it is also about Learning" .

children spent their half the time of waking life in school, School is considered as the place of learning as well as it is the place for natural development, Physical development, Emotions development and including all skill developed here.

Their level of cognition development get increased because of get to know about historic events, Puzzles, mathematical solution, science, natural science with imagination of using in real life. School provides structured setting to learn about world.

That is why it is called that " Primary function of a school is to socialize children."

The Contemporary or Current realities with special focus on Bihar's Children and their childhood:

                                              It defines to the developing an understanding  about how the concept or realities of childhood is different in Bihar as compared to other states in our country.

The realities can be discussed in the reference of the various aspects which is given following-

Sociocultural Perspectives of Bihar: 

                                                     According to UNICEF (United Nations International Child's Emergency Fund) given a data in 2015-18, says that-

  "Almost every second person in Bihar is a child"

Bihar is a third most populous states in India. Total population of Bihar is 104 Millions as in 2012, in which 47 millions means 46% of Bihar's population is children. that is why it is called that every second person of Bihar is a Child.

It is a very big challenge for our society and culture in growth and development of state and country.

              "At every eight minutes a newborn baby dies and a child dies every five minutes."

Educational Status:

                          Bihar is the Fifth poorest state and lowest rank on the school attendance. There are second highest number of child and adolescent working as a worker or labour to help their family.

 According to the census of 2011,

                                                Bihar has an overall literacy rate is approx 62%.

                                                                        Male literacy rate is approx 60%

                                                                     Female literacy rate is approx 34%.  

according to 2015-16, 

Bihar achieved more than 90% in elementary education, 54% in secondary level education. approx around 35% children are still out of school in Bihar. 

So it can be hope that the new education policy 2020 can make the children to go for secondary level of education.

Economic Status:

                          The economy of Bihar is largely service oriented and slightly based on agriculture. in Contemporary Bihar recorded 10%  of growth rate. so we can say that yes Bihar is growing than earlier.

Family Structure:

                           Family structure in india plays an important role in the cognitive development of children, First of all child's parents should be educated so that they can able to provide needed freedom to their child. but especially in Bihar most of the parents are uneducated cause of this reason most of the children lay down because of not getting proper or needed guidance by the parents.

In modern Bihar slightly it is changing but earlier parents thought was that if child is a son then they were sending them in school for the study but if child is a daughter then they simply says she is a girl, she don't need education, what she will do after educate just will be normal life as household.

Development of learner:

Physical and Cognitive Development of children or learner: 

                                                                                     Jean Piaget was psychologist who belongs to switzerland, Piaget focused not only on understanding how children acquire knowledge but also how children learn knowledge. 

According to Jean piaget, Physical development is a natural or biological development but we can give the shape to the physical development by experiencing exercise and playing and he mainly focused on Cognitive development of Children in four stages of sense and motor stage. Click here for Jean Piaget Vs Vygotsky    

Piaget's gives 4 stages of sense and motor stage of Cognitive development-

i. Sensorimotor stage: Reflex Activities

                               This stage holds the age from birth to two years (0-2 years), in which children realize that their action causing things is happening in the world around them.

In this stage we can say that the thinking abilities start to develop. 

a. Sub-stage 1:     0-1 month   refers to the Self investigation 

b. Sub-stage 2:    01-04 months refers to the Coordination 

c. Sub-stage 3:    04-08 months refers to the Reaching out 

d. Sub-stage 4:    08-12 months refers to the Goal directed behaviour 

e. Sub-stage 5:    12-18 months refers to the Experimentation 

f.  Sub-stage 6:   18-24 months refers to the Mental combination, Problem solving.

ii. Pre-operational stage:

                                This stage holds the age from two to seven years (2-7 Years), in which children begin to think symbolically and learn to use words and pictures to represent object.

in this stage we can say that the development of picturising to the object starts to develop.

iii. Concrete-operational stage: 

                                             this stage holds the age from seven to eleven (7-11 Years), in which ability to think logically is starts to develop.

iv. Formal Operational stage:

                                            This stage holds the teen age, in which teen begins to think more about moral, social and political issues theoretically. hypothetical thinking and reasoning skills developed.

"Jean piaget's cognitive development theory based on assimilation and accommodation."

 

Language development of children:

                                             Theory of language development is given by Chomsky and Vygotsky.

Chomsky's theory of language development,

                                           Chomsky's theory is based on the idea of that all language contain a universal Grammar and all children are born with a wired structured brain is called Language Acquisition Device (LAD). that is why this theory is also known as Nativist theory Chomsky.

LAD contain a universal grammar but does not exist vocabulary, once child acquired vocabulary by hearing then they starts self to develop make sentence. by which language is developed.

 While,

           Vygotsky's theory of language development,

                                                      Vygotsky's theory is based on the society and culture that is why this theory is also called Sociocultural theory.

Vygotsky says that , Language developed in child by the social interaction. Social learning comes before cognitive development.

Erickson theory of Social or Psychosocial development:

                                                                                              Erickson theory is based on the 8 stages of psychosocial development, in which personality develops in order of the eight stages. which is given following-

1. Trust vs Mistrust:   (0-1.5 Years)

                           If care of the child is consistent, reliable, loving and predictable then it will develop a sense of trust with them. by which child will become friendly with care takers. child will able to recognize and to make friendly relationship.

2. Autonomy vs Shame:  (1.5-3 Years)

                                 In this stage children are focused on developing a sense of personal control over physical skills.  

3.Initiative vs guilt: (3-6 Years)     

                                      In this stage child start to choose self role in game is initiative and does mistakes in control joystick is guilt.

4. Industry vs Inferiority: (6-12 Years)

                                       child learns to be productive and to accept evaluation of his/her efforts. 

5.Identity vs Role confusion: (12-20 years, Adolescence age)

                                                                                              when got success leads to ability to stay true while failure leads to role confusion and a weak sense of self.

6. Intimacy vs Isolation: (20-45 years,  beginning adulthood)

                                                                The major conflict at this stage is attraction or loving relationship with other people.

"Success relationship means healthy relationship is intimacy while failure means experiencing loneliness that is isolating."

7. Generativity vs stagnation: (45-65 Years middle to adulthood)

                                                                        Caring for and contributing to the life of the next generation.

8. Ego integrity vs Despair: (65 years old & Up, Later adulthood)

                                                                                               Individuals who regret about not achieving their goals will experience feelings of disappointed. 

Moral Development Theory: Kohlberg's Theory

                                                                                Kohlberg's theory focus on how children develops moral reasoning and morality. the moral development occurs in order of three level and six stages.

"Moral concerns to individual's growing sense of what is right and wrong."

The three level and 6 stages of Kohlberg's theory is given following-

1. The Preconventional level: 4-10 Years

                                  Morality is externally controlled.

2. The Conventional Level:  10-13 years

                                               Individually follow the morality by social experience.

3. The PostConventional level: 13 years onwards

                                                                             Individuals define morality in terms of Principle and values.

                 

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