Infancy and Early Chidhood - Essay Example

Psychoanalytical changes in infancy and childhood In infancy (1month to one year), the infant depends on the parents and the caregivers, mostly the mother, for sustenance, food and comfort. The infant understands the society and the world from the interaction of the parents with he infant. Thus, trust and mistrust are developed in this stage. In early childhood (beyond one year to 3 years), the child develops control over motor abilities and eliminative functions. The child begins to explore the surroundings.

The exploration is based on the security provided by the parents. The main psychoanalytical changes noted in this period are development of feeling of shame, doubt and autonomy. According to Piagets theory of cognitive development, there are four stages of cognitive development and the first stage or the sensorimotor stage occurs between birth to 24 months and the second stage or the preoperational stage occurs between 2- 7 years of age. In the sensorimotor stage, there are six sub-stages.

During the first weeks of life, reflexive behaviours facilitate coordination of sensation. The main reflexes involved are sucking, movements of eyes and palmar grasp. From the six weeks of life to 4 months, coordination of sensation occurs through habits reflex and primary circular reactions. From 4-8 months, coordination between vision and comprehension occurs and children develop habits at this stage. The dawn of logic occurs at this stage. Between 8- 12 months, touch-hand-eye coordination occurs.

Coordination between means and ends also occurs at this stage. Piaget called this stage "first proper intelligence." Goal orientation and deliberate steps to meet an objective begin in this stage. At the age 12- 18 months, children experiment with new behaviour. Piaget suggested that children discover new means to meet their goals at this stage. Between 18- 24 months, children begin to use primitive symbols and develop enduring mental representations. This stage is marked by the development of true creativity and insight.

The next stage of development according to Piaget is the preoperational period. This stage begins by the end of 2 years and new kind of psychological functioning develops. The mental operations are inadequate and sparse. The child begins to use and represent by drawings, words and images. Thinking at this stage is egocentric and the child is not in a position to understand the viewpoint of others (Piaget and Inhelder, 1973). According to Erikson, during the first stage of development occurs between 0-1 year, during which period, the basic needs are met by the parents and infant depends on the parents for the basic needs.

Exposure of the child to regularity, warmth and dependable affection develops a sense of trust in the infant and failure to provide them causes development of mistrust. Abuse and neglect on the part of parents or caregivers towards the infant makes the infant feel that the world is a place of unpredictability and undependability or even dangerous. The psychosocial crisis is trust vs mistrust and the virtue at this stage is hope. Erikson proposed that between 1- 3 years, the encouragement and patience from the parents helps foster autonomy of the child and the child begins to explore surroundings to gain control over motor abilities and various other functions.

The mobility and increase in muscular coordination helps the toddler satisfy some of their won needs. poor encouragement and support from parents or caregivers can result in doubt and shame. The psychosocial crisis at this stage is autonomy vs shame and doubt. the virtue is will (Gross, 1987).ReferencesGross, F. L. (1987). Introducing Erik Erikson: An invitation to his thinking. Lanham, MD: University Press of America.Piaget, J., & Inhelder, B. (1973). Memory and intelligence. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul