Term Paper on "Human Development in the Environment"

Term Paper 12 pages (4145 words) Sources: 12 Style: APA

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Asher Lev

Just as one can develop a sociological analysis of the development of a person in the environment in which he or she was raised and make certain judgments about what influenced that development and how, so can one do the same thing with a fictional character, assuming the author has provide sufficient data that can be used for this purpose. A novel that is detailed enough to make such an analysis and that also involves an interesting milieu in which the central character is raised is My Name Is Asher Lev by Potok (2003).

Lev is a fully developed character living in a community that is largely unfamiliar to most Americans, the Ladover Hassidic community in Brooklyn. This is a highly religious community, but it exists within the mixed religious world of New York and especially within the more secular world of that city. Asher himself will walk the line between the religious and the secular throughout his life, even more so than might have been true because of his predilection for art and the art world. His talent separates him from his parents and is a point of contention between him and them as well as between him and his Jewish community. The leader of that community is the Rebbe, for whom Asher's father works. Asher is formed by his childhood experiences to a great degree and especially by his relationship with his mother and father, but that relationship is strained as he grows to manhood and exhibits his artistic ability and his desire to be an artist.

Indeed, as this novel shows, the individual lives in many communities in a lifetime, not merely by moving from one place to another but by being part of the different worlds of work, family,

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community, friends, and more. The conflict Asher experiences is multiplied by his intense desire to please his father against his intense need to be an artist, which is not a decision that pleases his father. Asher is also in conflict with some in the religious community, for that community is formed around certain ideas of conformity and the placement of the community above the individual, while the world of the artist focuses on individual expression and also on the community of art as a higher calling and a more pervasive influence on how choices are made.

Asher's development as a human being follows the normal course as set down by theorists of developmental psychology. Piaget and his theory are explained by Miller (1989), and he notes that the stages of development described by Piaget shows how the child's knowledge of the world changes as his or her cognitive system develops, a view that also holds that knowledge is biased. This means that experience is always filtered through the current understanding of the child, and this understanding also changes over time. Miller says that "as the mind develops, it becomes more in tune with reality" (Miller, 1989, p. 36). Piaget's theory addresses how the organism adapts to its environment, showing both a biological and psychological adjustment as Piaget shows how cognitive growth is like embryological growth as "an organized structure becomes more differentiated over time" (Miller, 1989, p. 37).

Another developmental explanation was offered by Erikson (1963). Piaget addresses childhood development, while Erikson offers a pscyhosocial theory of development that describes a series of eight stages in the development of the individual throughout life. This developmental structure is based on the interaction of biological, psychological, and social processes, and it is the interaction of these processes that accounts for the "psycho" (inner) "social" (external) character of development. The stages are indeed described by Erikson as psychosocial "crises," and the reason for this is that they are intended to represent periods when the individual is particularly sensitive or vulnerable to certain developmental issues. Each of the crisis stages is described in terms of its positive outcome or strength "versus" its negative outcome or weakness. Each stage relates to every other stage. Erikson's formulation of the eight stages has roots in Freud, but Erikson has added various innovative dimensions. Freud presented an important model of psychosexual development, and he felt that during the first five years of life, the individual was confronted with a series of conflicts which he or she would resolve with varying degrees of success. Freud did not emphasize development to the same extent after this first five-year period, and Erikson has tried to conceptualize these later periods in greater detail and has also developed an analysis of man's over-all development in these eight stages.

In the eight stages cited by Erikson, each critical encounter with the environment will dominate at a particular period in the life cycle. The conflicts are not completely separated -- all eight conflicts are present in the individual at birth, and each of the conflicts continues to play a role, if a minor one, throughout life. The first stage is basic trust vs. mistrust as the infant must develop sufficient trust to let its mother out of sight without anxiety. The second stage is that of autonomy vs. shame and doubt, and this sense is usually developed through bladder and bowel control and parallels the anal stage of traditional psychoanalytic theory. The third stage is that of initiative vs. guilt, the last conflict experienced by the preschool child and occurring during what Freud called the phallic stage. The child now must learn to appropriately control feelings of rivalry for the mother's attention and develop a sense of moral responsibility. The fourth stage is industry vs. inferiority, the conflict beginning with school life or the onset of formal socialization. The child must apply himself to his lesson, begin to feel some sense of competence relative to peers, and face his own limitations if he is to emerge as a healthy individual. The fifth stage is identity vs. role confusion. Identity here refers to the confidence that others see us as we see ourselves, and if an identity is not formed, role confusion may occur, often characterized by an inability to select a career or to further educational goals. The sixth stage is that of intimacy vs. isolation. It occurs in young adulthood when people are expected to be ready for true intimacy and when they must develop cooperative social and occupational relationships with others and select a mate. The seventh stage is that of generativity vs. stagnation -- the individual needs to be needed and to assist the younger members of society, and generativity is concerned with guiding the next generation. The last stage is that of ego integrity vs. despair, and this is the time when the way the other conflicts were decided has an influence. If the preceding conflicts were not suitably handled, despair may result in later life. If the person has developed each of the adaptive qualities of the other seven stages, he or she will be able to become psychosocially adjusted and have a lasting sense of integrity.

Asher in the novel passes through the fourth stage as he goes to school, torn in his thinking by the conflict that often shows between the secular teachings of school and the religious teaching of the Rebbe. The boy is vulnerable because of the illness of his other and the inflexibility of his father. The boy learns a great deal from his father, notably gaining an appreciation of Russia and a trust in the Rebbe. The childhood of Asher as described by Potok shows the sort of developmental changes cited first by Piaget and later by Erikson. Asher's environment as a child is enclosed by his parents and his community, though there are always certain forces that are more internal and that manifest as he observes the world and expresses a certain artistic sense others in his community do not have. His growing awareness of his own difference is part of the environment that shapes him. In part, he gains this awareness by his own observation, but he also gains it as others, notably his parents and the Rebbe, suggest how he should think when they perceive that he thinks differently than they themselves, that he sees the world less in their religious terms and more in is own aesthetic terms. The thinking of the boy was shaped by his early experiences with his parents, and his devotion to his parents leads in later life to his deep-seated desire to please his father.

The boy's early years are spent with his parents in a colony as his father works with the Russians and the boy begins to show the artistic talent that will shape his life later. Bowlby (1988) notes the way Freud and others saw childhood as the starting point for mental health later in life, though he also notes how research into his idea has been difficult and disappointing. More recently, developmental psychologists have used an ethologically based theory of socioemotional bonds to test these ideas and Bowlby's own research suggests that a person's… READ MORE

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Quoted Instructions for "Human Development in the Environment" Assignment:

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Below, please find syllabus for your review that will enable you to navigate through the assignment. Only relevant references from text books and reccomended reading should be used throuout the paper. Major Developmental theories that must be used when evaluating Asher Lev are:

Piaget (Miller article) and begin Erickson (The Eight Ages of Man)

Freud, Berzoff, J. Drive Theory and Schamess , G.*****s Structural Theory (1996) In Inside Out and Outside In: Psychodynamic Clinical Theory and Practice.*****)

Winnicott. (*****The Maturational Process and the Facilitating Environment***** Chaps: True and False Self and The Capacity to Be Alone.) Also, Mahler/Intelligence (*****The Separation-Individuation Process and Identity Formation***** / Neisser, et al *****Intelligence Known and Unkowns*****

Immigration/Acculturation (*Anderson, L.P., Acculturative Stress: A Theory of

Relevance to Black Americans) Koplow, L. Developmental Dilemmas of Young

Children of Immigrant Parents. In Child and Adolescent Social Work. 1990)

SYLLABUS

COURSE OBJECTIVES

1. To conceptualize relationships among the individual, family, group, community, environment and organizations, and understand how these systems interact to provide the context for human development from birth, through later childhood.

2. To use and understand theories that describe human development from infancy to late childhood, from a critical perspective.

3. To understand the impact and context of diversity on early human development, with special emphasis on the influences of culture, race, gender, sexual orientation, and social class.

4. To acquire knowledge of contemporary urban problems and their impact on human development from birth through late childhood. These problems include poverty, violence, AIDS and homelessness; as well as the negative consequences of oppression, social injustice, racism, classism and homophobia.

5. To become knowledgeable of the theoretical content describing the developing stages of biological, psychological, cognitive, affective, sexual, social and behavioral domains of functioning from infancy through late childhood.

6. To understand the role of research findings in constructing models of development, and contributing towards the integration of a bio-psycho-social systems perspective of human behavior from infancy through late childhood.

7. To define the stressors and risks that may effect people from birth through late childhood; as well as the compensatory interactions of personal, familial, group, and organizational factors that can mitigate against the negative developmental impact of these factors.

HUMAN BEHAVIOR IN THE SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT I

Course Description

Human Behavior in the Social Environment I is centered in the bio-psycho-social perspective, which stresses a multi-dimensional view of human development and behavior. This multi-dimensional view of person in the context of the environment takes into consideration the challenges, stressors and life tasks that occur throughout the life cycle. The individual in his/her environment is seen as a unit where component elements can only be understood in their relationship to each other. The course stresses the centrality of culture, race, ethnicity, gender and the socioeconomic environment.

Using systems theory as a critical theoretical underpinning, Human Behavior in the Social Environment I stresses a non-linear view of development in which there is a continuous reciprocal interchange and mutual impact among different systems (individual, family, group, community). A major focus of the course is on development of the human biological, psychological and social structure as it occurs throughout the life span. Human Behavior in the Social Environment I covers the life cycle from birth to late childhood. Human Behavior in the Social Environment II continues from early adolescence to old age.

The course stresses the need for the development of critical thinking throughout, an examination of the gaps in knowledge that exists in developmental theory, and the role that research plays in knowledge building. The linkages of theories to practice and policy implications are also stressed.

Assignments

Human Behavior in the Social Environment I has a midterm and final paper. In order to continue to build on students liberal arts base novels and/or short stories that encompass significant cultural diversity are used as part of final assignments. Assignments are developed to facilitate integration of content and re-emphasize a systems perspective and the bio-psycho-social approach. Students are asked to integrate the knowledge learned into their discussion of a character within their social environment, as portrayed in novels or short stories.

COURSE MATERIALS

Required Texts:

Citizens***** Committee for Children of New York (2005). Keeping Track of New York*****s Children. New York: Author.

An interactive version now available at www.cccnewyork.org.

Longres, J.F. (2000). Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 3rdEd. United States: Brooks/Cole, Thomson, Inc.

Recommended Texts:

Goldstein, E. (1995). Ego Psychology and Social Work Practice. New York: The Free Press.

(Two Chapters (pp. 53-112) from this book are Required Readings, and it is required in Practice classes).

Long, D.D. & Holle, M.C. (2006). Macro Systems in the Social Environment, 2nd edition. Itasca, Illinois: F.E. Peacock Publishers.

Payne, Malcolm. (2005). Modern Social Work Theory. 3rd Edition. Chicago, Il: Lyceum Books, Inc.

COURSE OUTLINE AND BIBLIOGRAPHY

I. THE SYSTEMS PERSPECTIVE AND THE BIOPSYCHOSOCIAL APPROACH

This section presents the organizing theme that underlies the Human Behavior curriculum and the study of Human Behavior in the Social Environment in particular: the systems approach. Emerging from systems theory, this approach views human behavior as resulting from a multiplicity of both internal and external factors operating in transaction. Viewing the individual within the context of its environment, the systems perspective understands all human behavior as emerging from the complex interactions of the biological-psychological and social domains.

This section will first explain the process of theory building and the view of all theory as social construct. It will then present the basic concepts of systems theory and the dynamics of dialectical interaction and systemic transaction.

The Bio Psycho Social System will be discussed from both its historical perspective and key relevance to social works view of human behavior in the social environment.

Note:

Required readings will be left to the discretion of the Professor and will be assigned from the recommended readings listed below. All other articles are recommended or are supplemental references.

Recommended Readings

Long, D.D. and Holle, M.C. (2006) Macro Systems in the Social Environment (pp.1-22). Macro-systems and their importance and usefulness to the social worker. Itasca, Illinois: F.E. Peacock Publishers

Longres, J.F. (2000). Chapter 1: A Critical Perspective; Chapter 2: A Systems Approach to Human Behavior. Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 3rdEd. (pp. 2-19; 20-46). United States: Brooks/Cole, Thomson, Inc.

II. MAJOR CONTRIBUTING PERSPECTIVES TO THE BIO- PSYCHO- SOCIAL VIEW OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

Integrating a wide spectrum of literature that describes the bio-psycho-social matrix within which human development takes place, this section will describe the:

(A) SOCIAL/ENVIRONMENTAL CONTEXT OF DEVELOPMENT

Noting the diversity of ethno-racial, class, and gender experiences; the stratification of community and neighborhood environments; the fluxes of family life in urban centers; the influence of environmental stressors on psycho-social development; and the role of macrosystemic organizational systems in both maintaining and addressing all of these dynamics.

The contribution of:

(B) BIOLOGICAL-PHYSICAL FACTORS

How human behavior evolves within the social environment will be reviewed from both perinatal and development perspectives. Genetic, nutritional and maturational influences on personality temperament, intelligence, psychopathology, gender differences, intelligence and physical disability will be considered, especially with respect to their interaction with environmental deprivation and social minority status.

In the psychological domain, multiple:

(C) PSYCHOLOGICAL THEORIES OF DEVELOPMENT

Will be used to understand how cognition, personality and social development takes place within the socio-cultural environment. Thus theories of cognitive development and language acquisition will be considered, as will human attachment theory, psychosocial theory, psychoanalytic theory(s), and behaviorism/social learning theory. These theoretical frameworks will be considered critically as to their validity in comprehensively explaining developmental processes and their potential integration of value presuppositions about *****normal development***** within particular cultural contexts.

II (A) THE SOCIAL/ENVIRONMENTAL CONTEXT OF DEVELOPMENT

1. Beginning Concepts of Race, Culture, Diversity and Gender

2. The Central Role of Community and Organizational Systems

3. Family Life in the Urban Environment

4. The Impact of Environmental Stressors and Social Hazards

II A-1. Beginning Concepts of Race, Culture and Diversity

This section will introduce the influence of variation in class, race, gender, ethnicity and gender orientation on human behavior; especially noting how differences in social power and privilege impact on human developmental processes within social/environmental contexts.

Recommended Readings

*Anderson, L.P. (1991). Acculturative stress: A theory of relevance to Black Americans. Clinical Psychology Review, 11, 685-702.

Armbruster, P., Sukhodolsky, D., and Michelsen, R. (2004) The impact of managed care on children*****s outpatient treatment: A comparison study of treatment outcome before and after managed care. American Journal of Orthopsuchiatry, 74 (1), 5-13.

Armistead, L., Klein, K., & Forehand, R. (1995). Parental physical illness and child functioning. Clinical Psychology Review, 15 (5), 409-422.

Bandura, A. (1999). Social cognitive theory in cultural context. Applied Psychology: An International Review, 51 (2), 269-290.

Pinderhughes, E. (1988). Significance of culture and power in the human behavior curriculum. In C. Jacobs & D. Bowles (Eds.), Ethnicity and Race: Critical Concepts in Social Work (pp. 152-166). Silver Spring, MD: NASW.

Rotherman-Borus, M. J. and Wyche, K. F. (1994) Ethnic differences in identity development in the U.S. In S. Archer (Ed.) Interventions for Adolescent Identity (pp. 62-81). Thousand Oaks, CA: *****.

Saleebey, D. (1992). Biology*****s challenge to social work: embodying the person-in-environment perspective. Social Work, 37 (2), 112-118.

II A-2. The Central Role of Community and Organizational Systems

This section will present the social/psychological and sociological theories used to assess the social environments within which children develop. This macrosystemic view focuses on the importance of organizations, communities and society in social work assessment, and is aimed to highlight and probe the role of the larger social context in human development.

Recommended Readings

*Brooks-Gunn, J., Duncan, G.J., Klebanov, P.K. & Sealand, N. (1993, September). Do neighborhoods influence child and adolescent development? American Journal of Sociology, 99(2), 353-395.

Fellin, P. (1995). Defining communities and community competence; Systems perspectives for understanding communities; The social stratification of communities: class, race and ethnicity (pp. 3-27; 28-38; 58-76). The Community and the Social Worker. Itasca, Illinois: F.E. Peacock Publishers, Inc. (These chapters are also required in the Ethnocultural Issues course).

II A-3. Family Life in the Urban Environment

This segment will highlight the role of the family group as the agent of socialization in the environment. It will describe cultural, racial, class and gender variables in family life, as well as evolving variations in the structure of family units within contemporary urban environments. Changes in family role expectations and economic aspects will be considered, especially in light of the environmental demands posed by urban life.

Recommended Readings

Brooks-Gunn, J., Duncan, G.J., Klebanov, P.K. & Sealand, N. (1993, September). Do

neighborhoods influence child and adolescent development? American Journal of Sociology. 99 (2), 353-395.

Buckner, J.C., Beardslee, W.R., and Bassuk, E.L. (2004). Exposure to violence and low-income

children*****s mental health: Direct, Moderated and Mediated Relations. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 74 (4), 413-423.

Harrison, A.O., Wilson, M.N., Pine, C.J., Samuel, Q. & Buriel, R. (1990). Family ecologies of ethnic minority children. Child Development, 61 (2), 347-362.

Longres, J.F. (2000). Chapter 8: The Family As A Social Institution. Human Behavior in the Social Environment (pp. 200-234). United States: Brooks/Cole, Thomson, Inc.

McKay, M.M., Lynn, C.J., and Bannon, W.M., (2005). Understanding inner city child mental health need and exposure: implications for preparing urban service providers. American Journal of Prthopsuchiatry, 75 (2), 201-210.

McLoyd, V. (1998). Socioeconomic disadvantage and child development. American Psychologist, 53, 185-204.

Morrison-Dore, M., Kauffman, E., Nelson-Zlupko, L. & Granfort, E. (1996). Psychosocial functioning and treatment needs of latency-age children from drug-involved families. Families in Society, 77 (10), 595-604.

Moss, J. & Lockhart, G. (1990). The impact of underemployment and unemployment on the quality of Black family life. In S. Logan, E. Freeman & McRoy (Eds.), Social Work Practice with Black Families (pp.193-202). New York: Longman.

Ortiz, V. (1995). The diversity of Latino families. In R.E. Zambrana (Ed.), Understanding Latino Families: Scholarship policy and practice (pp.18-39). Thousand Oaks, CA: ***** Publications.

Phillips, N. and Straussner, S.L. (2001) Urban Social Work. NY: Allyn & Bacon. (Chapter 2, Human Behavior in the Urban Environment).

II A-4. The Impact of Environmental Stressors and Social Hazards

This segment will describe the complex influences of environmental deprivation, poverty, maltreatment, violence and social oppression on human development and behavior. The concept of *****resilience despite risk***** will also be considered, together with familial, social, and macrosystemic factors that can mitigate against vulnerability.

Recommended Readings

*Basic Behavioral Science Task Force of the National Advisory Mental Health Council. (1996, January). Basic behavioral science research for mental health: Vulnerability and resilience. American Psychologist, 51(1), 22-28.

Brooks-Gunn, J. (1995). Strategies for altering the outcomes of poor children and their families. In P.L. Chase-Lansdale & J. Brooks-Gunn (E.), Escape from Poverty: What makes a Difference for Children? (pp. 87-117). New York: Cambridge University Press.

Chapman, M.V., Wall, A., and Barth, R.P. (2004). Children*****s voices: the perceptions of children in foster care. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 74 (3) 293-304.

DiGiuseppe, R. & Tafrate, R.C. (2001). A comprehensive treatment model for anger disorders. Psychotherapy, 38 (3) 262-271.

Garbarino, J. Dubrow, N., Kostelny, K. & Prado, C. (1992). The developmental toll of inner-city life. Children in Danger: Coping with the Consequences of Community Violence (pp.48-66). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Publisher.

Garmezy, N. (1993). Children in poverty: Resilience despite the risk. Psychiatry, 56(1), 127-136.

*Klebanov, P.K., Brooks-Gunn, J. & Duncan, G.J. (1994, May). Does neighborhood and family poverty affect mother*****s parenting, mental health, and social support? Journal of Marriage and the Family, 56, 441-455.

Robinson, B.E. & Rhoden, J.L. (1998). Psychological adjustment of children of alcoholics. In Working with Children of Alcoholics: A Practitioner*****s Handbook (pp.52-77). New York: ***** Publications.

II (B) BIOLOGICAL/PHYSICAL FACTORS IN EARLY HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

This section will highlight biological/physical aspects relevant to early development. Reviewed from both perinatal and developmental aspects, genetic, nutritional and maturational influences on temperament, intelligence, gender differences, psychopathology, and physical endowments/disabilities will be considered, especially in terms of how these factors interact with the conditions of poverty and availability of community services to vulnerable populations.

Recommended Readings

Barnet, A.B. and Barnet, R.J. (1998) The Youngest Minds, NY: Touchstone. (Chapter 1: How the brain takes shape).

Chess, S. (1980). Temperament and children at risk. In E.J. Anthony & C. Koupernik (Eds.), The Child in his Family (pp. 121-130). New York: John Wiley & Sons.

Efran, J.S., Greene, M.A. & Gordon, D.E. (1998). Lessons of the new genetics. Family Therapy Networker, 27-41.

*Neisser, U., Boodoo, G., Bouchard Jr., T. J., Boykin, A.W., Ceci, S.J. Halpern, D.F., Loehlin, J.C. Perloff, R., Sternberg, R. J. & Urbina, S. (1996). Intelligence: Known and unknowns. American Psychologist, 51(2), 77-101.

*Osofsky, J. (1995) The effects of exposure to violence in young children. American Psychologist, 50(9), 782-788.

II (C) PSYCHOLOGICAL THEORIES OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

1. Understanding Value Assumptions in Developmental Theory Construction

2. Cognitive Development and Language Acquisition

3. Theories of Attachment

4. Psychosocial Theory of Development

5. Psychoanalytic Theories of Development

6. Behaviorism and Social Learning Theory

Recommended Readings

Bowlby, J. (1998). Developmental psychiatry comes of age. American Journal of Psychiatry, 145

(1), 1-10.

Eiden, R.D., Peterson, W., & Coleman, T. (1999). Maternal cocaine use and the care giving

environment during early childhood. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 13, 293-302.

Fiona, T. & Wren, B., (2002). Editorial: sexual identity and gender identity: understanding

difference. Clinical Psychology and Psychiatry, 7 (3), 315-319.

Fish, B., & Chapman, B. (2004). Mental health risks to infants and toddlers in foster care. Clinical

Social Work Journal, 32 (2), 121-140.

Fonagy, P. and Target, M. (1998). Mentalization and the changing aims of child psychoanalysis.

Psychoanalytic Dialogues, 8(1), 87-114.

Fontana, V.J. (2004). Our most important task the well-being and protection of children. Journal of Infant, Child, and Adolescent Psychotherapy, 3 (3), 299-302.

Hasan, N., and Power, T.G. (2004). Children*****s appraisal of major life events. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 74 (1), 26-32.

*Pachter, L.M. & Dworkin, P.H. (1997). Maternal expectations about normal child development in 4 cultural groups. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 151(11), 1114-1150.

Perez Foster, R.M., (2005). The new faces of childhood perimigration trauma in the United States. Journal of Infant, Child, and Adolescent Psychotherapy, 4 (1), 21-41.

Phillips, D., Prince, S., and Schiebelhut, L., (2004). Elementary school children*****s responses 3 months after the September 11 terrorist attacks: A study in Washington, D.C. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 74 (4), 509-528.

II C-1. Understanding Value Assumptions in Developmental Theory Construction

All theoretical and research-based frameworks for understanding human behavior, by definition hold assumptions about what is considered normative within their cultural and historical context. This introductory segment to psychological theories of human development will again alert the student to the presence of centric bias in any form of theory construction.

Recommended Readings

Bruner, J. (1986) Value presuppositions of developmental theory. In L. Cirillo and S. Wapner (Eds.) Value Presuppositions in Theories of Human Development. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

II C-2. Cognitive Development and Language Acquisition

The evolution of cognitive structures, symbolic language capacity, and psycho-motor functions in young children will be reviewed through both classic Piagetian perspectives, and models developed from contemporary developmental research.

Recommended Readings

Barnet, A.B. and Barnet, R.J. (1998) The Youngest Minds. NY : Touchstone. (Chapter 2: The House of Meaning. Chapter 3: Pathways to language).

Miller, P. (1989) Piaget*****s cognitive *****“ stage theory. In P. Miller (Ed.) Theories of Developmental Psychology. NY: Freeman & Co.

Rand Corporation (2005). Early childhood intervention: Proven results/Future promise.

Reid Lyon, G., (1996, Spring). Learning disabilities. The Future of Children Special Education for Students with Disabilities, 6 (1), 54-76.

Robb, B.J. (2003). Changing the future: the story of attachment with a child with special needs. Clinical Social Work Journal, 31 (1), 9-24.

II C-3. Theories of Attachment

The key role of the familial caregiver in the child*****s emotional development and survival will be considered from the perspective of Bowlby*****s ethnological theory as well as from perspectives that have articulated variable patterns of attachment between child and caregiver. Contemporary research on early infant maternal-infant interactions will also be reviewed.

Recommended Readings

*Bowlby, J. (1988) Developmental psychiatry comes of age. American Journal of Psychiatry, 145(1), 1-10.

Karen, R. (1998) Becoming Attached. NY: Oxford University Press. (Chapter 10: Ainsworth in Uganda. Chapter 11: The Stranger Situation. Chapter 12: Ainsworth*****s American Revolution).

II C-4. Psychosocial Theory of Development

Erikson*****s developmental theory holds an important role in social work*****s view of human behavior within the context of the social environment. His psychosocial developmental framework emphasized that the demands of society at each stage of human growth, not only promoted the development of a unique personality, but also ensured that individuals acquire attitudes and skills that help them become active, contributing members of their society.

Recommended Reading:

Erikson, E. H. (1963) Childhood and Society. NY: Free Press. (Chapter 7) Eight Ages of Man.

Rogoff, B. and Chavajay, P. (1995). What*****s become of research on the cultural basis of cognitive development? American Psychologist, 50, 859-877.

Rothbaum, F., Weisz, J., Pott, M., Miyake, K., & Morelli, G. (2000). Attachment and culture: Security in the United States and Japan. American Psychologist, 55, 1093-1104.

Schore, A.N. (2001). The effects of an early relational trauma on the right brain development, affect regulation, and infant mental health. Infant Mental Health Journal, 22, 201-269.

Schore, A.N. (2001). The effects of a secure attachment relationship on right brain development , affect regulation and infant mental health. Infant Mental Health Journal, 22, 7-66.

Shilkret, C.J. (2005). Some clinical applications of attachment theory in adult psychotherapy. Clinical Social Work Journal, 33 (1), 55-68.

II C-5. Psychoanalytic Theories of Development

Beginning with Freud*****s psychosexual theory of development, the psychoanalytic movement spawned multiple theoretical perspectives about human behavior, all of which believe in the central role of unconscious processes in general psycho-social functioning. These perspectives include ego psychology, which emphasizes adaptive personality functioning in the environment; and object relations theory which stresses the deep wish for human connection in all people.

Recommended Readings

Berzoff, J.*****s Drive theory and Schamess, G*****s Structural theory (1996). In J. Berzoff, L.M. Flanangan & P. Hertz (Eds.), Inside Out and Outside In: Psychodynamic Clinical Theory and Practice in Contemporary Multicultural Contexts. Pp. 17-47; 49-66. New Jersey: ***** Aronson, Inc.

Winnicott, D.W. (1965). The Maturational Processes and the Facilitating Environment: Studies in the theory of emotional development. Ct: International University Press. (Relevant chapters to be assigned by instructor)

II C-6. Behaviorism and Social Learning Theory

Models of human behavior that view learning as the result of consistent exposures to events in the social environment will be reviewed with an emphasis on early childhood learning, cross-cultural and cross-class differences in early stimulus exposure, and the role of child observational learning of violent contexts.

Recommended Readings

Berk, L. (1997) Child Development. Boston: Allyn and Bacon pp. 16-18 (Chapter 1: Behaviorism and Social Learning Theory. Chapter 4. pp. 123. (Infancy Early Learning)

III. PERINATAL, INFANT AND EARLY CHILDHOOD PERIODS (INTEGRATED BIO-

PSYCHO-SOCIAL AND SYSTEMS PERSPECTIVES)

Section III directly builds on the theoretical and research-based frameworks presented in section (II). The perinatal, infant and early childhood periods will now be studied within their bio-psycho-social matrices in much more detail and integrated depth. There will also be more focused presentation of cross-cultural differences in developmental trajectories, parenting styles, childrearing attitudes and needs/utilization of community services for this early developmental period.

Biological-Physical aspects of early life will consider infant mortality in communities of poverty; the consequences of substance abuse, poor nutrition, poverty and parental stress on prenatal and early development; constitutional strengths and vulnerabilities; maturational changes resting on physical development; and physical handicaps and illness in early development.

Community/Organizational factors, will consider: the impact of poverty and social disenfranchisement on early childhood development; the availability of community services for families with young children; and culturally syntonic programmatic service development for ethnic families.

The complex Psychological factors relevant to this early stage will explore the early roots of attachments and relationships; differentiation and integration of affective development; cognitive development and language learning; the early roots of gender development; the growth of curiosity and environmental mastery; the evolution of subjectivity; and the development of sexual awareness. Furthermore, a comparison of the various psychological theories of infant/toddler development will be conducted with reference to both their explanatory power and cross-cultural relevance.

Expanding on the integrated psycho-social growth of this early period, this section will address the influence of Social/Familial factors such as: familial structure, social supports and caretaker arrangements; arrangements; the consequences of socially determined environmental insults; sociocultural influences and variation in childrearing; familial contexts and styles of nurturing; the influence of social, cultural and familial values on learning and socialization; beginning peer relationships; play and social networks; racial and ethnic identity development; influence of social networks and preschool environments in gender and social role behaviors; growth of adaptation and coping capacities; effects of sexual abuse on development; and parental and familial adjustment to a disabled child.

Recommended Readings

Applegate, J. (1993, Feb.). Winnicott and clinical social work: A facilitating partnership. Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal 10, 3-19.

Hodapp, R.M. (1997). Developmental approaches to children with disabilities: New perspectives, populations, prospects. In S. Luthar, J. Berrack, D. Cicchetti, and J. Weiss (Ed.), Developmental Psychopathology, Cambrige, UK: Cambridge University Press.

Lyons-Ruth, K. (1991). Rapprochement or approachement: Mahler's theory reconsidered

from the vantage point of recent research on early attachment relationships.

Psychoanalytic Psychology, 8, 1, 1-23.

Katz, P. A. and Kofkin, J. A. (1997) Race, gender and young children. In Luthar, S. et al (Eds.) Developmental Psychopathology. Pp. 51-74. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.

Kim, U. & Choi, S-H. (1994). Individualism, collectivism, and child development: A Korean perspective in P.M. Greenfield & R.R. Cocking (Eds.), Cross-cultural Roots of Minority Child Development (pp. 227-257). Hillsdale, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers.

Kobayasjhi, J.S. (1989)). Depathologizing dependency: Two perspectives. Psychiatric Annals, 19 (12), 653-658.

Koplow, L. & Messinger, E. (1990). Developmental dilemmas of young children of immigrant parents. Child and Adolescent Social Work, 7 (2), 121-134.

Long, D.D. and Holle, M.C.: (2006) Macrosystems in the Social Environment, Itasca, Illionois: F.E. Peacock Publishers. (Chapter 2, Infancy, Chapter 3, Preschool Children).

Mahler, M. & McDevitt, M. (1980). The Separation-individuation process and identity formation. In S. Greenspan & G. Pollock (Eds.), The Course of Life, Vol. 1 (pp. 395-406). Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office.

Pattatucci, A. M. (1998) In C. Patterson and A. D. Augelli (Eds.) Biopsychosocial interactions and the development of sexual orientation. Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Identities in Families. NY: Oxford University Press.

Spillane-Grieco, E. (2000). Cognitive-behavioral family therapy with a family in high-conflict divorce: a case study. Clinical Social Work Journal, 28 (1), 105-119.

Weinberg, L. (1991). Infant development and the sense of self: Stern vs. Mahler. Clinical Social Work Journal, 19(10), 9-22.

*Wodarski, J., Kurtz, D., Guadin, J. & Howing, P. (1990). Maltreatment and the school-age child: Major academic, socioemotional and adaptive outcomes. Social Work, 35(6), 506-513.

Wren, B. (2002). I can accept my child is transsexual but if I ever see him in a dress I*****ll hit him: dilemmas in parenting a transgendered adolescent. Clinical Psychology and Psychiatry 7 (3) 377-397.

IV. MIDDLE AND LATE CHILDHOOD: INTEGRATED BIO-PSYCHO-SOCIAL AND SYSTEMS PERSPECTIVES

Continuing to build on the theoretical and research-based frameworks presented in section (II), the middle and late childhood periods will be considered within their bio-psycho-social matrices in more detail and integrated depth in this section. There will be more consideration of cross-cultural differences in developmental courses, parenting styles and childbearing attitudes, as well as examination of the role of community /organizational systems in the lives of young children. Critical examination of developmental theories will continue, especially with respect to their explanatory power with children from diverse socio-ethnic communities.

The domain of Biological-Physical Factors, will consider the unique physical, psycho-motor and cognitive growth that is part of middle childhood and sets the stage for prepubertal change. Important changes in the Psychological domain will be considered such as skills training, the growth of adaptive coping mechanisms, and the enhanced sophistication of conceptual abilities. Furthermore, social and gender roles and the increasing emergence of gender differences in several areas of functioning will be understood from an integrated bio-psycho-social perspective, as physical differences are considered in dialectical interaction with the forces of social role expectation and environmental reinforcement.

A consideration of the complex Social Factors that influence middle childhood development will address: the child*****s entry into the wider community of social networks and peer relations; the specific character of schools and other social organizations that impact on development; developmental consequences of the real-world status of the family (ethnicity, family structure, social class, etc.); possible value conflicts between home/community; schools as socialization agents and social-sorting systems; social issues pertinent to development and patenting in the urban community; cross cultural variations on development and child-rearing behaviors; and the impact of parents***** working lives on middle childhood youngsters.

Recommended Readings

Belle, D. (Ed.) (1989). Gender differences in children*****s social networks and supports. Children*****s Social Networks and Social Supports (pp. 173-188). New York: John Wiley & Sons.

Kim, W.J., Kim, L. & Rue, D.S. (1997). Korean American Children. In G. Johnson-Powell & J. Yamamoto (Ed.) Transcultural Child Development: Psychological Assessment and Treatment (pp. 183-207). New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Lung, A.Y. & Sue, S. (1997). Chinese American Children. In G. Johnson-Powell & J. Yamamoto (Eds.) Transcultural Child Development: Psychological Assessment and Treatment (pp. 208-236). New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

*Morrison-Dore, M., Kauffman, E., Nelson-Zlupko, L & Granfort, E. (1996). Psychosocial functioning and treatment needs of latency-age children from drug-involved families. Families in Society 77 (10), 595-604.

Ranganath, V.M. & Ranganath, V.K. (1997). Asian Indian Children. In G. Johnson-Powell & J. Yamamoto (Eds.) Transcultural Child Development: Psychological Assessment and Treatment (pp. 103-125). New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

V. LOSS AND BEREAVEMENT IN CHILDREN*****S LIVES

Parental death and traumatic losses are the experiences of many thousands of children in the U.S., especially those who live in poverty. The increase of violence in communities, and the rising mortality rates from the AIDS epidemic, are rendering many children both traumatized and potentially derailed from their developmental tasks. This section will consider the concept of trauma in childhood, and the repercussions of parental and familial loss; noting especially the process of grief and bereavement during the developing childhood years.

Recommended Readings

James B. (1994). Human attachments and trauma. In Handbook for Treatment of Attachment-Trauma Problems in Children (pp. 1-16). New York: Lexington Books.

Norris, D.M. & Spurlock, J. (1993). Separation and loss in African American children: Clinical perspectives. In A.C. Gaw (Ed.), Culture, Ethnicity, and Mental Illness (pp. 175-188).

Shapiro, E.R. (1994). Bereavement in childhood: Child grief as a systemic developmental process. In Grief as a Family Process: A Developmental Approach to Clinical Practice (pp. 71-86). New York: Guilford Press.

Siegel, K. & Freund, B. (1994). Parental loss and latency age children. In B.O. Dane & C. Levine (Eds). AIDS and the New Orphans: Coping with Death (pp 43-58). Westport, CT.: Auburn House

Recommended Readings:

II A-1 BEGINNING CONCEPTS OF RACE, CULTURE AND DIVERSITY

Espin, O.M. & Gawelek, M.A. (1992). Women*****s diversity: Ethnicity, race, class and gender in theories of feminist psychology. In L. S. Brown & M. Ballou (Eds.)., Personality and Psychopathology: Feminist Reappraisals (pp.88-107). New York: The Guilford Press.

Williams, T. & Kornblum, W. (1991). A portrait of youth: Coming of age in Harlem public housing. In National Urban League (Eds.), The State of Black America, 1991 (pp.187-207). New York, National Urban League Inc.

II A-2 THE CENTRAL ROLE OF COMMUNITY AND ORGANIZATIONAL SYSTEMS

Long, D.D. and Holle, M.C. (2006), Macro-Systems in the Social Environment, Itasca, Illinois: F.E. Peacock Publishers Inc., (Chapter 1: Macro-systems: Their importance and Usefulness to Social Workers).

II A-3 FAMILY LIFE IN THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT

Belkin, L. The Lessons of Classroom 506. New York Times Magazine. New York: Sep 12, 2004 40-53.

*Harrison, A.O., Wilson, M.N., Pine, C.J. Samuel, Q. & Buriel, R. (1990). Family ecologies of ethnic minority children. Child Development, 61(2), 347-362.

II A-4 THE IMPACT OF ENVIRONMENTAL STRESSORS AND SOCIAL HAZARDS

*Armistead, L., Klein, K. & Forehand, R. (1995). Parental physical illness and child functioning. Clinical Psychology Review, 15 (5), 409-422.

Citizen*****s Committee for Children of New York (2005). Keeping Track of New York*****s Children. New York: Author.

*Reid Lyon, G. (1996, Spring). Learning disabilities. The Future of Children: Special Education for Students with Disabilities, 6 (1), 54-76.

Sameroff, A., Seifer, R. T. & Todd Bartko, W. (1997). Environmental perspectives on adaptation during childhood and adolescence. In S. Luthar et al (Eds.) Developmental Psychopathology. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.

Segal, E. & Gustavsson, N. (1990). The high cost of neglecting children: The need for preventive policy agenda. Child and Adolescent Social Work, 7 (6), 475-485.

*Straus, M.A. Sugarman, D.B. & Giles-Sims, J. (1997). Spanking by parents and subsequent antisocial behavior in children. Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine, 151, 761-767.

II (B) BIOLOGICAL/PHYSICAL FACTORS IN EARLY HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

Burns E. & Arnold , L.E. (1990). Biological aspects of stress: Effects on the developing brain. In L.E. Arnold (Ed.), Childhood stress (pp. 73-107). New York: John Wiley & Sons.

Novosad, C. and Thoman, E. (1999) Stability of temperament over the childhood years. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 69, 457-464.

*Saleebey, D. (1992). Biology*****s challenge to social work: embodying the person-in-environment perspective. Social Work, 37 (2), 112-18.

II C-2. COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT AND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION

*Rogoff, B. and Chavajay, P. (1995) What*****s become of research on the cultural basis of cognitive development? American Psychologist, 50(10), 859-877.

III. PERINATAL, INFANT AND EARLY CHILDHOOD PERIODS (INTEGRATED BIO-PSYCHO-SOCIAL AND SYSTEMS PERSPECTIVES)

Beavers, J. (1989). Physical and cognitive handicaps. In L. Combrinck-Graham (Ed.), Children in Family Contexts (pp. 193-212). New York: The Guilford Press.

White, R. (1960). The competence model of Robert W. White. In Proceedings from the Symposium on Motivation. Nebraska: University of Nebraska.

IV. MIDDLE AND LATE CHILDHOOD: INTEGRATED BIO-PSYCHO-SOCIAL AND SYSTEMS PERSPECTIVES

Gilligan, C. & Wiggins, G. (1988). The origins of morality in early childhood relationships. In C. Gilligan; J. Ward; J. Taylor & B. Bardige (Eds.), Mapping the Moral Domain (pp. 111-137). Cambridge, Mass: Center for the Study for the Study of Gender, Education and Human Development, Harvard University Graduate School of Education.

Ho, D.Y.F. (1994). Cognitive socialization in Confucian heritage cultures. In P.M. Greenfield & R.R. Cocking(Eds.), Cross-cultural Roots of Minority Child Development (pp. 285-313). Hillsdale, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Johnson, J. (1990). Forgotten no longer: An overview of research on children of chemically dependent parents. In T. Rivinus (Eds.), Children of Chemically Dependent Parents (pp. 29-54). New York: Brunner/Mazel.

Long, D.D. and Holle, M. C. (2006) Macrosystems in the Social Environment, Itasca, Illinois: F.E. Peacock Publishers. (Chapter 4: Children of School Age).

Mackelprang, R. and Salsquiver, R. (1999). Disability Adversity Model Approach in Human Service Practice. N.Y.: Brooks/Cole Publishing Co., (Chapter 4: Human Development in the context of disability birth to twelve years of age).

Mary, N. (1990) Reactions of Black, Hispanic and White mothers to having a child with handicaps. Mental Retardation,28, 1-5.

*Wilson, M. (1989). Child development in the context of the black extended family. American Psychologist, 44 (2), 380-385.

V. LOSS AND BEREAVEMENT IN CHILDREN*****S LIVES

Deveau, E.J. (1995). Perceptions of death through the eyes of children and adolescents. D.W. Adams, & E.J. Deveau (Eds.), Beyond the Innocence of Childhood: Factors Influencing Children and Adolescents***** Perceptions and Attitudes Toward Death (pp. 55-92). New York: Baywood Publishing Co.

Nagler, S.F., Adnopoz, J. & Forsyth, B.W. (1995) Uncertainty, stigma, and secrecy: Psychological aspects of AIDS for children and adolescents. In S. Geballe, J. Guendel & W. Andiman (Eds.) Forgotten Children of the AIDS Epidemic (pp. 71-82).

Assignment

The final paper for Human Behavior in the Social Environment is based on "My Name is Asher Lev". The paper should reflect your ability to discuss and integrate the following:

The various theories and perspectives on human behavior in the social environment that been studied this semester

Social factors such as gender, economic circumstances, race, ethnicity, and the cultural context.

It is also anticipated that your paper will represent an understanding of biological, psychological, and social forces that affect individual growth and development.

The paper should move beyond mere description into a dynamic analysis of themes and conflicts presented in the novel, and it should incorporate systems theory.

Evidence of readings and relevant videos should be integrated throughout the paper. Avoid direct quotations from readings, but rather pull ideas from them and integrate them, along with your own critical thinking, into your own paper.

_____________________________________________________

Relavant textbook chapters will be faxed to the number that you will provide. For any questions or clarifications please email.

*****

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