Republic of the Philippines

ILOCOS SUR POLYTECHNIC STATE COLLEGE

Main Campus, Santa Maria, Ilocos Sur

GRADUATE SCHOOL

LEARNING ACTIVITY 3

In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements
of the Course MSE GE 222
Advance Educational Psychology

Presented by:

JAZREEL MAY PERALTA TAMAYO, LPT

MSE – GE

Presented to:

DR. ORLANDO D. BATARA

Advance Psychology Instructor
 I. ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:

1. What are the different periods of development? Discuss each.

PERIODS OF DEVELOPMENT

a) PRENATAL DEVELOPMENT

Conception occurs and development begins. All of the major structures of

the body are forming and the health of the mother is of primary
concern. Understanding nutrition, teratogens (or environmental factors that
can lead to birth defects), and labor and delivery are primary concerns.

b) INFANCY AND TODDLERHOOD

The first year and a half to two years of life are ones of dramatic
growth and change. A newborn, with a keen sense of hearing but very
poor vision is transformed into a walking, talking toddler within a
relatively short period of time. Caregivers are also transformed from
someone who manages feeding and sleep schedules to a constantly
moving guide and safety inspector for a mobile, energetic child.

c) EARLY CHILDHOOD

Early childhood is also referred to as the preschool years consisting of

the years which follow toddlerhood and precede formal schooling. As a
three to five-year-old, the child is busy learning language, is gaining a
sense of self and greater independence, and is beginning to learn the
workings of the physical world. This knowledge does not come quickly,
however, and preschoolers may have initially have interesting
conceptions of size, time, space and distance such as fearing that they
may go down the drain if they sit at the front of the bathtub or by
demonstrating how long something will take by holding out their two
index fingers several inches apart. A toddler’s fierce determination to
do something may give way to a four-year-old’s sense of guilt for doing
something that brings the disapproval of others.

d) MIDDLE CHILDHOOD

The ages of six through eleven comprise middle childhood and much of
what children experience at this age is connected to their involvement in the
early grades of school. Now the world becomes one of learning and testing
new academic skills and by assessing one’s abilities and accomplishments by
making comparisons between self and others. Schools compare students and
make these comparisons public through team sports, test scores, and other
forms of recognition. Growth rates slow down and children are able to refine
their motor skills at this point in life. And children begin to learn about
social relationships beyond the family through interaction with friends and fellow students.

e) ADOLESCENCE

Adolescence is a period of dramatic physical change marked by an overall physical

growth spurt and sexual maturation, known as puberty. It is also a time of cognitive
change as the adolescent begins to think of new possibilities and to consider
abstract concepts such as love, fear, and freedom. Ironically, adolescents have a
sense of invincibility that puts them at greater risk of dying from accidents or
contracting sexually transmitted infections that can have lifelong consequences.
 f) EARLY ADULTHOOD

The twenties and thirties are often thought of as early adulthood. (Students who are
in their mid-30s tend to love to hear that they are a young adult!). It is a time when we
are at our physiological peak but are most at risk for involvement in violent crimes and
substance abuse. It is a time of focusing on the future and putting a lot of energy into
making choices that will help one earn the status of a full adult in the eyes of
others. Love and work are primary concerns at this stage of life.

g) MIDDLE ADULTHOOD

The late thirties through the mid-sixties is referred to as middle

adulthood. This is a period in which aging, that began earlier, becomes more noticeable
and a period at which many people are at their peak of productivity in love and work. It
may be a period of gaining expertise in certain fields and being able to understand
problems and find solutions with greater efficiency than before. It can also be a time
of becoming more realistic about possibilities in life previously considered; of
recognizing the difference between what is possible and what is likely. 

h) LATE ADULTHOOD

This period of the life span has increased in the last 100 years,
particularly in industrialized countries. Late adulthood is sometimes subdivided
into two or three categories such as the “young old” and “old old” or the “young
old”, “old old”, and “oldest old”. We will follow the former categorization and
make the distinction between the “young old” who are people between 65 and
79 and the “old old” or those who are 80 and older. One of the primary
differences between these groups is that the young old are very similar to
midlife adults; still working, still relatively healthy, and still interested in being
productive and active. The “old old” remain productive and active and the
majority continues to live independently, but risks of the diseases of old age
such as arteriosclerosis, cancer, and cerebral vascular disease increases
substantially for this age group. Issues of housing, healthcare, and extending active life expectancy are
only a few of the topics of concern for this age group.  A better way to appreciate the diversity of
people in late adulthood is to go beyond chronological age and examine whether a person is
experiencing optimal aging (like the gentleman pictured above who is in very good health for his age and
continues to have an active, stimulating life), normal aging (in which the changes are similar to most of
those of the same age), or impaired aging (referring to someone who has more physical challenge and
disease than others of the same age).

i) DEATH AND DYING

This topic is seldom given the amount of coverage it deserves. Of course, there is a
certain discomfort in thinking about death but there is also a certain confidence and
acceptance that can come from studying death and dying. We will be examining the
physical, psychological and social aspects of death, exploring grief or bereavement, and
addressing ways in which helping professionals work in death and dying. And we will discuss
cultural variations in mourning, burial, and grief.

2. What are some factors that influence growth? Explain each.

FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF A CHILD

Nature and nurture both contribute to the growth and development of children. Although what’s
endowed by nature is constant, nurture tends to make a big difference too. Here are a few factors
affecting children’s growth and development.
 a) Heredity

Heredity is the transmission of physical characteristics from parents to children through their
genes. It influences all aspects of physical appearance such as height, weight, body structure, the color
of the eye, the texture of the hair, and even intelligence and aptitudes. Diseases and conditions such as
heart disease, diabetes, obesity, etc., can also be passed through genes, thereby affecting the growth
and development of the child adversely. However, environmental factors and nurturing can bring the best
out of the already present qualities in the genes.

b) Environment

The environment plays a critical role in the development of children and it represents the sum
total of physical and psychological stimulation the child receives. Some of the environmental factors
influencing early childhood development involve the physical surroundings and geographical conditions of
the place the child lives in, as well his social environment and relationships with family and peers. It is
easy to understand that a well-nurtured child does better than a deprived one; the environment children
are constantly immersed in contributes to this. A good school and a loving family builds in children strong
social and interpersonal skills, which will enable them to excel in other areas such as academics
and extracurricular activities. This will, of course, be different for children who are raised in stressful
environments.

c) Exercise and Health

The word exercise here does not mean physical exercise as a discipline or children deliberately
engaging in physical activities knowing it would help them grow. Exercise here refers to the normal
playtime and sports activities which help the body gain an increase in muscular strength and put on bone
mass. Proper exercise helps children grow well and reach milestones on time or sooner. Exercise also
keeps them healthy and fights off diseases by strengthening the immune system, especially if they play
outside. This is because outdoor play exposes them to microbes that help them build resistance and
prevent allergies.

d) Hormones
Hormones belong to the endocrine system and influence the various functions of our bodies. They
are produced by different glands that are situated in specific parts of the body to secrete hormones
that control body functions. Their timely functioning is critical for normal physical growth and
development in children. Imbalances in the functioning of hormone-secreting glands can result in growth
defects, obesity, behavioral problems and other diseases. During puberty, the gonads produce sex
hormones which control the development of the sex organs and the appearance of secondary sexual
characteristics in boys and girls.

e) Nutrition
Nutrition is a critical factor in growth as everything the body needs to build and repair itself
comes from the food we eat. Malnutrition can cause deficiency diseases that adversely affect the
growth and development of children. On the other hand, overeating can lead to obesity and health
problems in the long run, such as diabetes and heart disease. A balanced diet that is rich in vitamins,
minerals, proteins, carbohydrates and fats is essential for the development of the brain and body.

f) Familial Influence
Families have the most profound impact in nurturing a child and determining the ways in which they develop
psychologically and socially. Whether they are raised by their parents, grandparents or foster care, they need
basic love, care and courtesy to develop as healthy functional individuals. The most positive growth is seen when
families invest time, energy and love in the development of the child through activities, such as reading to them,
playing with them and having deep meaningful conversations. Families that abuse or neglect children would affect
their positive development. These children may end up as individuals who have poor social skills and difficulty
bonding with other people as adults. Helicopter parenting also has negative effects as they render children
dependent on the parents even as young adults and unable to deal with difficulties in life on their own.
 g) Geographical Influences
Where you live also has a great influence on how your children turn out to be. The schools they
attend, the neighborhood they live in, the opportunities offered by the community and their peer circles
are some of the social factors affecting a child’s development. Living in an enriching community that has
parks, libraries and community centers for group activities and sports all play a role in developing the
child’s skills, talents, and behavior. Uninteresting communities can push some children to not go outside
often but play video games at home instead. Even the weather of a place influences children in the form
of bodily rhythms, allergies and other health conditions.

h) Socio – Economic Status

The socio-economic status of a family determines the quality of the opportunity a child gets.
Studying in better schools that are more expensive definitely has benefits in the long run. Well-off
families can also offer better learning resources for their children and they afford special aid if the
kids need it. Children from poorer families may not have access to educational resources and good
nutrition to reach their full potential. They may also have working parents who work too many hours and
cannot invest enough quality time in their development.

i) Learning and Reinforcement

Learning involves much more than schooling. It is also concerned with building the child up mentally,
intellectually, emotionally, and socially so they operate as healthy functional individuals in the society.
This is where the development of the mind takes place and the child can gain some maturity.
Reinforcement is a component of learning where an activity or exercise is repeated and refined to
solidify the lessons learned. An example is playing a musical instrument; they get better at playing it as
they practice playing the instrument. Therefore, any lesson that is taught has to be repeated until the
right results are obtained.

j) Sex
The sex of the child is another major factor affecting the physical growth and development of a
child. Boys and girls grow in different ways, especially nearing puberty. Boys tend to be taller and
physically stronger than girls. However, girls tend to mature faster during adolescence, while boys
mature over a longer period of time. The physical structure of their bodies also has differences which
make boys more athletic and suited for activities that require physical rigor. Their temperaments also
vary, making them show interest in different things.

3. Elaborate why girls look physically older than boys during childhood stage.

The teenage years are also called adolescence. This is the time for growth spurts and puberty
changes (sexual maturation). A teen may grow several inches in several months, followed by a time of
very slow growth. Then they may have another growth spurt. Puberty changes may happen slowly. Or
several changes may occur at the same time. It's important to remember that these changes will happen
differently for each teen. Some teens may have these signs of maturity sooner or later than others.
Each child goes through puberty at their own pace. Puberty is the period of rapid growth and sexual
development that begins in adolescence and starts at some point between ages 8 and 14. But adolescence
has evolved historically, puberty today begins, on average, at age 10–11 years for girls and 11–12 years
for boys.

The typical girl is slightly shorter than the typical boy at all ages until adolescence. She becomes
taller shortly after age 11 because her adolescent spurt takes place two years earlier than the boy’s. At
age 14 she is surpassed again in height by the typical boy, whose adolescent spurt has now started, while
hers is nearly finished. In the same way, the typical girl weighs a little less than the boy at birth, equals
him at age eight, becomes heavier at age nine or 10, and remains so until about age 14 1/2.

The situation explains why girls look physically older than boys during childhood stage due to the
reason that girls matures first than boys during their puberty of adolescence stage.

4. Enumerate the psychological effects of physical changes among adolescents. Discuss each of
the effect.
 Adolescence is the phase of life that marks the transition from childhood to adulthood.
Adolescence begins with puberty, which is characterized by biological and physiological changes. This
phase is associated with physical and sexual maturation. From the psychological point of view,
adolescence includes all of the individual processes that take place as the adolescent undergoes,
contends with, and learns to cope with the somatic changes and society’s responses to them. Nearly all
organs of the body and all bodily functions undergo major changes over the course of adolescence. The body:

gains height and weight,

the rate of growth varies in a characteristic way,
bodily proportions change,
structural and functional changes in all organ systems,

nearly all hormones are secreted in greater amounts, and, as a result, the external features of sexual maturation
appear. Another psychological changes of adolescence include:

the appearance of new cognitive structures (e.g., the ability to think abstractly) and introspective
ability,
the establishment of moral values and norms,
and a coming to terms with the developmental tasks that are specific to this period of life.

It is not at all surprising that young people in a developmental phase characterized by such extensive
changes per unit of time are also more highly susceptible to mental disorders than at other times of life.
No more than 15% to 20% of adolescents suffer from mental disorders; the rest continue normally
onward into adulthood, although some have hindrances to overcome along the way. Brain development is
of central importance for the occurrence of mental disorders, as Konrad et al. (1) discuss extensively in
their article. The most important finding of neuroscientific research in this connection is that the
various structures of the brain develop in staggered fashion and at different rates of maturation. A
discrepancy results, with clear effects on behavior. The subcortical structures that mature earlier and
therefore tend to play a dominant role in adolescence – in particular, the limbic system and the reward
system – are the ones that sub serve emotional reactions. These reactions are under the still inadequate
control of the prefrontal cortex, which matures later.

This hypothesis of an imbalance of neural influences due to a staggered brain maturation process was
formulated. It furnishes an explanation of various reaction and behavior patterns that are typical of
adolescence, including:

 pronounced risk-taking behavior with respect to alcohol and drug consumption, automobile driving,
and sexual contacts,

 the increased incidence of emotional disorders and affective disease, and

 the ease with which interpersonal conflicts can lead to physical violence.

The rising concentrations of gonadal steroid hormones also make an important contribution to the
restructuring of the brain. These changes take place in constant interaction with environmental factors.
They are contributory causes of the preferential occurrence in adolescence of particular patterns of
mental disturbance: in girls, mainly introverted disorders and eating disorders; in boys, mainly
extroverted disorders, such as disorders of social behavior, and sometimes criminality.

5. What are the effects of endocrine glands on human behavior? Illustrate the human body
showing the location of endocrine glands.
The endocrine system works together with the nervous system to influence many aspects of
human behavior, including growth, reproduction, and metabolism. And the endocrine system plays a
vital role in emotions. Because the glands in men and women differ, hormones also help explain
some of the observed behavioral differences between men and women. The study of psychology
and the endocrine system is called behavioral endocrinology, which is the scientific study of the
interaction between hormones and behavior. This interaction is bidirectional: hormones can
influence behavior, and behavior can sometimes influence hormone concentrations. Hormones
regulate behaviors such as aggression, mating, and parenting of individuals. Hormones are involved
in regulating all sorts of bodily functions, and they are ultimately controlled through interactions
between the hypothalamus (in the central nervous system) and the pituitary gland (in the
endocrine system). Imbalances in hormones are related to a number of disorders.
 6. What are some observable changes in an individual’s social behavior? Explain their educational
implications.
From the sociological point of view, adolescence can be defined as an intermediate stage in
which sexual maturity has already been reached in the biological sense (puberty), but the
individual has not yet come into possession of the general rights and responsibilities that enable,
and indeed compel, responsible participation in the fundamental processes of society.
The most notable change on social behavior of adolescence is the emergence of the marked
importance of peer groups.
The adolescent comes to rely heavily on the peer group for support, security, and guidance
during a time when such things are urgently needed and since perhaps only others experiencing
the same transition can be relied upon to understand what that experience is.
Contrary to cultural stereotype, however, the family is quite influential for adolescents.
Indeed, no social institution has as great an influence throughout development as does the
family. Most studies indicate that most adolescents have relatively few serious disagreements
with parents. In fact, in choosing their peers, adolescents typically gravitate toward those who
exhibit attitudes and values consistent with those maintained by the parents and ultimately
adopted by the adolescents themselves. For instance, while peers influence adolescents in
regard to such issues as educational aspirations and performance, in most cases there is
convergence between family and peer influences. While it is the case that adolescents and
parents have somewhat different attitudes about issues of contemporary social concern
(e.g., politics, drug use, and sexuality), most of these differences reflect contrasts
in attitude intensity rather than attitude direction. That is to say, rather than adolescents’
and parents’ standing on opposite sides of a particular issue, most generational differences
simply involve different levels of support for the same position. In sum, there is not much
evidence supporting the cultural stereotype of adolescence as a period of storm and stress.
Most adolescents continue their close and supportive relationships with their parents, and
their relationships with peers tend to support parental ideals rather than run against them.

7. Identify some certain features of behavior. Elaborate your answer.

 Behavior is Influenced by a Number of Factors:

The behavior of living organisms is always influenced by a number of factors. Some forms of
human behavior are influenced by a large number of factors while other forms of behavior are
influenced by a fewer factor.

Two examples of a simple form of behaviour are given below:

 You are sitting in your room reading a novel and suddenly your mother calls you. Immediately
you leave your chair and respond to her call. Here the factor which influences your behavior
the most is your mother’s voice.
You are walking along a road when three boys start making fun of you. Here your behavior will
be determined by a number of factors. If you are alone and if the other boys appear to be
bent on giving you trouble and if you are also in a hurry to reach your destination you will
probably ignore them and quietly keep proceeding. On the other hand, if you have friends with
you and feel that you can face the situation and you are also not in a particular hurry, then
probably you will pick up a fight with them.

 Behavior Varies in Complexity:

Now compare the former example with the latter one. The latter is much more complicated and is
influenced by a number of factors. One may, however, see that behavior ranges in the degree of
complexity from simple behavior which is influenced by a large number of factors, to complex behavior
influenced by a large number of factors. Examples of a very complex behavior may be seen in complex
decision-making activities, such as a judge who delivers a judgement considering a number of factors.

 The Factors Influencing behavior are of Different Kinds:

Human behavior is influenced by a number of factors. These factors belong to different
categories. Some of them are physiological and the others psychological. Physiological factors relate to
the physical or biological needs such as hunger, thirst etc. Psychological factors relate to factors such
as ideas, opinions, attitudes etc. On the other hand, there are factors not pertaining to the individual
but which are external that influence behaviour. Physical surroundings, the nature of events, family and
friends, the larger society, and even the overall cultural and social background influence behaviour. Thus,
we may see that behaviour is influenced by two large sets of factors: those belonging to the individual
and those belonging to the environment. The former can again be classified into the bodily or
physiological and the psychological. The environmental factors can be classified into immediate and
direct, and remote and indirect. These factors gradually influence and shape the behaviour of people. As
the person grows from infancy through childhood to adulthood, behaviour is regularly and cumulatively
influenced by these factors. This is the reason why we find that a person behaves very differently as an
adult compared to the way he did as a child. For example, a young child walking with his mother and
coming across an ice-cream parlor insists on his mother buying him an ice-cream. He cries and creates a
scene. The same child, a few years later, in a similar situation behaves very differently though his liking
for ice-cream has probably not changed. It is this process of gradual change and shaping of behaviour
that helps people to behave effectively and normally. If on the other hand, for some reason, such
changes do not take place, then the behaviour of the person becomes un-adaptive and looks peculiar. Of
course, there are many cases where such changes do not take place and the behaviour of these people
comes to be labelled as maladjusted or abnormal. We will certainly have occasion to deal with this
phenomenon in a later section in greater detail.
 Individual Differences:
Human behaviour is influenced by a number of factors and these factors vary from one person to
another and even from one group of people to another group of people. People differ in their
physiological and bodily conditions, in their past experiences, in their abilities, in their background and in
short, in everything. It is, therefore, natural that if ten people are put in the same situation all of them
do not behave alike. Each person’s behaviour differs from that of others in some respect or to some
degree. Thus, if three boys are walking along the road and they come across a cat, one would like to
catch the cat, the other may start pelting stones at it and the third will probably run away because he
has been told that it is a bad sign to have a cat cross one’s path. These individual differences result
from a number of factors or causes. In fact, a large part of modem psychology is concerned with the
problem of understanding how individual differences arise and of devising ways and means of minimizing
them. While differences which arise from hereditary or inherited factors affecting the bodily
processes cannot always be eliminated, much of the differences arising from past experience, social
background, etc. can be minimized if not totally eliminated.

 Behaviour Shows Individual Differences and Similarities:

In the above paragraphs emphasis was laid on the fact that behaviour differs from person to
person. But this does not mean that all people differ from all others, at all times and in all situations.
There is also a considerable degree of similarity in behaviour among people. For instance, if a particle of
dust falls into a person’s eye, he tries to remove it. This type of behaviour is universally found. On the
other hand, there are instances of behaviour where such universality is not found, but a large number of
people are found to behave similarly. Imagine a school situation where the lunch bell has just rung and all
the boys come running out. A hawker selling sweetmeat is found standing outside, but his wares are not
kept clean. Some boys buy the sweetmeat and eat while another group of boys take a second look and
remark, “This is dirty. We should not eat.” Here we find groups of people behaving above like and yet
differently from other people. Thus, we find not only individual differences but also group differences.
It is obvious that psychologists should understand and explain all these shades and degrees of
similarities and differences. It will be possible to predict what people will do on a particular occasion
only to the extent that we can understand and explain similarities. Here we may compare the position of
a psychologist with that of a physicist or chemist. A physicist can safely say that any piece of iron when
heated will expand. Similarly, a chemist can say that anything which bums consumes oxygen. But the
nature of human behaviour is such that a psychologist is not in a position to make such assertions about
all forms of behaviour of all people at all times, though he can make predictions about some forms of
behaviour in all people, and among large groups of people and still other forms of behaviour in small
groups of people. Thus, the possibility of prediction in psychology depends on the nature of the situation.
We can note, interestingly, that by and large all new-born children behave alike. But as they grow,
individual differences appear and as they grow, even further, there is an increase both in similarities and
differences. Adults are simultaneously more like among themselves and also more different from each
other when compared to children. While the increasing similarities may be attributed to factors in the
environment such as social, political, and economic conditions of the society, increasing differences are
by and large attributable to factors in the individual himself, e.g. his abilities, past experience etc. This
trend of increasing differences and similarities is attributable to the fact that individuals grow and the
environment changes. It is this situation which makes the task of psychology difficult. Over the years
researchers in psychology have tried to develop two types of laws:

(1) Laws which explain generality and similarity of behaviour,

(2) Laws and principles which explain group differences and individual differences in behaviour.

These two sets of laws are complementary. Sometimes those aspects of psychology which deal with the
first set of laws are brought under the term General Psychology and the latter under Differential
Psychology. But a complete understanding of behaviour depends on integrating both these aspects.

 Behaviour is Always Purposeful or Goal Directed:

Human behaviour is always purposeful and one’s actions are always directed towards some goal or
the other. A boy sitting and studying suddenly gets up and takes a glass of water. Here the goal is to
have a glass of water and the purpose is to quench his thirst. On the other hand, imagine the same boy
sitting and studying. His younger sister goes around him making a noise. The boy tries to move away from
the place. Here the purpose is to avoid the noise and disturbance and the goal is to reach a place where
this noise is not heard. One can gather two points from these examples. In the first example, the boy
could have quenched his thirst either by taking water or by having a soft drink. The purpose remains the
same while the goals can be different. In the latter example he could have avoided the disturbance
either by moving away to a safer place or by sending his sister away or by spanking her. Here again the
purpose is the same while the goals can be different. Thus, purposes are more constant and stable while
goals can change and one can choose from alternative goals. Yet another difference is that in the first
example the boy moves towards water. This is what is called An Approach Behaviour or Positive Goal
Directed Behaviour. In the second instance the boy’s purpose is to avoid the disturbance. This is called
Avoidance Behaviour. Thus, purposes and goals can be of an approach or an avoidance type. Again
purposes can be either physiological, psychological or social. Quenching of thirst is a physiological
purpose. Reading to learn is a psychological purpose, while joining a group of striking boys even though a
person is unwilling is a social purpose. Psychologists have used a number of terms in explaining the
purposive nature of behaviour. Some of the terms used are instinct, drive, need, motive etc. While these
terms, by and large, are concerned with the understanding of the purposeful nature of human behaviour,
nevertheless they differ from each other. Purposes and goals are influenced both by hereditary bodily
factors and by experiential-environmental factors. Some purposes and goals are universal and arise from
processes in the body while others are purely learnt and acquired. Yet another interesting fact is that in
some cases the behaving organism is aware of the purpose while in other cases it is not. These latter
purposes are called “unconscious purposes”. In recent years a lot of knowledge has been gained about
unconscious purposes and their role in behaviour, largely due to the efforts of Sigmund Freud.

 Behaviour is Changeable to a Large Extent:

A number of factors influence human behaviour. In view of this it is possible to change behaviour
by modifying these factors. It is this changeability which enables a child to become an adult, a bad man
to become a good man and a good man to become a bad man. It is again this very characteristic which
helps people to adjust to new surroundings. An Indian migrating to a foreign country very soon acquires
new ways of behaviour, learns a new language and new ways of dressing. These changes are the result of
his experience. Such types of changes which result from experience are generally referred to as results
of learning. Much of human behaviour is a result of learning. A child learns to behave as an adult. A
person newly joining an office learns the work in the office and learns to behave like others. All these
changes are products of learning. Learning, therefore, has been a topic of major concern in psychology.
Several theories have been developed and a large number of experiments conducted on both human
beings and animals. These findings have not only helped to understand how the learning processes take
place but have also helped people to learn the appropriate behaviour at each stage of the process. They
have also helped us to bring about changes in people who have learnt inappropriate forms of behaviour.
While changes due to learning are mainly results of experience, there are also other forms of changes in
behaviour which are not dependent on learning. For example, a very young child cannot walk steadily
whereas an older one walks steadily. Such changes are inherent natural changes resulting from changes
in the body system due to growth and maturation. In many instances one can find that changes in
behaviour are results of interaction between growth and maturation on the one hand and learning on the
other. Thus, a six-year-old boy cannot ordinarily wield a tennis racquet in spite of practice because he
has not grown enough. On the other hand, any adult cannot be a good tennis player unless he learns and
practices. Changes in behaviour are products of growth, maturation and learning. The combined operation
and effect of all these is called the Process of Development.

 Behaviour Also Shows Stability:

Life is not always full of all sorts of changes. While behaviour of people changes, at the same time
there is also certain stability in behaviour. It does not change with every change in the environment nor
do all forms of behaviour change. Human behaviour shows a lot of stability. For instance, you may still
find your grandmother preferring old ideas and old ways of life, though she is living in an ultramodern
society. It is this which makes life full of contradictions and it is this which also makes it possible for
the psychologist to predict behaviour. If human behaviour was not stable, there would be utter
confusion. People would not be able to live with each other. This stability results from the following
facts:

(a) Changes in behaviour are always slower than change in the environment.

(b) There are certain periods of life when physiological changes proceed rather slowly.

(c) Sometimes psychological changes are slow when the rapid environmental changes do not result in
correspondingly rapid changes in the behaviour.
(d) However, it often happens that when physiological changes are fast, the environment remains stable.

(e) More than all these the fact which contributes to the stability of behaviour is the purposeful nature
of human behaviour. To the extent that purposes remain constant, behaviour shows consistency and
stability.

 Behaviour is Integrated:
Human behaviour, is influenced by a number of factors. It is influenced by a variety of purposes.
Every human being has physiological, psychological, personal and social purposes. He has also been the
subject of different learning experiences. In spite of all these, behaviour always shows an order and a
hierarchy of purposes. Every individual believes as a total person and not in an unpredictable manner.
This process of the organisation of different purposes, different learning’s and different influencing
factors results in an integration of behaviour. Thus, an individual put in different situations still shows
certain characteristic ways and styles of behaviour which help us to understand and predict his
behaviour and also to differentiate him from others. For example, when we say that Ram is a pleasant
person, Govind is an unpleasant person, Krishna is a sociable person and so on. Every person reveals
certain overriding characteristics of behaviour which are revealed in almost all situations. Psychologists
use the term “personality” to describe this process of integration and organisation of behaviour which
gives a sense of individuality or uniqueness to every person. The greater the degree of integration in a
person’s behaviour the more effective his behaviour is likely to be. A considerable amount of research in
psychology has been devoted to studying and explaining this process of integration and development of
personality. A number of theories have been developed in this context. What is important here is the
fact that human behaviour shows stability, consistency, similarity, as well as uniqueness.

II. Write Yes if the statement is true and No if false. Justify your answer whether yes or no.

1. A child’s first vocalization is in the form of cries.

Yes. When the baby come out from its mother’s womb, the first thing he/she does or
tell is in the form of cries.

2. Bright children tend to be more precocious than dull or average ones.

Yes. Based on personal experience on my nephew who tend to be smarter as compared

to children at his age in our barangay, he is more aware of what is happening in his
environment by only relying on the news on televisions and on youtube than us, adult.
He exhibits unusual qualities at his early age as compared to his playmates of his age.

3. Training and stimulation are enough for language development.

No. We also need an application or experience to better developed our language.

4. A child’s environment like the company of adults will have a positive effect of learning.

Yes. As per experience, a child who were exposed to the company of adults learns
better due to the reason that this child copies what an adult does. If he saw that
this man do this, he will do the same, so we must be aware of our actions when we
have children as our company.

5. Tagalog is economically dysfunctional and English is economically preferred language.

Yes. English language is now the most preferred language as compared to Tagalog
when in terms of transactions in any government offices due to the reason that this
is the most widespread language nowadays. But in some countries, like Japan they do
not used the English language as their medium of communication, if you visit to their
country you must learn to speak their language, so you as the foreign individual in
their country must adjust to their culture.
6. The reasoning of the child is usually naïve and inconsistent because of his preoccupation
with concrete concerns.

No. In most cases, children tell best the truth as compared to adult. A child will only
reason out inconsistently when someone manipulated or control his actions for this
child is afraid or threaten by an adult.

7. The earliest incidents of adolescents and adults remember are the pleasant ones.

Yes. Based on my parents and grandparents story of their childhood memories, they
were all about their happy and hilarious moments with their friends and family.

8. Children of school age can reason deductively than inductively.

No. Children of school age tend reason out indeductively than ductively due to the
reason that this children, especially kindergarten years, haven’t mastered or
nurtured yet the proper ways of answering. Like for example, when you asked them,
“Who among you have punched Allen?”. He or she will answer indirectly to your
question and he will answer you this, “He/she is the one who hitted me first!”

9. Children who have emotional problems reveal them in their make – believe play.

Yes. Most of the times, those children who have emotional problems reveal their
current situations or problems in their homes through a make – believe play. As for
example, there is a child on my neighborhood who tends to be always punished by his
mother (through physical and oral) everyday, so when he plays outside their house he
portrays the role of his mother due to the reason that he always experienced it.

10. Unpleasant dreams are likely to occur frequently during the times of stress of a certain
person.

Based on my personal experience, it’s a NO! As for me, when I feel or suffering from
stress, most of the times my dreams are very relaxing which tends to contradict my
current situation, and with that I’m very thankful because in the morning I feel the
positivity vibes to start my day.