Purpose:
It is very easy to be around children without noticing fascinating aspects of their behavior. In this project, you will look for behaviors that characterize an individual child, or childhood in general. You will become a better and more appreciative student of child behavior, moving in the direction of becoming an “expert” observer. Finally, in writing your observation paper, you will be able to connect your observations to a variety of concepts in developmental psychology.
Participant:
Find a child (0-12 years of age) and parent(s) or guardian(s) who are willing to allow you to observe them.
Note: Because you may not have access to a child you can observe in person, you also have the option of observing a child depicted in a video (television, movie, YouTube, etc.). You should choose a child who is on screen for at least 30 minutes, though you should plan on rewatching footage if it’s on the shorter end.
Procedure:
Choose three topics (one each from the physical, cognitive, social/emotional domains), report what your subject said or did, and compare this to what you read in the textbook. More detailed guidance on choosing topics based on specific life stages follows in the next pages of this module.
Policies:
Aim for approximately 800 words, though the length is less important than meeting all the requirements with thoughtful writing.
