Case_Study

Liberty University Case Study of 6 year old Michigan Boy Shooting Classmate The current “Age of Accountability” Law in Light of Developmental Psychology Paul Rucker 201140 Fall 2011 PSYC 210 D22 Professor Vess November 10, 2011 In the case study provided, one can see many areas where development of the child in question can be taken into consideration when looking at the case from a law standpoint. In any case involving children, one must always take into account their environment, their developmental age, and their true age. With each age group, there is a norm for development and each child must be evaluated regarding that norm. In this case, the current law regarding the “age of accountability” can be upheld through three basic points. These points are biosocial, the cognitive, and the psychosocial areas of development. Each area plays a huge role in whether or not a child (at age six) can be held accountable for such a violent act. In the area of biosocial development, everything from a child’s nutrition to brain development to abuse can affect their perceptions (Berger, 2008). In the case provided, the six year old boy, coming from a single parent household, could be easily suffer developmentally in this area. Historically, single parent households make much less than households with two parents. Less income (socioeconomic status decline) can equal less nutritious food to aid in proper development. At the age of the child in this case study he seems to be at the norm for brain development. At this age, even though children can think in rapid succession, they do not process the information to the point of seeing the true consequences of their actions. The child is not completely able to use deductive reasoning when thinking the situation through from beginning to end and vice versa (Berger, 2008). In the area of cognitive development, Piaget called cognitive development between about 2 and 6 years of age preoperational intelligence, a time for symbolic thought, especially language and imagination. It is pre-operational, in that children do not yet use logical operations (reasoning process), but Intelligence is no longer limited to senses and motor skills (sensorimotor) (Inhelder & Piaget,1964). This is reason to believe, why the boy ran out of the room and hid in a corner and afterward drew pictures as if nothing happened. As also due to the fact that the father and grandfather where both locked up for gun related charges, this could be result of social learning. Vygotsky believed that every aspect of children’s cognitive development is embedded in a social context (Vygotsky, 1934/1987). Children are curious and observant. Remember, a child is an apprentice in thinking, someone whose intellectual growth is stimulated and directed by older and more skilled members of society. Parents are the first mentors (teachers) for young children, although many others are mentors as well. In my last area of development (psychosocial development), children gradually learn when and how to express emotions, becoming more capable in every aspect of their lives (Buckley & Saarni; Denham et al., 2003; Morrison et al., 2010). This emotional regulation becomes possible as the emotional hotspots of the limbic system connects to the prefrontal cortex; regulating the expression of emotions is the preeminent psychosocial accomplishment between ages 2 and 6 (N. Eisenberg et al., 2004). With emotional regulation, children learn how to be angry but not explosive, frightened but not terrified, sad but not consolable, anxious but not withdrawn, and so on. This may be why the boy showed no emotion or concern about what happen. Another concern would be the fact that guns, drugs, and a like, of parental guidance also plays a major part in this incident. Many observers contend that children learn their political attitudes at home, from the way their parents treat them. The authoritarian parent’s word is law, not to be questioned, (but not so harsh as to be considered abusive). Permissive parents (also called indulgent) makes few demands, hiding any impatience they feel. Authoritative parents, set limits and enforces rules, yet they also listen to their children. Uninvolved parents raise children who are immature, sad, lonely, and at risk of abuse. All children need parents who care about them because, not matter what their practices regarding punishment and expectations, “parental involvement plays an important role in the development of both social and cognitive competence” (Parke & Buriel, 2006, P 437). References Berger, K.S. (2011). The Developing Person Through the Life Span (8th Ed). New York: Worth (pp 209-291)