Week_1_Assignment

While observing a two year old female child, using natural observation, the question ask was, ‘Can a two year old be set in a highchair and left to feed themselves'’ Using a behavioral perspective, the child was watched to see if she could feed herself without wasting food and get the intake of food needed to hold her over until the next meal. The child was placed in highchair and given a plate with food. The child was handed a fork and spoon and given the opportunity to feed herself. Observation was made from the other room but the child was within reach in case of emergency. The child was able to consume the food easier with the spoon than the fork. It was obvious that the scooping action was easier than trying to stab the food. Once the child had eaten what she wanted, she then looked around to see if anyone was still in the room with her. Upon realizing that she was alone, she decided to play with the plate and flip it, food, and all, upside down on the floor. This was done to get someone’s attention. After doing so, she wanted more to eat. The child was then placed at the table with the rest of the family and fed by an adult from a plate that was placed on the table. The child ate more after being placed at the table and being fed than she did when left to do it on her own. These research methods were similar to those done to see how children react to different situations. If given the opportunity to do the research over, I would have weighed the amount of food that the child ate as well as the amount of time that was given for each feeding. I would have documented the last time that the child ate and try the same methods at different times of the day.