module 1-3

• Behaviour


  • All kinds of actions and skills of an individual
  • The way an individual reacts to a situation
  • The way an individual conducts himself
• All behaviours are learned
• Environment


  All physical and social environments that might change one's behavior
• Good environment


  Promotes normal development and good behaviour
• Bad environment


  Adversely affects normal development and behaviour of an individual
• Behavioural Analysis


  • Focuses on the science of behavioral principles that promote positive behaviors
  • Aims at modifying behaviour
  • Employs techniques and principles to address maladaptive behaviours in order to positively change the behavior of an individual
• Two scientific approaches of studying child behavior

  • Descriptive
  • Experimental
• Descriptive approaches of studying child behavior

  • Case study
  • Survey
  • Psychological testing
  • Correlation
• Case study


  • In-depth study of an individual, family or community
  • Uses systematic approaches to collect detailed information
  • Uses techniques like interview, observation and formal testing
• Survey


  • Uses questionnaires to gather data from a large group of people
  • Gathers data on attitudes, likes, dislikes and opinions about child behavior
• Psychological testing


  • Measures observable behaviors and personal attributes/characteristics of an individual
  • Tests used include intelligence, personality, interest, vocational, achievement, ability tests
• Correlation


  • Research tool used to describe the relationship between two variables of interest
  • Strength of relationship determined by correlation coefficient
• A perfect relationship has a correlation of +1 or -1, a weak relationship has a correlation coefficient close to zero
• An individual, a small group of persons, a family or a community
• For instance it is difficult to associate childhood sexual abuse with later psychiatric illness because there are many other possible reasons
• Survey


  A cost effective method to collect a great deal of information on many persons in an efficient manner
• Psychological Testing


  • Used to measure important characteristics or attributes of an individual that are used in describing him
  • Enable you to understand the behavior of an individual in terms of the measurable attributes (e.g. personality traits, interest, vocational skills, academic ability and aptitude)
• Correlation


  Used to identify the relationships among variables
• You have identified the two scientific methods of studying the behaviour of the child. Your understanding of the descriptive methods will enable you to study the behaviour of your student
• Anecdotal record


  1. Written account of specific events

  2. Records the cause of the event, when and where it took place

  3. Records the attitude of the individual, their academics, and social skills

  4. Used to identify the needs and interest of the individual
• Diary/Journal


  1. Diary is used to record observations daily but journal is used less frequently

  2. Dairies are used to record behaviours that occur frequently that are easily forgotten

  3. Recording of observations is usually made after the behaviour has occurred or as it occurs

  4. Diary is used as a method of collecting data in case study and survey

  5. Data can be collected by the researcher, research assistant, or caregiver

  6. An alternative method is to record the data retrospectively at specific time intervals (e.g. 4 days or 7 days prior to interview), referred to as time diary
• Running record for reading development

  1. A tool used to observe the reading development of a student/child

  2. Particularly important for struggling readers

  3. The outcome informs the teacher if the child needs an intervention
• Running record for social development

  1. Used by an observer to record a particular aspect of child's behaviour in a sequential manner within a particular period

  2. Enables the observer to have an insight into the development of the child's social skills
• Specimen description


  • Written record of an ongoing behavior of an individual or persons
  • Used to study behavior and record observations in a natural setting
  • Researcher/observer records detailed observations of ongoing behavior
  • Can use video to record observations
  • Behavior episodes and setting should be indicated
• Anecdotal record


  Different from a case study as it records significant events or observable behaviours, while case study is an in-depth study using various tools
• Ethical issues in observation method
• Erikson's theory of psychosocial development indicated that the socialization process of an individual consists of eight phases between infancy and old age; each phase is accompanied by a psychosocial crisis that must be resolved if the individual is to manage the next and subsequent phases satisfactorily.
• The eight phases


  • Infancy to about 18 months; Basic conflict: Trust vs. mistrust
  • 18 months to 3 years (Early childhood) - Basic conflict: Autonomy vs. shame
  • 3 to 5 years (Preschool to formal school age) - Basic conflict: Initiative vs. guilt
  • 6 to 12 years (School age) - Basic conflict: Industry vs. inferiority
  • 12 to 18 Basic conflict - Identity versus role confusion
  • 18 to 40 years (Young adulthood) - Basic conflict: Intimacy vs. isolation
  • 40 to 65 years (Middle adulthood) - Basic conflict: Generatively vs. stagnation
  • 65 to death (Maturity)- Basic conflict: Ego integrity vs. despair
• Borich in 2007 indicated that three of these phases occur during the school years
• The three phases during the school years

  • The crisis of accomplishment versus inferiority (6-12 years)
  • The crisis of identity versus role confusion (10 - 18 years)
  • The crisis of intimacy versus isolation (12 to 18 years)
• The crisis of accomplishment versus inferiority (6-12 years)


  The child focuses on accomplishing tasks that are recognized by others as a way of creating a feeling of worth in order to avoid having a feeling of inferiority and inadequacy
• Accomplishments


  • Being good at sports
  • Being successful academically
  • Being good at home with household chores
• This is a challenging time for the teacher to ensure that every student passes through this crisis successfully
• The crisis of identity vs. role confusion (10 -18 years)

  The learner begins to understand himself, and starts to identify himself- who he really is; it is a period of having a self image of himself
• Well adjusted adolescent


  • Develops a high self ego of himself and looks forward to achievement
• Poorly adjusted adolescent


  • Develops low ego or low concept of himself
• It is the teacher's responsibility to ensure that the needs of the adolescent in terms of his identity are satisfied in order to motivate him to achieve his academic goals
• Failure to satisfy these basic needs may result in feelings of rejection as a result of having a low self concept of himself
• This could lead to delinquent behavioural problems in the classroom, and if not arrested it may lead to more serious delinquent behaviours in the society
• The crisis of intimacy vs. isolation (12 -18 years)

  The student is faced with the crisis of giving up part of one's identity to develop an intimate relationship with others