What factors affected your psychological development during your growth? How is it affected? Give examples.

In summary, the factors that affect children’s psychological development are complex and diverse. Generally, it can be divided into two categories: objective factors and subjective factors.

1. Objective factors

Objective factors mainly refer to the external conditions essential for children’s psychological development. And these objective conditions are the human brain and surrounding reality. We can classify it into two categories: biological factors and social factors.

(1) Biological factors

Genetic factors and physiological maturity are biological factors that affect children's psychological development.

1． Genetic factors

Heredity is a biological phenomenon. Inherited biological characteristics mainly refer to those innate anatomical and physiological characteristics, such as the structure, shape, sensory and nervous system characteristics of the body, etc. Among them, the most important ones for psychological development are the structural and functional characteristics of the nervous system. These inherited biological characteristics are also called genetic predispositions.

Genetic quality is the initial natural material prerequisite for children's psychological development.

The role of heredity on children’s psychological development is as follows:

(1) Provides the initial natural material prerequisite for human development.

The only genetic factors in human beings are the prerequisites for children to form human psychology during their growth. They are also the initial and final conditions for children to reach the psychological level required by a certain society. basic conditions.

(2) Lay the initial foundation for individual differences in children’s psychological development.

Some studies on identical twins have shown that identical twins have nearly identical intelligence. Identical twins develop from one fertilized egg that splits into two and have the same genetic quality.

The research data of British psychologist Cyril Burt shows that the intelligence of unrelated children who grow up together is very small, while the intelligence of children who are related by blood is very small. The correlation gradually increases according to the closeness of the family pedigree. The IQ of identical twins is highly correlated.

IQ correlation table of children with different blood relationships

Genetic variables

Identical twins

Fraternal twins

Non-twin siblings

Unrelated children

Environment Variables

Growing up together

Growing up separately

Growing up together

IQ correlation

0.87

0.75

0.53

0.49

0.23

American Educational Psychology Jenson (1968) summarized more than 100 research materials on the IQ of people with different kinship relationships in 8 countries and came to a similar conclusion: the IQ of children is more closely related to their biological parents than to their adoptive parents. The IQ correlation between fraternal twins and siblings is similar; the IQ correlation between identical twins is the highest. The closer the genetic relationship is, the more similar the intellectual development is.

Research by Chinese psychologist Lin Chongde also proves.

2. Physiological maturity

Physiological maturity refers to the degree or level of physical growth and development, also called physical development of children. The rules are evident in the direction and speed of development. The direction is in the so-called cranio-caudal direction (from head to toe) and in the proximal-distal direction (from the central axis to the edge). For example, the head of children develops earliest, followed by the trunk. , upper limbs, and then lower limbs. The order of maturity of the major systems in children is: the nervous system matures first, the skeletal and muscular system second, and finally the reproductive system.

Physiological maturity provides natural substances for children’s psychological development. Premise. The specific effect of maturity on children's psychological development is to prepare mental activities for emergence or development. Case analysis of American psychologist A. Gesell's twin ladder experiment. In the experiment, one of the twins did 10 minutes of stair climbing training every day for 6 weeks starting from 48 weeks. By the 52nd week, he was able to climb up to 5 steps skillfully. During this period, the other twin did not do the stair climbing training. Instead, ladder-climbing training was started at 53 weeks. Two weeks later, the second twin was able to climb to the top of the stairs without the help of others.

This experiment illustrates the role of physiological maturity in children's psychological development. What is the role?

Analysis points: If appropriate stimulation is given in a timely manner when a certain physiological structure and function reaches a certain level, the corresponding psychological activities will appear or develop effectively. , then even if some stimulation is given, it will be difficult to achieve the expected results.

Perspective Analysis Do you think the following views are correct? Why?

1． As the saying goes: "Like father, like son." This shows that heredity plays a decisive role in children's psychological development.

2. Some parents said: "My child is already in middle school. The teacher should teach him to read more and do more math problems."

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(2) Social factors

Case analysis Analyze the following cases and talk about what social factors affect children’s psychological development? How do they affect it?

1. Due to family changes, one of the twins was adopted by a well-educated couple with good economic conditions and was educated patiently, while the other lived on the street and became a beggar. Their personalities will change in the future. Will it be the same?

2. The example of Indian wolf children

3. Children in cities know less about the growth and development of crops than children in rural areas. The understanding of computers is not as good as that of urban children.

The environment affects the development and changes of young children's psychology. The natural environment provides the material conditions necessary for children's survival, such as sunlight, air, and water. and nutrition, etc. The social environment has a great influence on children's psychology, including the level of social productivity development, social system, children's socioeconomic status, family situation, and surrounding social atmosphere. /p>

What plays an important role in the psychological development of young children is the social environment. The role of the social environment is as follows:

First, the social environment makes the possibility of psychological development provided by heredity a reality. .

Second, the environment affects the changes in genetic quality and the process of physiological maturation.

Third, social living conditions and education are the most important objective factors that restrict the level and direction of children's psychological development. Factors.

(3) The interaction of biological factors and environmental factors that affect children’s psychological development

The biological factors and social factors that affect children’s psychological development are not isolated. Mutual restriction and interaction. There has been a long history of debate.

(1) Genetic determinism

Theoretical perspective: Children’s psychological development is determined by innate and unchanging inheritance. The argument of genetic determinism emphasizes the role of heredity in psychological development and believes that individual development and personality qualities are determined as early as in the genes of reproductive cells. Development is just the natural unfolding of these internal factors, and environment and education only play a role. The role of inducing.

Representative figure: F. Galton, the founder of eugenics, who derived a "law of inheritance" through his famous genealogy survey and believed that human heritability 1/ 2 comes from parents, 1/4 comes from grandparents, and 1/16 comes from great-grandparents... American psychologist G. Hall has a famous saying: "One ounce of inheritance is worth a ton of education." F. Galton insisted on using the genetic point of view to explain individual differences. He believed that heredity plays a decisive role in development. Children's psychology and character are already determined in the genes of germ cells, and development is just these. The natural development of internal factors, environment and education only play a initiating role.

(2) Environmental determinism

Theoretical perspective: The development of children's psychology is the result of the mechanical effect of environmental education.

Representative figure: J. B. Watson, the founder of the behaviorist school of psychology, has a famous argument in his book "Behaviorism" - "Give me a dozen healthy children , I can use special methods to change them at will, or make them become doctors, lawyers, artists, wealthy businessmen, or make them beggars and thieves, regardless of their talents, hobbies, tempers, and the talents, occupations and races of their ancestors... ….”

(3) Two-factor theory: a compromise between genetic determinism and environmental determinism.

Theoretical point of view: Child development is determined by both genetic and environmental factors.

Representative figures: For example, American psychologist R.S. Woodworth believes that children's psychological development is equal to the product of heredity and environment. German child psychologist W. Stern believes that children's psychological development is the "composite" or "convergence" of the child's internal nature and the external environment.

The two-factor theory reasonably gives due status to the respective roles of heredity and environment, but treating them as two mutually isolated factors does not reveal the deeper relationship between them. The complex relationship can therefore only be a simple and mechanical patchwork of the two views: environmental determinism and genetic determinism.

(4) Interaction theory

This is a view that has great influence at present.

Theoretical point of view: The effect of genetics on children's psychological development depends on changes in the environment, and the role of the environment is also restricted by genetic limitations. A common expression of this theory is that "heredity determines the limits of psychological development, and the environment plays a decisive role within the limits." The problem is that modern science cannot yet solve the problem of measuring the so-called genetic limits (upper and lower limits) (except for pathological conditions). Therefore, this formulation can only be used as a hypothesis. As a scientific proposition, there is still a lack of evidence, and it can easily lead to the mystery of the role of heredity. understanding.

(5) Scientific point of view

We believe that heredity, maturity, environment and education are all necessary objective conditions for children’s psychological development. The relationship between them is complex and mutually beneficial. Influenced.

1． The environment affects changes in genetic material factors and physiological maturation. In the development of the germ line, inherited things are not static.

2. Genetic qualities and subsequent physiological development restrict the impact of the environment on children's psychology. The environment can have a certain influence on genetic factors, but the environment cannot fundamentally change the genetic factors and the physiological maturation process of children. In turn, inherited characteristics constrain a child's acceptance of environmental influences.

3. The objective factors that affect children's psychological development should be analyzed concretely and comprehensively. The so-called specific analysis means that genetics and environment play different roles in different aspects of children's psychological development.

In short, genetic biological factors will not work without social environmental factors, and social factors will not work without biological factors. Because there is no reflection (psychology) without the person being reflected, and there cannot be reflection without the mechanism of reflection (physiological basis).

2. Subjective factors

Problem Discussion We often talk about: "External factors must work through internal factors." Based on this point of view, in addition to the objective factors mentioned above, what other factors do you think affect the development of children's psychology? How are they affected?

(—) Factors within children’s psychology themselves are the internal causes of children’s psychological development

Subjective factors that affect children’s psychological development, generally speaking, include all psychological activities of children. Specifically, it includes children’s needs, interests, abilities, personality, self-awareness, and psychological state.

Need: is the most active factor. From the time they are born, children have a need for food and warmth. Older children have the need to interact with others, need to know each other, need to play, etc. The need for old roots is ultimately a reflection of objective things, but it itself serves as a stimulus. If adults educate children without arousing the children's need for education, then the education will not be effective.

Interests and hobbies: are important factors affecting psychological development. For example, in interesting games, children's persistence can be significantly improved. When young children learn piano, those who like playing the piano will quickly master some basic abilities, while those who are not interested in playing the piano will find it particularly difficult to learn or never learn it.

Self-awareness: plays a controlling role in people's psychological activities. For example, children with strong self-esteem are more proactive in their psychological activities. There was a child. When all the children in the class got little red flowers, he didn't get them because he hit someone. When his mother came to pick him up that day, he refused to go home and would not leave the park until he got the little red flowers. After persuasion, he understood the truth. From the next day, he consciously controlled his behavior and asked the teacher every afternoon: "Did I perform well today?" One day, the teacher said that he had made progress and gave him a small red flower. He was very happy.

Mental state: including attention, passion, mood, etc., is the background of psychological activities, that is, the relatively stable level at which psychological activities are carried out, and has the effect of increasing or reducing the enthusiasm of psychological activities.

(2) The internal contradictions in children’s psychology are the fundamental reasons or motivations for promoting children’s psychological development

The various psychological components or factors of children’s psychological activities are both inseparable and Often there is a unity of opposites. For example, some children have the motivation to complete tasks, but lack the willpower to persist to the end. The contradiction between internal factors in children's psychology is the fundamental reason for promoting children's psychological development. The internal contradictions in children's psychology can be summarized into two aspects, namely new needs and old psychological levels or states. Needs are caused by external environment and education. As children grow and living conditions change, the external requirements for children are also constantly changing. If the objective requirement is accepted by the child, it becomes the child's subjective need. Need is the new psychological reflection. Old psychological levels or states are psychological reflections of the past. There is always inconsistency between these two psychological reflections. Inconsistency is difference, and difference is contradiction. The two constitute a constant contradiction within the psyche. They are always in mutual negation and struggle with each other. When you have new needs, you are not satisfied with the existing level.

The two aspects of the internal contradiction in children's psychology are interdependent.

On the one hand, children’s needs depend on their original psychological level or state. Because needs always arise on the basis of a certain level or state of psychological development.

On the other hand, the formation of a certain psychological level depends on corresponding needs. Without need, children will not learn any knowledge and skills, and their psychological level cannot be improved. The task of education is to put forward appropriate requirements based on the existing psychological level and state, help children generate new contradictory movements, and promote their psychological development.

The objective factors and subjective factors that affect children's psychological development are interrelated, and they influence each other. Only by correctly understanding their interaction can we understand the causes of children's psychological development. First of all, we fully affirm the role of objective factors in children’s psychological development. Secondly, the reaction of subjective factors in children's psychology on objective factors cannot be ignored. Thirdly, the cyclical interaction between subjective and objective factors affects the development of children's psychology, and the development of children's psychology in turn affects the changes in objective factors. This cyclical process of subjective and objective interaction is always accompanied by the development of children's psychology.