Reference no: EM133190721 , Length: Wrod Count: 200 words.

Discussion Post: Child Development

This theory intrigues me based on the theories that children learn from. A child's experiences for associations and how they learn through these theories is amazing. They can associate actions based on past interactions and associate those with a positive or negative consequence. Take into account the controversial views of spanking. When you hit a child, they associate that with pain and fear. The child learns that when a parent hits, it will hurt. They then begin to disassociate with that parent as they have caused them pain. On the other hand, positive feedback can help the child feel safe and grow beyond potential.

BF Skinner studied operant conditioning and how the environment impacted learning behaviors. "Operant conditioning focuses on how the consequences of a behavior affect the likelihood that the behavior will be repeated. For instance, if an infant is praised when he or she takes a first step, the infant will be more motivated to take another step." (Discovering Child Development, pg 38) I personally have encouraged my son to get back up after falling. He used to cry, but like the quoted from text, I praised him for falling. Before long, he started falling on purpose just to see my reaction to him and would laugh along with me. A child is very much a product of their environment. If they get what they want by crying, they will continue to cry. If they're encouraged to communicate for their needs, they will feel more confident to communicate better.