Reference no: EM13191436

1. Mrs. Kaufman spends a lot of time stroking, cuddling, and rocking her infant son and seems to be highly aware of the baby's actions and needs. Mr. Kaufman worries that his wife's interactions with the baby may eventually lead the child to (a) cry easily when frustrated, (b) fearfully cling to his mother, (c) become unfriendly toward other people, and (d) become withdrawn and uninterested in his surroundings. Describe research on social development that supports or refutes each of the father's concerns.

2. Mr. and Mrs. McDonald believe in the importance of stern discipline; they impose strict rules which they expect their children to obey without question. They penalize misbehavior harshly, frequently with a spanking. Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds use milder forms of punishment to enforce their rules. They also have regular family meetings in which their children help them to establish household rules and penalties for breaking them. What do you see as the advantages and disadvantages of these two disciplinary approaches? Explain the reasons for your answer.

3. Thirteen-year-old Ryan has begun to challenge many of his parents' values and to express his own set of highly idealistic standards. Compare and contrast the explanations for Ryan's behavior that would be given by Kohlberg and by Erikson.

4. At the age of 30, Angela hesitates to commit herself to a lifelong marital relationship, primarily because she believes that the personalities of marriage partners often change in surprising and unpredictable ways during their lifetimes. What professional advice could you appropriately provide to Angela in light of the research on marital happiness and adult personality development.