Applied Psychological Foundations, Part 4
Question 1: Discuss the use and purpose of the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (HOME).
Answer 1: The Home Observation for measurement of the Environment (HOME) is a checklist used to collect information about a child’s home environment. Information for this data collection tool is gathered through observations in the home as well as through interviews with the child’s parents. The focus of this scale is to determine a young child’s cognitive development from birth to three years of age. There are six main subscales designed to obtain information about the emotional responsiveness of the parent, the acceptance of the parent by the child, the organization of the child’s physical environment, the availability of appropriate toys, the parent’s involvement with the child, and the amount and variety of stimulation.
Question 2: Discuss the use of social referencing in learning.
Answer 2: Social references refers to acquiring information and knowledge by observing how others response to various situations. This is a helpful tool for small children in learning on a broad scale. For example, a small child will observe how his mother responds to strangers and will learn to respond to strangers in the same way. If the caregiver demonstrates fear is a particular situation, it is likely that the child too will demonstrate fear in that or similar situations. As a child grows, he is also able to use social referencing as a means to compare his own reactions to those of others.
Question 3: List and discuss the three temperament types of children.
Answer 3: The easy child. This type of child has a set routine, is often happy and can easily adapt to new situations. Approximately 40 percent of children fall into this category. The difficult child. This type of child does not have a regular routine, is often upset and cries often, and does not easily adapt to new situations. Approximately 10 percent of children fall into this category.The slow to warm up child. This type of child is mild mannered and not very active with slower reaction times to various environmental stimuli than other children. A slow to warm up child will often have difficulty adjusting to new situations. Approximately 15 percent of children fall into this category.While not specifically placed in a category, approximately 35 percent of children demonstrate a blend of these three temperament types.
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