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Chapter 1 Learning About Children 21
All
sciences, including child development,
are based on the idea that nature is orderly, and
can be discovered through study and observa-
tion. People must have some understanding of
children before they can understand their own
“developmental roots” or be responsible for or
take action on behalf of children. Much of a per-
son’s understanding can come from personal
observations of children when these are com-
bined with informed knowledge (knowledge from
theory and research).
Benefi ts of Studying
Children
How will studying children help you? Learning
about children will help you to better understand
yourself now and as you continue to develop. One
of your future goals may be to become a responsi-
ble parent. You may even be interested in a career
in a child-related fi eld. All adults—regardless of
parenthood or career—have responsibilities for
protecting children.
Understand Yourself
Many times, adults are not fully aware that
who they are today is a result of the children
they once were. As you study children, you
can gain insight into your own growth, devel-
opment, and values. You can also understand
how your values affect your feelings about, and
reactions to, children. This knowledge can then
help you to learn better ways in which to care
for children.
Studying children can help you develop,
too. It can help you appreciate all that goes
into taking a first step or saying a first word.
When you help a child overcome a fear or learn
a skill, you feel good. Adults often enjoy just
being with children. Children can share gifts
that, sadly, adults often outgrow. Their awe
of beauty, their frankness, and their world of
magic please adults.
Be a Responsible Parent
Parenting is a mind-boggling task. How
much adults know about children, however, can
determine the kind of parents they become. Par-
ents who are responsible meet all their children’s
needs. By studying children, parents know their
children’s needs at each stage of development.
They also know the best ways to respond to
those needs.
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
Abraham Maslow, a noted psychologist, was
one of the fi rst researchers to study human needs.
Although his ideas were used to understand what
motivates workers, his model was later extended
to child development.
According to Maslow, people strive to fulfi ll
their needs in a hierarchy (rank order). Maslow
called this model the hierarchy of human needs
(Figure 1.10). The fi rst four levels are basic needs
(inborn needs). The fi rst level includes all physi-
cal needs. The other three levels are the psycho-
logical needs (related to feelings) of security, love
and acceptance, and esteem. In addition to basic
needs, Maslow also created a fi fth level for higher-
level needs, which he called self-actualization
needs. Self-actualization means to grow and feel
fulfi lled as a person. Self-actualization needs
include the drive to pursue talents and hobbies,
gain skills, and learn more about the world. Edu-
cation helps to meet a person’s self-actualization
needs. Complete self-actualization is a lifelong
process that many people never attain.
If people’s basic needs are not satisfi ed in order
of level, they will no longer be concerned about
pursuing higher-level needs. Therefore, parents
and other adults must fi rst help children meet their
basic needs. For instance, adults can offer children
nutritious foods. Once the basic need for food is
met, adults can help children turn their attention
from eating to meeting their psychological needs.
These needs might include building relation-
ships with friends and being respected by others.
Higher-level skills help children reach their full
potential as adults.