Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. 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.