Parents and primary givers play a significant role in determining the identity and the life concept of the infants as they grow up from toddlers to preschoolers. The children as soon as they join elementary schools, they come across a new environment away from home joining the peers that may significantly contribute to the identity of the kid. This paper will focus on the impacts that influence the identity of an infant in childhood to the early stage of adolescence. The factors in consideration include psychological, biological, neurological, as well as cultural influences that contribute to development, behavioral, and functional process of the infants through their early life.
Identity and Self-Concept
During the early ages of school going, the kids are in the position to describe themselves using physical terms and physical actions for instance (I can run very fast) or (I am taller than everyone ). Self-description between the age of five and seven will then highlight some level of proficiency, especially concerning social skills as well as cognitive abilities. The children at this period are capable of recognizing the gender roles and cultural values, and they can use these views in describing their selves (Oyserman, Elmore, & Smith, 2012). At this level, the kids perceive themselves in an extraordinarily positive way, therefore, leading them to overestimate their abilities.
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During middle childhood age, the kids earn a significant achievement oh how they describe themselves. At this period, kids start identifying themselves using their capabilities and personal traits. They advance from identifying themselves in terms of this or that to that level of recognizing their positive and negative sides as well as different things in life and emotions as well. At this age, children would prefer describing themselves accurately using terms like "smart," "nice." Later in this age, children start creating friendships and interaction with other kids, and in the process, help them to identify themselves again using the social characteristics they obtain from the social interaction with other kids.
Biological Influences on Identity and Self-Concept Development
Biological factors also contribute a lot to the development and self-identity of the kids. The genetic makeup in the body of the kids determines a lot in the development of the kid, especially in the early age of going to school. Some will develop fast learning characteristics, while others will adopt slow learners all this is to do with their biological influences. The first learners will identify themselves as smart or intelligent.
During the middle childhood period, biological influences bring in a different perception of how the kids will identify themselves. At this stage, they realize that there is gender and will then classify themselves according to the gender they belong to as well as recognizing the duties or roles that a specific gender plays. The kids then develop a clear line between boys and girls, each focusing on their particular roles (Berns, 1996). Biological influences continue influencing development until they are in the adolescence stage where they start assuming the life and decryptions of the adults.
Physiological Influences on Identity and Self-Concept Development
The physiology does also play s significant role in the development of the infants and during early school age, they tend to separate themselves from those who are still at home and perceive themselves as unique creatures (Littlefield-Cook, Cook, Berk, & Bee, 2005). At this stage, the kids tend to view their images in a more judgmental way rather than descriptive. They also start becoming more independent and curious about what they are capable of doing. Interest on "us" rather than "me" also develops and become aware of the needs and importance of the group instead of an individual.
In the middle childhood period, the kids develop a sense of their social selves and finding out how they can accommodate each other in the social group, but at this stage, they do not differentiate physical differences between the boys and girls. At this stage, children tend to refer to social groups and make social comparison frequently. At this middle childhood period, kids become more concern about how people perceive them.
Neurological Influences on Identity and Self-Concept Development
The development in the neurology of the infant influences the development of identity and self-concept. By the time the infant is at school going age, they have managed to learn that they are unique beings, and they can think and analyze their behaviors while interacting with the environment. At this stage, they also show some knowledge about social life and can look at the people and judging them (Doherty, 2009).
The neurological development continues and in turn, influences the development of middle childhood enabling them to have good awareness on the social situation in life, and they can help possible associate themselves with a specific children group in the community. The development allows them to understand social life more as well as their lives and how they can interact with the other kids.
Cultural Influences on Identity and Self-Concept Development
Culture of the people plays a significant role in determining how the children attend themselves as well as how they relate with others, therefore, influencing the development of self-image and identity (Fitzgerald, Mann, Cabrera, Sarche, & Qin, 2009). During early school age, the kids can describe themselves in connection with their culture and how people relate in their community.. Culture also determines how kids perceive themselves or instance in the case of early school age kids tend to associate their description with their community culture and more on what their parents and more mother do every day. The culture also influences the language that the kid will speak of which the language also contributes a lot in the development of identity.
In the middle childhood stage, the culture influences the kid more differently, and they start owning the culture and perceive it as the best. At this level, kids tend to understand that other cultures exist and in most cases are different from the one they come, and all have some differences. The children will then adapt and develop their identity per the culture of that particular community.
Implications for Future Counseling Practice
The information is beneficial when providing counseling services to the young kids because the data provides understanding kids in their different stages of development. The information is also essential in making decisions that will ensure that the kids develop a positive identity because that will also have an impact on the nature of lives they have later. It also helps in designing a program that assists in accommodating all the kids depending on their level of development as well as requirements to ensure that they receive necessary assistance for active growth.
Conclusion
Several factors influence the development of identity and self-concept of the child through the early life determining the kind of life that child will live later because, in the early life, the child tends to learn many things. Factors that significantly influence the development identity and self-concept include psychological, biological, neurological, as well as cultural influences that contribute to development, behavioral, and functional process of the child during their early lives. In the early child going age, children tend to focus on themselves, but then the behavior changes as they grow, thus accommodating the others in their life.
References
Berns, R. (1996). Topical child development. Psyccritiques, 41(4) .
Doherty, M. J. (2009). Theory of mind: How children understand others’ thoughts and feelings. New York: Psychology Press.
Fitzgerald, H. E., Mann, T., Cabrera, N., Sarche, M., & Qin, D. (2009). Development of infants and toddlers in ethnoracial families. Infant Mental Health Journal: Official Publication of The World Association for Infant Mental Health, 30(5) , 425-432.
Littlefield-Cook, J., Cook, G., Berk, L. E., & Bee, H. (2005). Child development. Principles and perspectives, 55 , 23-38.
Oyserman, D., Elmore, K., & Smith, G. (2012). Self, self-concept, and identity.
