Appendix 1.
Child 1, wanted to take a toy another boy had, continued by pushing the child, then pinched the child, bit the child and then pulled the child’s hair to obtain the toy.
Child 2, was playing with trains, child pushed a boy twice and said that’s mine. Hit the boy in the shoulder, boy was upset, a girl intervened, he pulled her hair, kicked her in left leg.
Child 3, was cutting a piece of card, put the scissors down, another girl picked them up and started to cut a piece of string, she then pushed the girl to stop her, the girl returned the push, she then hit the girl on the left leg and stared at her and said they are my bloody scissors, you pooh face.
On each occurrence of aggressiveness the teacher intervened.
Appendix 2.
Child 1, he played with one boy, he stared at the boy and touched his arm, he picked up a toy car and offered it to the other, he then crawled toward two girls, he started to play teddy bears with them, by doing an aeroplane with it, the girls smiled and giggled, the four children huddled up together and hugged the teddy and sat closer together.
Child 2, he was playing with three boys with trains and the track, two girls playing shopping carts on the track. He played with the girls pushing the trains up and down the track and involved with the boys.
Child 3, she was sat at the table with seven girls and five boys, making hats, she spoke to one boy and asked if he was coming for tea tonight, they shared the paper. She then spoke to the seven girls in turn; each answered in turn she then hugged the boy.
Each of these observations are showing signs that, the younger the child, the more physical aggression is shown, where as the older children tend to use verbal aggression and harsher physical aggression is used. Secondly, showing signs that children seem mix more with same sex children as they get older.
Reflection on Learning
From completing these observations I have learned a number of things and have gained a number of skills. Firstly, I have learned how to plan and carry out an observational piece of research. I have learned that there are many different types of observations; including naturalistic, participant, non-participant observations. The observational method which I used, naturalistic observation, allowed me to observe behaviour of children without interruption; allowing me to follow the complex detail of their play and social behaviour. The structured ‘checklist’ method of recording observed behaviours was convenient and practical. When planning the list of behaviours to be observed, I learned how to operationalise my variables; that is, I learned how one must clearly define one’s variables prior to the observation.
Regarding aspects of child development, I have learned that the behaviours of children will vary depending on a number of factors, including the age of the child and the stage of cognitive development they are at. More specifically I have learned that young children, toddler age, tend to use physical rather than verbal aggressive behaviours; compared to older children, who show a preference for threats and insults.
In terms of play behaviour, I have learned that as children grow in age; their preference for same-sex play also grows significantly. The youngest child didn’t show a preference for play in terms of gender, where as the older child clearly showed a preference for same-sex playmates.
The naturalistic observation method, using structured, pre-printed checklists that the study used was appropriate for the activity. This method was chosen as it allowed the study to make excellent observations, without being obtrusive to the children in their natural surroundings. If the study had used an alternative observational method, such as a laboratory observation, then even though I would have control over many variables, I would not have been observing truly natural behaviour, in natural surroundings. Therefore, I wouldn’t be able to generalise my findings to real life.
Conclusions
I noticed that my observations were consistent to those portrayed in earlier research. In particular, behaviour is reactionary and impulsive behaviour that often results in breaking household rules (Gale Encyclopaedia, 2006). And also, when age increases, verbal aggressiveness increases (Lynwood, 2006). The results have shown differences in younger and older children; they also show that as the child gets older and engage in play, they do tend to associate themselves with same sex children rather than mixing, (Macoby and Jacklin, 1987).
Understandably, previous research may have had a wider sample list of children. Therefore the observation could be substantiated by a larger number of children, thus giving a more accurate recording.
My results still shows that younger children work on impulse and reaction to obtain what they require and older children have a larger knowledge to acquire certain things and essentially more vocal. Lastly, they show evidence that younger children mix well with all sexes and there is a preference to older children to congregate with same sex groups.
Appendix 1.
Observational Checklist for Aggressive Behaviour (date: ).
Key
Child 1 – age18 months
Child 2 – age 3
Child 3 – age 7
Child 1- Permission was granted by father to conduct observation. Venue: The Cockerel Playgroup. Child 18 month boy. Time recorded: 9.15am – 9.35am
Father present, Play leader present, 9 children present and myself.
Child 2- Permission was granted by parents to conduct observation. Venue: Hollybush Nursery. Child 3 year old boy. Time recorded: 10.10am – 10.30am
Teacher present, 2 Teaching assistant present, 20 children present and myself.
Child 3 – Permission was granted by parents to conduct observation. Venue: Hollybush Infants and Primary. Child 7 year old girl. Time recorded: 11.05am – 11.25am
Teacher present, 3 teaching assistants present, 34 children present and myself.
Task that child 3 is present in; making Halloween masks with12 other children.
Appendix 2
Observational Checklist for Play Behaviour (date: ).
Key
Child 1 – 18 months
Child 2 - 3 years
Child 3 - 7 years
Child 1- Permission was granted by father to conduct observation. Venue: The Cockerel Playgroup. Child 18 month boy. Allocated Time: 9.15am – 9.35am
Father present, Play leader present, 9 children present and myself.
Child 2- Permission was granted by parents to conduct observation. Venue: Hollybush Nursery. Child 3 year old boy. Allocated Time: 10.10am – 10.30am
Teacher present, 2 Teaching assistant present, 20 children present and myself.
Child 3 – Permission was granted by parents to conduct observation. Venue: Hollybush Infants and Primary. Child 7 year old girl. Allocated Time: 11.05am – 11.25am
Teacher present, 3 teaching assistants present, 34 children present and myself.
Task that child 3 is present in; making Halloween masks with12 other children.
Bibliography
ALIENE S. LINWOOD, 2006 Gale Encyclopedia of Children's Health: Infancy through Adolescence. Detroit, USA: Gale Group
http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-7029089/Introduction-to-the-special-issue.html (Accessed 27/10/09 and 9/11/09).
How Aggressive Behaviors Change over Time - 02/06/02
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accessed 27/10/09 and 9/11/09
MACOBY and JACKLIN, 1987. Bukatko – Child Development . 3rd edn. Boston USA: Mifflin Company. Accessed 27/10/09 and 9/11/09
