Essay Sample on Early Childhood Experiences: Parental Influence and Imitation

Introduction

Research establishes that early childhood experiences expose problems as well as opportunities to children ("Cultivating Personality" n.d). The Child's behavior is a reflection of contacts they share interactions. Parents are the first contact they share interactions. Ethical conduct is as a result of good parental influence (Rojas and Penna 2013). However, lousy behavior extracts blame from poor parenting. Children learn by behaviorism and imitation (Lee 2017). The parents are the closest allies at early stages of development. Thus, the actions and lifestyle parents portray influences shaping the child's behavior. Therefore, the paper explores the effect of parents on a child's behavior.

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The topic reveals an area that remains unclear in a social setting. Although various studies have tried to explore the issue, there are no definite answers to the question. Majority of previous works' approach is in general form based on speculations. Therefore, investigating the topic is important as it will explore deeper insights that concern parent's patterns of influence on a child's behavior. Also, the topic is important because it will provide insights into the child's entire life throughout the stages of development.

Although the literature used in the study provides essential concepts on the research topic, there remain gaps upon which the study intends to fill. For instance, the literature reviewed fail to explain how the parents influence impact on the child's personality development. Thomson, Laing, and McKee (2007) suggest that parents relate to their children's childhood and adolescent behavior. Also, understanding the parent's impact on the child and how it affects the child in later stages of life like adulthood and career development remain a gap (Lee 2017). The study will, therefore, provide extensive knowledge by incorporating the effects of parents on a child's entire personality. Also, it will explore good parental qualities that children can model into their behavior and personality.

Parental influence on a child's behavior is a broad topic that continues to draw discussions from research scholars. Through their analysis and response, there is an exploration of aspects. Specifically, the study aims to dig deeper into the topic. Among the questions this survey seeks to answer are; is there a correlation between parents and the child's behavior and how do the parents influence the child's behavior?

Thematic Concerns

Studies on behavior models of children are prevalent among scholars. The studies base their views on different thematic issues. In the case of the research topic under scrutiny, the study builds its ideals by reviews on various literature materials relevant to the research topic. From the analysis, there are themes related to the research topic. The issues are a reflection of the power, impact and influence parents have on imposing behavior ideals to their children.

Eating Behaviour

Savage, Fisher, and Birch (2007) explore the parental influence on the child's eating habits. They examine how parents provide both genes and the environment to the child. They suggest that children's preferences for some foods are as a result of parents providing some and ignoring others. Further, they suggest that children imitate parents eating habits. The literature fits the research question because it explores how a parent's eating practices influence the child's eating behavior.

The literature's strength based on the way the authors explains the parent's eating personality, preferences, and provisions affect the child's behavior. The child models and adapts the parent's practices, becoming a behavior. However, one area of weakness is the literature's perception that a parent's behavior replicates in the child. It is because everyone is uniquely born with qualities. It is not a must for parents and their child to share the conditions.

Sexuality

Aspy et. (2007) bases their thematic concerns on child's sexuality. They explore how parents have a significant opportunity to influence the child's sexual behavior and healthy sexual persona development. They idealize on the norm that the teachings and practices parents instill in the child at the early stage of development influence the child's transgender practice and gender identity. Also, they add that the child's responsible sexual behavior at early stages of adolescence is a reflection of a parent's influence during the early stages of life. Based on the ideas of Aspy et al. (2007), there is evidence of parental influence on a child's behavior in terms of identity and sexuality. Although the literature fails to critically examine parent's responsible sexual behavior and how it can be of influence to the child, it details on issues that parents would instead address to shape the child's sexuality.

Technology Use

Borrowing from the ideas of Lesserd, Greenberger, and Chen (2010) on adolescent's response to parental efforts on influencing their eating habits, Gram (2017) incorporates the same with technology. In his book, Gram conceptualizes on how familial ideals affects the child's technology use. Findings from studies done by Lesserd et al. (2008) reveal how parents attempt to model children's eating habits through pressure that creates a catastrophe. However, Gram conceptualizes on demand by incorporating how parents can channel the stress positively by use of means that do not elicit fear. He views parents as entities which the child's looks upon to respond in a particular way. Technology continues to bring innovations and exposures. Gram's ideal is how parental technology distraction can influence the child's vulnerability and use of technology.

Also, the parent's restrictions to use technology during family times is an aspect which Gram (2017) feels influences a child's approach and use of technology. The literature is relevant in examining the research topic. Under the technological domain, it provides a conceptual overview of the child's mentality on the use of technology due to the dominant influence from the parent. By incorporating both technology use, eating habits and parental feeding practices, the literature provides a comprehensive perspective of synthesis on the research topic.

Socialization

Building a strong social relationship is an essential aspect of personality development (Root and Rasmussen, 2015). In their article, Root and Rasmussen (2015) examine children's inhibited behavior and the parent-child relationship. It details how the relationship shapes the child's social life. For instance, a mother with emotions and dissatisfaction with the world around her could result in an antisocial child who fails to form strong social bonds. It is because the child follows the lead of the parent and trust that the parent is always right. The relevancy of the thematic concern in the literature falls under the ideals that the research question seeks to answer. The article's weakness is that its ideas based on the mother's emotional connection to the child, rather than a parent in general. However, its concern with motherhood tremendous support in shaping the child's behavior is worth noting.

Comparison and Contrast

Although the articles reviewed on the topic have various thematic concerns, they share some commonness. Both concerns with how parents influence children on eliciting a particular behavior. They disclose the power the parent possesses on impacting the child's behavior. However, their approach slightly differs. For instance, Lesserd et al. (2008:73-83) discuss on how parent's strictness to use of technology during family times shapes a child's behavior to a kid that develops caution and fear. Whereas, Aspy et al. (2007:449-466) approach the topic under the theme of sexuality. Instead of the strictness, they suggest a friendly guide and teaching to a child shape good behavior.

Also, Root and Rasmussen (2015:13-17) suggest that parents' ability to form interpersonal relationships influence how children behave when building social connections. The norm is a transference from parent to child. However, Savage, Fisher, and Birch (2007:22-34) suggest otherwise under a child's eating behaviors. Instead, they postulate that parents eating habits do not determine the child's eating habit. What matters is the provisions and guide the parent provides.

This review proves evidence of a strong bond between a parent and a child. Both kinds of literature reveal that parents influence children's behavior in all aspects of life. However, they only differ in terms of conceptualization of specific parental ideals that affect the child. The study topic thus provides a continuation and correlation of previous studies regarding the issue. Although the studies reviewed values parental emotional support and parent as a model from which the child draws inspiration, they fail to explain how the modeled response could affect the child's personality in adulthood. Therefore, it is a belief that the study will attract more research in the realm. Also, the gathered knowledge is critical in coming up with new approaches on how to further the research topic. Future research should incorporate ideas found in the study with how parents influence their children' behavior and development in later life.

References

Aspy, C. B., Vesely, S. K., Oman, R. F., Rodine, S., Marshall, L., & Mcleroy, K. (2007). Parental communication and youth sexual behavior. Journal of Adolescence, 30(3), 449-466. doi:10.1016/j.adolescence.2006.04.007

Cultivating Personality: What Kinds of Early Childhood Experiences Affected My Personality? (n.d.). Personality Psychology: A Student-Centred Approach, 57-90. doi:10.4135/9781452243511.n4

Gram, Moriah (2017).Technology at Meal Times: Exploring the Relationship Between parental Eating Practices, Technology, and Child Eating Behaviour. Illinois State University, ProQuest Dissertation Publishing.10259323

Lee, Vicki (2017).Beyond Behaviorism, Psychology Library Editions: Beyond Cognitive Science. Routledge, New York, Taylor & Francis Group

Lessard, J., Greenberger, E., & Chen, C. (2010). Adolescents' Response to Parental Efforts to Influence Eating Habits: When Parental Warmth Matters. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 39(1), 73-83. Doi: 10.1007/s10964-008-9376-6

Pena, A. L., & Rojas, J. G. (2013). Ethical aspects of children's perceptions of information-giving in care. Nursing Ethics, 21(2), 245-256. doi:10.1177/0969733013484483

Root, A. E., & Rasmussen, K. E. (2015). Maternal Emotion Socialization: The Contribution of Inhibited Behaviour and Mothers Dissatisfaction with the Parent-Child Relationship. Infant and Child Development, 26(1), 13-17. doi:10.1002/icd.1955

Savage, J. S., Fisher, J. O., & Birch, L. L. (2007). Parental Influence on Eating Behaviour: Conception to Adolescence. The Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics, 35(1), 22-34. doi:10.1111/j.1748-720x.2007.00111.x

Thomson, E. S., Laing, A. W., & McKee, L. (2007). Family purchase decision making: Exploring child influence behavior. Journal of Consumer Behaviour, 6(4), 182-202. doi:10.1002/cb.220