PSY 264A Colorado Christian University Naturalistic Observation Discussion

Part 1: Naturalistic Observation or Interview

You will be expected to engage in a naturalistic observation of one of the stages of the lifespan to gain a first-hand view of the developmental issues and milestones encountered during this stage. You have the following two options for this assignment:

Option 1:

Observe a setting that includes infants, toddlers, school-aged children, or adolescents. This could be done in a daycare setting, a school, or a church. Please set up the observation with the leadership at the location of your choice and complete any necessary processes to spend time on site as a visitor. Select one child/adolescent to focus your observation on. Observe for the following, as they will be key components in your presentation.

Note the physical, cognitive, and socioemotional developmental stages of the child you observe, using the theories and information outlined in your text.

If possible, pay attention to how the child interacts with other children and any interaction between the child and caregivers.

Consider what social and cultural factors appear to be influencing the child’s development. Identify challenges in development for your observed age group as described in the text.

You need to spend enough time in your observations to be able to understand all bulleted items previously listed. It is recommended that you observe for at least 45-60 minutes (and if possible, in more than one situation—for instance, recess and snack time, story group and free play, etc.—to obtain more comprehensive information). Ensure that your final submission does not include any identifying features of the child(ren) or location you selected for your observation.

Option 2:

Interview someone currently in late adulthood. Allow the person you interview to share the story of their family, faith, career, and any other important memories with you. Note information about this person’s physical, cognitive, and socioemotional health. Be sure to address the following in your interview, as they will be key components of your presentation:

What major events seemed to shape the person’s development?

• Does this person seem to express integrity or despair according to Erikson (Kail & Cavanaugh, 2019, p. 508-509)?
• In what ways has this person coped with loss? What, if any, significant loss has he or she experienced?
• What role has religion played in the person’s life?

Begin preparations to complete the Part 1 Naturalistic Observation or Interview sometime this week or next week so that you have your observation or interview set up and completed by the start of Session 4.

Part 2: Reflective Presentation

To describe your observation or interview, create a PowerPoint presentation with voiceover. The voiceover should last five to seven minutes to accompany your slides.

The following components should be included in your presentation (8-10 slides, not including title slide or references):

Title slide.

• Description of your observation or interview.
• Avoid including any identifying information, such as names of people or location, but you can describe the nature of the setting or background information, for example, role of adults/staff involved (if any), activities occurring during observation, general location of interview.
• Include any other details relevant to your analysis without revealing identity.
• For instance, you could describe socioeconomic or cultural variables observed, religious or academic factors—e.g., “high-income area early childhood Montessori school,” “Christian elementary-level Sunday school class,” “interview with older male with self-reported agnostic worldview.”