Developmental Psychology of Preschool Children

Author: Chief Editor: Yang Xiangdong
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 1999-08-01
Features: Excerpt: Chapter Preface: An Overview of Preschool Children's Developmental Psychology
Section Concepts and Elements
1. Related Concepts of Preschool Children's Developmental Psychology
1.1 The Concept of Preschool Children
In psychology, the division of the various stages of human life may vary, but according to the current age stage divisions both domestically and internationally, life from birth to death can be roughly divided into the following stages:
(1) Neonatal period (birth to 1 month)
(2) Infant period (1 month to 1 year)
(3) Toddler period (1 year to 3 years)
(4) Early childhood period (3 years to 6 years)
(5) Childhood period (6 years to 12 years)
(6) Adolescence period (12 years to 15 years)
(7) Early adulthood (15 years to 18 years)
(8) Adulthood (18 years to 30 years)
(9) Middle age (30 years to 60 years)
(10) Old age (60 years to death)
In this book, "preschool children" refers to children in the first four periods, i.e., the "neonatal period," "infant period," "toddler period," and "early childhood period," with the children of the toddler and early childhood periods as the main subjects of research and elaboration.
1.2 The Concept of Developmental Psychology
Developmental psychology studies living organisms, primarily humans and animals, focusing on the growth and changes in their physical and mental states and mechanisms throughout their entire life span from fertilization to death. The purpose of developmental psychology is to explore the general laws of psychological activities in living organisms while also uncovering the special rules of various forms and the relationship between these special rules and the general laws.
1.3 The Concept of Preschool Children's Developmental Psychology
Preschool children's developmental psychology is a branch of psychology that studies the growth and change patterns of the physiological and psychological mechanisms of children from birth to 6 years old. While exploring the general laws of their psychological activities, preschool children's developmental psychology also investigates the developmental patterns in special areas such as cognition, emotions, self-awareness, art, and socialization (see Figure 1-1), and further examines the relationships between these special areas and the general developmental laws.
Postscript:
During the writing process of this book, Director Zhu Jiaxiong of the Early Childhood Education Department of East China Normal University provided kind guidance, and Teacher Pan Jie, a renowned early childhood educator, offered enthusiastic encouragement. Distinguished developmental psychologists such as Mr. Fuji Nagamine, a highly respected figure in Japan, and Mr. Shunzo Soejima, the executive committee chair of the Japanese Society of Developmental Psychology, offered personal mentorship. We extend our deepest gratitude to them! At the same time, we sincerely thank our colleagues, such as He Min, who provided strong support.
During the writing process of this book, we strived to achieve "practicality" and "novelty." "Practicality" refers to emphasizing the practical significance of applying knowledge, with a detailed introduction to research methods; "novelty" refers to incorporating the latest theories and research findings from both domestic and international sources.
This book was written by Zhou Nianli of the Early Childhood Education Department of East China Normal University for Chapters II, III, V, VI, VIII, IX, and X. Zhang Chunxia, a teacher at Suzhou Normal School of Early Childhood Education, wrote Section 4 of Chapter I, as well as Chapters IV, VII, and XI. Due to our limited capabilities and the tight schedule, there may be inaccuracies in the book. We sincerely welcome criticism and corrections from experts and learners.
Editors 1999 February