Human Growth and Development

Classifications of Play

In addition to the types of play, play can also be categorized based on its purpose:

Functional Play Simple, repetitive activities like banging pots or rolling a ball. Constructive Play Building or creating, such as stacking blocks or drawing.

Dramatic Play Pretend play, like acting out roles in imaginary scenarios. Games with Rules Building or creating, such as stacking blocks or drawing.

Problem Solving and Planning

As children grow, they become better at solving problems and making decisions. However, cognitive biases (mental shortcuts) can lead to errors in judgment: ●​ Availability Heuristic: Judging something based on how easily examples come to mind. ＞ ​ Example: A child may fear driving after hearing about car accidents on the news, even though accidents are rare. ●​ Sunk Cost Fallacy: Sticking to a bad decision because of past effort. ＞ ​ Example: A child may keep playing a frustrating video game just because they already spent hours on it. ●​ Peer Influence: Adolescents often make choices based on what their friends do rather than careful thinking. Teaching children to recognize these biases can help them make better, more logical decisions in everyday life. C. Individual Di erences and Influences Cognitive development does not stop in childhood. Throughout life, people continue to learn, think, and refine their skills. One important part of lifelong learning is developing expertise —specialized knowledge that allows individuals to perform at a high level in a specific area. ＞ ​ Example: A teenager might engage in risky behavior just to fit in.

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