Sensation/Perception and Development
There is a close association between sensation/perception and development
Sensation occurs when sensory receptors respond to information from the environment (Lucy, Bock & Gaskins, 2010). Perception, on the other hand, refers to how the information is organized, interpreted, and experienced. While sensation is a physical process, perception is psychological. An example is walking into a cold shower and feeling the cold water on your skin then equating that experience to a similar one you had during a lake camping trip.
Impact of various environments on:
Nutrition and Physical Environment
The availability of vending machines and fast food outlets in schools has the potential to increase poor eating habits and inhibit physical development. Additionally, an environment that encourages walking will enhance physical development.
Childcare arrangement and social development
Children who experience residential instability may develop poor academic and social outcomes as compared to residentially stable children. Family instability such as violence and single parenthood may also result in poor social development resulting in behavioral problems in children.
Parenting styles and emotional development
Most parents depend on how they were parented to parent their children. Children who live in abusive home environments may fail to develop emotionally.
Educational Practice and Cognitive Development
When the classroom environment uses teaching approaches that consider learner differences, cognitive development is stimulated and enhanced.
Relationship between perception and development.
Perception flourishes and becomes more meaningful as infants develop (Lucy, Bock & Gaskins, 2010). Stimuli, which forms perceptions, is interpreted differently by different people. Factors such as emotions, mental attitudes, inculcations, and needs play an important role in establishing perception variations. For instance, while hungry people perceive all food as delicious, full people may dislike some foods. The role of the brain is to register and interpret stimuli and also facilitate an understanding of the world.
The brain plays a central role in creating meanings out of stimulus and forming perceptions as a child develops and interacts more with the environment.
Reference
Lancy, D. F., Bock, J. C., & Gaskins, S. (2010). The anthropology of learning in childhood. Walnut Creek [Calif.: AltaMira Press.