Antisocial behavior in children explained with the help of Piaget's theory of cognitive development.

By dryadz26, 28th Jan 2012 | Follow this author | RSS Feed | Short URL http://nut.bz/1mgwvtbz/
Posted in Wikinut>Writing>Essays

Three-year-old Dmitri frequently takes other children's toys from them, showing little concern for their feelings, even when they cry. When he does this, his mother tells him to “imagine how other kids feel when they lose their toys.” Using cognitive development to explain Dmitri’s antisocial behavior. Why his mother's comment are unlikely to influence his behavior? How to encourage Dmitri to stop behaving this way?

An essay that examines antisocial behavior in children.

Antisocial behavior also known as conduct disorder in children is a disorder characterized by a complete disregard of social values. This disorder may begin in childhood or early adulthood. A child who has conduct disorder is likely to be aggressive, disregards safety of others and is self centered. In the early years of life children are undergoing through emotional, behavioral and cognitive developmental stages. They are learning by observing those around them. They may pick up on antisocial traits during this time. A child exhibiting an antisocial trait does not know that his actions might hurt others or how the other person feels. Three year- old Dmitri is in pre- operational stage of cognitive development. His thinking is self-centered. He is unable to look at scenarios from another person’s perspective.

Dmitri takes toys from other kids because he does not have a clear concept yet of how wrong it is to take other peoples possessions. His mother asks him to imagine how other kids feel when he takes their toys but Dmitri can at this stage only form his own opinions and cannot imagine or think like others. His mother expects him to be able to imagine but a child does not think like an adult. They form their opinions and believe them to be true. The mother however can imagine what her child must be thinking and why he is behaving the way he does. The reason why Dmitri takes other kids toys could be because children at this stage have a liking for toys. If Dmitri likes another child’s toy he’ll take it because he thinks that everything belongs to him and that he can have whatever he wants. Children normally do think like that but Dmitri’s behavior is antisocial because he is completely disregarding the feelings of other children. He takes their toys even when they cry therefore just imagining what the other kid feels is unlikely to change Dmitri’s behavior.

In order to improve Dmitri’s behavior it’s important that he himself is made to experience how it feels like to lose one’s toys. Children at this stage are quite possessive of their toys. If Dmitri’s toys are taken away from him then he’ll understand how it feel to others when he takes their toys but if a child is deprived of his possessions for a longer period he will be compelled to take other kid’s toys. Therefore, the punishment must not be too severe but at the same time motivate the child to behave positively in the future. If Dmitri’s toys are taken away from him or he has been told that he can’t have something it should not be a complete denial by the mother. She should at the same time encourage her child to behave and tell him that he can have his things back if he behaves.
In conclusion, Dmitri’s antisocial behavior can be treated by making him experience how it feels like to be at the receiving end. He should also be encouraged to play and share his toys with others. He must also be taught the concept of ownership and that it’s wrong to take other peoples things. Once he learns this his behavior will improve.

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i(http://www.behavioralpsycho.com/PDFenglish/1993/Cognitive and behavioral.pdf n.d.)