Shyness is a common but little understood emotion. Everyone has felt ambivalent or self-conscious in new social situations. However, at times shyness may interfere with optimal social development and restrict children's learning. This digest (1) describes types and manifestations of shyness, (2) reviews research on genetic, temperamental, and environmental influences on shyness, (3) distinguishes between normal and problematic shyness, and (4) suggests ways to help the shy child.
What Is Shyness?
The basic feeling of shyness is universal, and may have evolved as an adaptive mechanism used to help individuals cope with novel social stimuli. Shyness is felt as a mix of emotions, including fear and interest, tension and pleasantness. Increase in heart rate and blood pressure may occur. An observer recognizes shyness by an averted, downward gaze and physical and verbal reticence. The shy person's speech is often soft, tremulous, or hesitant. Younger children may suck their thumbs: some act coy, alternately smiling and pulling away.
http://www.childdevelopmentinfo.com/disorders/shy_child.shtml
Shyness is distinguishable from two related behavior patterns; wariness and social disengagement. Infant wariness of strangers lacks the ambivalent approach/avoidance quality that characterizes shyness. Some older children may prefer solitary play and appear to have low needs for social interaction, but experience none of the tension of the genuinely shy child.
Children may be vulnerable to shyness at particular developmental points. Fearful shyness in response to new adults emerges in infancy. Cognitive advances in self-awareness bring greater social sensitivity in the second year. Self-conscious shyness-the possibility of embarrassment-appears at 4 or 5. Early adolescence ushers in a peak of self-consciousness.
Monday, February 21, 2011
The Beginning of Life
Life begins in the moment of conception – the time when a reproductive cell of the female (ovum, plural ova.) is fertilized by a male reproductive cell the spermatozoon (spermatozoa, plural). This is approximately 280 days before birth.
Within each sex cell (sperm/egg) there are 23 chromosomes. They are threadlike particles which contains between 40,000 and 60,000 genes. The genes contain DNA and RNA which are considered as the blueprint of life and transmitters of hereditary characteristics traits from the parent to the offspring.
Sex Determination
All the female gametes carry X chromosomes, while half of the male gametes carry the X chromosomes and the other half carry the Y chromosomes.
If the X bearing spermatozoon unites with the ovum, it will result to XX combination and the sex of the child is female. And if the Y bearing spermatozoon unites with the ovum, it will result to XY combination and the sex of the sex child is male.
Multiple Birth/Twins
The term multiple births refer to the birth of two or more babies within a few hours or days. There are two types of twin births – the identical and fraternal twins. The identical or uniovular twins come from a single ovum fertilized by a single sperm cell.
Sometimes, it happens that at a time of the first division of the cell the new cell separates instead of remaining together. Why the separation occurs, no one knows for certain, but there are evidence that it is a result of hormonal disturbances.
Non-identical, biovular or fraternal twins on the other hand, are the products of two ova fertilized simultaneously by two separate sperm cells.
Within each sex cell (sperm/egg) there are 23 chromosomes. They are threadlike particles which contains between 40,000 and 60,000 genes. The genes contain DNA and RNA which are considered as the blueprint of life and transmitters of hereditary characteristics traits from the parent to the offspring.
Sex Determination
All the female gametes carry X chromosomes, while half of the male gametes carry the X chromosomes and the other half carry the Y chromosomes.
If the X bearing spermatozoon unites with the ovum, it will result to XX combination and the sex of the child is female. And if the Y bearing spermatozoon unites with the ovum, it will result to XY combination and the sex of the sex child is male.
Multiple Birth/Twins
The term multiple births refer to the birth of two or more babies within a few hours or days. There are two types of twin births – the identical and fraternal twins. The identical or uniovular twins come from a single ovum fertilized by a single sperm cell.
Sometimes, it happens that at a time of the first division of the cell the new cell separates instead of remaining together. Why the separation occurs, no one knows for certain, but there are evidence that it is a result of hormonal disturbances.
Non-identical, biovular or fraternal twins on the other hand, are the products of two ova fertilized simultaneously by two separate sperm cells.
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