Biological, Anthropological and Psychological Constructs of Child and Childhood

Abstract

This paper presents the results of research of fundamental biological, anthropological and psychological constructs of child and childhood. Dealing with the problem of early development from the evolutional and ethological perspective, the critical analysis of the main elements of ethogram of the child has been done, i.e.very high degree of newborn helplessness and immaturity, nonspecialized development of vital functions, high degree of plasticity of behaviour, and biological system of attachment. In the context of these evidences, the basic constructs of new anthropology of childhood and education, as well as, the new paradigm of sociology of childhood have been presented. In the framework of “social perspective“ the child is discover as the active actor of its education and development. In conclusion, the major developmental achievements has been summarized and, by pointing out the following statement: that early childhood is developmental period that has regular flows and universal development in the part that refers to the process of realization of hereditary potential of the individual, while the development of higher mental functions primarily depended on the social and cultural context in which the personality of the child develops.