Juan, a 7-month-old infant, lives in a city where the availability of high quality child care is very limited. His mother is forced to leave Juan in the care of a young woman who also cares for five other infants and toddlers in her small apartment. What influences represents an example of a proximal process?
Social Studies · College · Mon Jan 18 2021
Answered on
In the scenario with Juan, a 7-month-old infant, the proximal process is represented by the regular interactions that Juan has with his caregiver. A proximal process, as defined by developmental psychologist Urie Bronfenbrenner in his bioecological model, is the complex reciprocal interaction between an individual and the people, objects, and symbols in their immediate environment. In Juan's case, this would include the day-to-day interactions he has with the young woman who cares for him and the other five infants and toddlers. The quality and nature of these interactions, such as how the caregiver talks, plays, responds to Juan's needs, and the emotional connection they form, would all be a part of the proximal process that contributes to Juan's development.