Chapter 8 - Counselors Understand Human Development
On-line Lesson 

INFLUENCING OTHERS

The three main components of camp life that have a major effect on the camper’s growth and improvement:

·     facilities or environment

·     camp program – what is being done in camp

·     camp personnel – by far the most important

IMPORTANT POINTS MADE

·     Persuade people to act in a certain way because they want to.

·     Instead of manipulation, ask yourself how you can work together with the campers to achieve your mutual needs and aspirations.

·     Help people to do those things that will satisfy their needs or desires.

FIVE FUNDAMENTAL NEEDS

·     Affection – the wish to be accepted and regarded affectionately by friends and associates

·     Achievement – the belief that we count for something in this world

·     Security – freedom from fear, apprehension, danger, insecurity and pessimism

·     New Experiences – opportunities in our lives for thrill, excitement and adventure

·     Recognition and Approval – desire to be accepted, noticed & gain attention, receive praise, achieve status, prestige and distinction

DEVELOPMENTAL CHARACTERISTICS OF CAMPERS

Erik Erikson's Eight Stages of Development Chart

6 TO 8 Years Old – individualistic period

·     thoughts are self-centered

·     more interested in pleasing adults than peers

·     easily motivated by praise and signs of approval

·     extremely active, cannot be restrained very long

·     impulsive, highly unpredictable

·     like to be “first” and “win”

·     have endless imaginations

·     physical coordination not fully developed

·     endurance and fine motor skills are poor

·     large muscle activities like running & jumping are best

·     need to be protected against overexcitement and fatigue

9 TO 11 Years Old

·     prize the approval of their peers above parents/adults

·     hero worship i.e., famous athlete, adult

·     seek intimate relationship with one or two  special buddies

·     bundle of energy in constant whirlwind of activity

·     good sense of humor

·     may be effervescent, talk incessantly, exaggerate

·     want to know the “why” of everything

·     like to read, be outdoors

·     improved coordination/muscle control enabling them to acquire new skills

·     enjoy working in groups

·     throw themselves wholeheartedly into chosen task but can lose interest and abandon project before completion

·     counselor should avoid using sarcasm or ridicule

·     still have strong imaginations

12 TO 15 Years Old – referred to as the gang age

·     self-interests are now becoming subservient to

   a deeper loyalty to the group/gang

·     want to act and dress alike

·     very anxious for independence

·     age of acute hero worship and “crushes”

·     vacillate between clowning , showing off and moodiness, introspection

·     rapid physical changes bring profound unrest

·     self-consciousness is often covered up by loud talk and laughter

·     these persons very much need someone to confide in

16 TO 18 Years Old

·     older adolescents nearing both physical and mental adulthood

·     rapid changes taking place may embarrass or puzzle them

·     gregarious by nature

·     anxious to achieve a place of status and acceptance with peers

·     maturing sexual development and quest for information intensifies

·     seeks social contacts with opposite sex

·     no longer children, but not yet adults

·     period of idealism and wanting to “save the world”

·     craves adventure and challenging skills

·     CIT program very effective

BASIC EMOTIONS

·     Love

·     Fear

·     Worry

·     Inferiority feelings

·     Anger

·     Jealousy

THE LAWS OF LEARNING – HOW LEARNING TAKES PLACE

·     The law of exercise – we learn by practice, repetition produces habits

·     The law of readiness – when someone is ready to act, doing so is satisfying, not doing so is annoying

·     The law of effect – people repeat those things that they find satisfying and avoid those that are dissatisfying

·     The law of reinforcement – behaviors that are positively reinforced or rewarded are more likely to recur

BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT DEFINITIONS

Behavior Modification  - the belief that various behaviors are learned, rather than inherent, and can be altered or modified by additional learning

Behavior – any observable and measurable act, response or movement by an individual

Positive Reinforcement – the presentation of a consequence that makes a behavior occur more often in the future.

·     Primary reinforcers – necessary to maintain bodily functions i. e., food, air, warmth, they are not learned

·     Secondary reinforcers – three sub-categories which are learned; social reinforcers, activity reinforcers, token reinforcers.

·     Additional remarks:

Any type of behavior being reinforced will likely be repeated, reward only good behavior. Appropriate behavior should be reinforced immediately or as soon as possible. Initially, desired behavior should be reinforced each time it occurs, then intermittently.  Consider offering praise in private to avoid embarrassing the recipient.

Extinction – When a behavior is no longer followed by reinforcement, it gradually diminishes until it is eventually eliminated.

Punishment – presenting a consequence that is considered undesirable to the camper for demonstrating an inappropriate behavior in order to decrease the occurrence of the behavior.  This should be used rarely and only after everything else has failed.

Time-out – removing the camper from the specific environment when exhibiting inappropriate behavior in order to decrease the future occurrence of that behavior.

·     should not last longer than 5 minutes at the most

·     the camper should have the opportunity to return to the program as soon as possible and be accepted with no grudges or hard feelings.

·     the time-out area should be as non-stimulating and isolated as possible while still allowing for proper supervision.

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