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Child Development Theories
Research has shown that early childhood may be the most important life stage for brain development.
A baby’s brain is about one quarter the size of an adults’.
Scientists have found that babies’ brains develop in response to stimulation. Arouses senses such as sight, sound, touch, taste,
and smell. Babies who are stimulated develop more quickly and
have a more secure self-image.
What is a theory?
A theory should allow us to predict and explain human behavior
• It should be stated in such a way that it can be shown to be false
• It must be open to scientific investigation
Although researches don’t always agree, scientific researchers have agreed upon the five following general rules. Development is similar for each individual Development builds upon earlier learning. Development proceeds at an individual rate. The different areas of development are
interrelated. Development is a lifelong process.
Psychoanalytic Theories: Freud’s Psychosexual Theory
Personality has 3 parts There are 5 stages of psychosexual
development Oedipus complex allows child to
identify with same-sex parent Fixation is an unresolved conflict
during a stage of development
Phallic Stage
Child’s pleasure
focuses on genitals
Figure 2.1
Latency Stage
Child represses sexual interest
and developssocial andintellectual
skills
Anal Stage
Child’s pleasure
focuses on anus
Genital Stage
A time of sexual
reawakening; source of
sexual pleasurebecomes someone
outside of thefamily
Oral Stage
Infant’s pleasure
centers on mouth
Freudian Stages
6 yrs to puberty
Birth to 1½ yrs
1½ to 3 yrs
Puberty onward
3 to 6 years
Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory: There are 8 stages of psychosocial
development Each has a unique developmental task Developmental change occurs throughout
life span
Key points of psychoanalytic theories: Early experiences and family relationships
are very important to development Unconscious aspects of the mind are
considered Personality is best seen as a
developmental process
Erikson’s Stages Developmental PeriodTrust vs Mistrust Infancy (first year)
Autonomy vs shame & doubt
Infancy (1 to 3 years)
Initiative vs guilt Early childhood (3 to 5 years)
Industry vs inferiority Middle and late childhood
Identity vs identity confusion
Adolescence (10 to 20 years)
Intimacy vs isolation Early adulthood (20s, 30s)
Generativity vs stagnation
Middle adulthood (40s, 50s)
Integrity vs despair Late adulthood (60s onward)
Figure 2.2
Erikson’s Eight Life-Span Stages
Cognitive theories:
Piaget’s cognitive developmental theory Stresses conscious mental processes Cognitive processes are influenced by
biological maturation Four stages of cognitive development
in children Assimilation and accommodation
underlie how children understand the world, adapt to it, and organize their experiences
Preoperational Stage:The child begins to represent the world with words and images. These words and images reflect increased symbolic thinking and go beyond the connection of sensory information and physical action.
Formal Operational StageThe adolescent reasons in more abstract idealistic and logical ways.
Sensorimotor Stage:The infant constructs an understanding of the world by coordinating sensory experiences with physical actions: progressing from reflexive, instinctual action at birth to the beginning of symbolic thought toward end of the stage.
Concrete Operational Stage:The child can now reason logically about concrete events and classify objects into different sets.
Figure 2.3
11–15 years of age
through adulthood
Birth to 2 years of age
2 to 7 years of age
7 to 11 years of age
Piaget’s Four Stages of Cognitive Development
Vygotsky’s sociocultural cognitive theory Children actively construct their knowledge Social interaction and culture guide
cognitive development Learning is based upon inventions of
society Knowledge is created through interactions
with other people and objects in the culture Less skilled persons learn from the more
skilled
Information-processing theory Compares computers to the human mind Thinking is information processing
Information is taken into brain
Information gets processed, analyzed, and stored until use
OUTPUTINPUTInformation is used as basis of behaviors and interactions
Information-Processing Theory
math
history religion
geography
science
literature
EnvironmentPerson(cognitive)
Behavior
Bandura’s Social Cognitive Model
Figure 2.4
Bandura’s Modeling/Imitation
Childobserves someone admired
Child imitates behavior
that seems rewarded
Urie Bronfenbrenner’s ecological theory: Environmental factors influence
development 5 environmental systems affect life-
span development
Eclectic theoretical orientation: Selects features from other theories No one theory has all the answers Each theory can make a contribution
to understanding life-span development
Exosystem Mesosystems
Macrosystem
FamilySchool & classroom
Religion & groups
Peer group
Chronosystem
School system
Political philosophy
Nat
iona
l cus
tom
sE
conomic patterns
Soci
al c
ondi
tion
sC
ultural values
Com
mun
ity
Mass m
ediaM
edic
al in
stitu
tions
Figure 2.5
Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Theory of Development
Other factors, such as genetic
tendencies, poverty, and sociohistorical
circumstances Children’s lack of self-control
Permissive parenting
Children’s lack of self-control
Permissive parenting
Permissive parenting
Children’s lack of self-control
and
causes
both
cause
causes
Observed correlation: as permissive parenting increases, children’s self-control decreases
Figure 2.9
Possible Explanations for Correlational Data
Group 2 Time playing
video games:6 hours
each day
Moreaggressive
and antisocial
Moreplayful
and sociable
Time playing
video games: 2 hours
each day
Group 1
Heredity Blood type, eye color, and hair color
Environment Children also learn attitudes and beliefs
from their environments