The Theories Of Child Development - 1084 Words

From the day they are born, children are immersed in a social world. Rapid learning takes place and is supported not only by parents, siblings, teachers and friends but also the important values and beliefs within their culture. All of this provides the foundations for cognitive development. As trainee teachers, it is fundamental that we have a deeper understanding of how children learn and how we can support learning. In order to do this we must first look at some of the theories of learning. Theories Prior to the early 20th century little interest was paid to how a child developed; indeed most early research appears to be based on abnormal childhood behaviour (Oates et al. 2005). However, over time researchers began to acknowledge that both genetics and environment factors impacted on the way a child developed. Although there are many theories of child development, in particular constructivism, behaviourism, social constructivism and social learning have influenced developmental psychology enormously (Oates et al. 2005). Many theorists and researchers have debated (and continue to debate) whether cognitive development is a continuous or discontinuous processUntitled (Crowley, 2014). Do cognitive processes advance with age (continuous) or is a child required to reach one stage of development before they can advance to the next (discontinuous)? Piaget (1952) based his theory on his belief that cognitive development occurred in four specific stages; sensori-motor stage,Show MoreRelatedChild Development Theories1324 Words   |  6 PagesChild Developmental Theories Ashford University PSY 104 Child and Adolescent Psychology June 29, 2009 Child Developmental Theories While theorists have different ideas and perspectives, insight on child and adolescent development can assist teachers and parents in helping children reach their full developmental and learning potential. Having knowledge about the developmentRead MoreThe Theory Of Child Development858 Words   |  4 PagesSocial scientists have given us several theories on child development. There have been three influential theories that have really shaped how we look at the subject. Each one of these theories offers an insightful perspective that has been very influential in how we view child development. The first theory, we will delve into is George Herbert Meads Theory of the Social Self which focused on social interaction with developing human beings. Meads believed that, â€Å"a symbolic interactionist, saw theRead MoreChild Development Theories1560 Words   |  7 PagesChild Development: An Examination of Three Theories There are a lot of theories regarding child development. Three of these theories are Bioecological Theory, Social-Cognitive Theory and Information-Processing Theory. This paper will discuss these theories by comparing and contrasting them. The first theory is the Bioecological Theory developed by Urie Bronfenbrenner. This theory is based on the nature vs. nurture idea. Bronfenbrenner believed development of a child was determinedRead MoreThe Theory Of Child Development1053 Words   |  5 PagesArt educators that consider theories of child development when creating lesson plans, are more effective. As art educators, we understand that it is our responsibility to educate ourselves on the latest research of art development in order to better serve our educational institutions through providing a quality art education for the future generations of innovators in America. Piaget’s stages of cognitive development stages thoroughly explain the biological transition that occurs in elementary schoolRead MoreThe Theory Of Child Development803 Words   |  4 PagesIn the early 19th Century, little attention was given to children development. Emphasis were based upon what a child would become as they get older( Green 2013)However, it was investigated by human developmental psychologist that Child development is relevant in relation to how individuals relate in the environment as well as the factors that influence human development. These psychologists developed the human developmental life span which is predominant in the society today, although remains unsubstantiatedRead MoreThe Theories Of Child Development1209 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction to development psychology From the beginning of the history, child development was not given an importance but now majority of people have understood its importance. Attachment theory is one of the major theories of child development. According to Bowlby, attachment is characterized by specific behaviours in children, such as seeking proximity with the attachment figure when upset or threatened. There were number of issues that have been debated throughout the history of developmentalRead MoreThe Theory Of Child Development2414 Words   |  10 Pagesa sound understanding of theories of child development so they can offer activities that are appropriate for the child’s particular stage of development (Early Education, 2012). This essay will compare and contrast key features of developmental theories by applying them to a particular aspect of child development, the aspect that will be investigated is language acquisition. This essay will consider differing theories of language development such as the be haviourist theory proposed by Skinner (1957)Read MoreThe Theory Of Child Development935 Words   |  4 Pages Lawrence Kohlberg was a developmental theorist who is best known for his specific and detailed theory of child development. Kohlberg believed that there were six stages of child development. He divided those stages into three levels of development. Level one; pre-conventional morality, a child doesn’t have a personal code of mortality and instead, their moral code is shaped by the standards of adults and the consequences of following or breaking of adult rules. Level two; conventional moralityRead MoreThe Theory of Child Development1636 Words   |  7 Pages The theory of child development, Temperament, is what this case study is based off of. Temperament is a person’s style of reacting to the world and relating to others. I will be judging â€Å"Alice† on the nine temperament traits on a ten point scale. Alice is my 2 year old cousin who knows me well because I frequently babysit her. I recently observed her personality on the nine traits. These traits include; intensity, persistence, sensitivity, perceptiveness, adaptability, regularity, energy, firstRead MoreThe Theory Of Child Development878 Words   |  4 Pages Urie Bronfenbrenner was a developmental psychologist whose theory of child development really spoke to me. Relating to the microsystem and mesosystem was extremely natural for me. The microsystem is made up of the people or groups you have direct contact with, such as a professor or family member. The mesosystem is the interactions that occur between the microsystems, such as there being a family issue but that issue effecting not only yourself but causing you to have trouble at school or work place