Theories of Child
Development
Grand and Emergent Theories
What is a Theory?

According to the
new growth theory,
creativity is the
main driver for
economic
development.
Theories are developed to explain
a phenomenon
Theories are based on systematic
observation
Theories can be controversial
We use theories to guide practice:
child rearing and teaching
Questions answered in each theory
 Nature
or Nurture?
 Continuity or Discontinuity
 Active or Passive
 Universal or Individualization
Grand Theories
 Psychoanalytic
 Behaviorism
 Cognitive
 Sociocultural
 Contextual
 Humanistic
Psychoanalytic

Freud

Childhood
experiences inform
development

Conflicts within
stages of
development
Psychosexual Stages of
Development
Psychoanalytic: Erikson

Lifetime
developmental theory

Based on interactions
within the social
environment

Still, sub and
unconscious
development

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=9014865592046332725&ei=ZhzCSpu4FYMqALv3vGaDw&q=erik+erikson+developme
nt&hl=en#docid=-7953598721199398444
8 Stages-Crisis in each stage
Behaviorism

Pavlov
 Skinner
Classical Conditioning
Operant Conditioning
Social Learning-Modeling
Cognitive Theory:
Piaget
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o
_EkfWS2Wks
An overview of Piaget Theory
Strive for Equilibrium

Adaptation

Assimilation

Accommodation

http://projects.coe.
uga.edu/epltt/index
.php?title=Piaget's
_Stages
Piaget-Stages of Cognitive
Development
Stages Of Cognitive Development
Emergent Theories
 Sociocultural
 Ecological
 Humanistic
Sociocultural: Vygotsky

Child learns in the
context of the culture

The development of
the “Tools of the
Mind” that are
culturally-based

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=9014865592046332725&ei=ZhzCSpu4FYMqALv3vGaDw&q=erik+erikson+developme
nt&hl=en#docid=634376752589779456
Scaffolding

Children construct
their cognition

On-going process that
is aided by skilled
tutors within the
culture
Microsystem
Mesosystem
Exosystem
Macrosystem
Humanistic Theories
Theories
 Theories
take many years to develop
 Over the course of time more information
is added to give more credence to the
theory
 As time goes by more criticisms also arise