Child Development: Theories Of Development
Theories of Development
Lacey Thomas
Arkansas Tech University
Theories of development provide a framework for thinking about human growth, development, and learning. According to Santrock, theory means “an interrelated, coherent set of ideas that helps to explain phenomena and facilitate predictions.” (Santrock, 2013, p.21) Having an understanding of child development is important for implementing developmentally appropriate practices. As educators, understanding the theories of Sigmund Freud, Erik Erikson, Jean Piaget, and Lev Vygotsky will inform our practices while making appropriate education decisions.
Freud is a theorist who falls under the umbrella of psychoanalytic theories. His theory …show more content…
This is a time when the interest of others comes into play. Freud’s theory is well known and also controversial within psychology today.
Erik Erikson is another psychoanalytic developmental theorist whose idea on psychosocial stages is one of the best known theories of personality. Much like Freud, Erikson believes that personality develops in a series of stages. However, Erikson noted that the primary motivation for human behavior is social and over one’s lifespan. He stated that human beings had a desire to affiliate with other people, that they needed interaction. Thus, Erickson developed the eight stages of development that put emphasis on the importance of both early and later experiences. Each stage in Erickson’s theory is concerned with becoming able in an area of life. The first stage, trust versus mistrust, happens between birth and one year of age. This stage suggests that children develop trust through their dependence upon others. He believed that this development of trust “sets the stage for a lifelong positive expectation of the world.” (Santrock, 2013, p. …show more content…
The first stage that I can actually remember being in would be the concrete operational stage. I recall learning through hands on experiences in second grade and the manipulative provided me with the experiences I needed to grow my thinking. However, I can also relate my development to Erikson psychosocial theory. As a child in the second grade I fell into the industry versus inferiority stage. I was a child who enjoyed playing games often and was dedicated to the rules. I was often playing with younger siblings and neighborhood friends and I considered the rules to be the only way of playing a game. I would often become upset when other individuals would not play a game by the rules or would try to change the way a game is supposed to end. I would say that I wanted to experience the feeling of success and this is evident at this stage in a child’s life. I am currently developing within Erickson’s identity versus isolation stage. I have been married a year and have worked diligently to put aside differences and dislikes to ensure my marriage is successful, good, and full of devotion. This is also true in the workforce when I don’t really feel the need to compare myself with others, nor to compete with them to “be the best in the building”. Instead I am more worried about putting aside any differences to guarantee I am giving and receiving support, encouraging
Lacey Thomas
Arkansas Tech University
Theories of development provide a framework for thinking about human growth, development, and learning. According to Santrock, theory means “an interrelated, coherent set of ideas that helps to explain phenomena and facilitate predictions.” (Santrock, 2013, p.21) Having an understanding of child development is important for implementing developmentally appropriate practices. As educators, understanding the theories of Sigmund Freud, Erik Erikson, Jean Piaget, and Lev Vygotsky will inform our practices while making appropriate education decisions.
Freud is a theorist who falls under the umbrella of psychoanalytic theories. His theory …show more content…
This is a time when the interest of others comes into play. Freud’s theory is well known and also controversial within psychology today.
Erik Erikson is another psychoanalytic developmental theorist whose idea on psychosocial stages is one of the best known theories of personality. Much like Freud, Erikson believes that personality develops in a series of stages. However, Erikson noted that the primary motivation for human behavior is social and over one’s lifespan. He stated that human beings had a desire to affiliate with other people, that they needed interaction. Thus, Erickson developed the eight stages of development that put emphasis on the importance of both early and later experiences. Each stage in Erickson’s theory is concerned with becoming able in an area of life. The first stage, trust versus mistrust, happens between birth and one year of age. This stage suggests that children develop trust through their dependence upon others. He believed that this development of trust “sets the stage for a lifelong positive expectation of the world.” (Santrock, 2013, p. …show more content…
The first stage that I can actually remember being in would be the concrete operational stage. I recall learning through hands on experiences in second grade and the manipulative provided me with the experiences I needed to grow my thinking. However, I can also relate my development to Erikson psychosocial theory. As a child in the second grade I fell into the industry versus inferiority stage. I was a child who enjoyed playing games often and was dedicated to the rules. I was often playing with younger siblings and neighborhood friends and I considered the rules to be the only way of playing a game. I would often become upset when other individuals would not play a game by the rules or would try to change the way a game is supposed to end. I would say that I wanted to experience the feeling of success and this is evident at this stage in a child’s life. I am currently developing within Erickson’s identity versus isolation stage. I have been married a year and have worked diligently to put aside differences and dislikes to ensure my marriage is successful, good, and full of devotion. This is also true in the workforce when I don’t really feel the need to compare myself with others, nor to compete with them to “be the best in the building”. Instead I am more worried about putting aside any differences to guarantee I am giving and receiving support, encouraging