Piaget And John Bowlby's Theories On Lifespan Development
Throughout their lifespan humans undergo many physical, social and cognitive changes. There are several theorists that have studied lifespan development and each have their own ideas on how knowledge and functioning are achieved. This essay will discuss two prominent theorists, Jean Piaget and John Bowlby, and their theories on lifespan development from birth to two years of age. Key physical, cognitive and psychosocial changes of this stage will be discussed and linked to health behaviours.
Academics and theorists have varied opinions on the age period that infancy extends to. For this essay the work of Thiers and Travers will be used; they define infancy as being from birth to two years of age (Thies & Travers, 2009, p. x). During infancy …show more content…
Interactions with caregivers can influence the infant’s brain development, and scans of infants who had been deprived of social interaction had abnormalities in sections of the brain (Black, 2014, p.24.). Another important part of this period is the infant’s developing understanding of emotions and attachment. Around age one, may exhibit one of several attachment or insecure attachment behaviours depending on their parenting style of the caregiver(s) (Berger, K, 2011, p.205).
Jean Piaget was a Swiss psychologist who studied developmental physiology. He realised that children followed a pattern of cognitive development. He theorised that children follow a four stage pattern of cognitive development and each stage has different hallmarks. Learning was done by “schemas” - frameworks that follow a process of building knowledge by what Piaget called ‘assimilation and accommodation’(Walker, Payne, Smith & Janet, 2012, p.42-43) That is, comparing new experiences to ones previously encountered and integrating them to form new …show more content…
Secure children have well developed social skills and enjoy challenges. Bowlby theorised that because the infant gains attachment to the mother, mothers working outside the home may be a negative factor in a child’s life (Bird & Drewery, 2006,
Academics and theorists have varied opinions on the age period that infancy extends to. For this essay the work of Thiers and Travers will be used; they define infancy as being from birth to two years of age (Thies & Travers, 2009, p. x). During infancy …show more content…
Interactions with caregivers can influence the infant’s brain development, and scans of infants who had been deprived of social interaction had abnormalities in sections of the brain (Black, 2014, p.24.). Another important part of this period is the infant’s developing understanding of emotions and attachment. Around age one, may exhibit one of several attachment or insecure attachment behaviours depending on their parenting style of the caregiver(s) (Berger, K, 2011, p.205).
Jean Piaget was a Swiss psychologist who studied developmental physiology. He realised that children followed a pattern of cognitive development. He theorised that children follow a four stage pattern of cognitive development and each stage has different hallmarks. Learning was done by “schemas” - frameworks that follow a process of building knowledge by what Piaget called ‘assimilation and accommodation’(Walker, Payne, Smith & Janet, 2012, p.42-43) That is, comparing new experiences to ones previously encountered and integrating them to form new …show more content…
Secure children have well developed social skills and enjoy challenges. Bowlby theorised that because the infant gains attachment to the mother, mothers working outside the home may be a negative factor in a child’s life (Bird & Drewery, 2006,