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

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

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

Major social institution found in all human societies

Usual image: working father + housewife mother + dependent children

Reality: This is becoming less and less common as more & more mothers work outside the home. Also because of rising divorce rates.

Cohabiting couples (with or without children)

Single parent family (because of teen pregnancy, divorce or abandonment)

“Blended” family Homosexual couples e.g. Netherlands

has legalised homosexual marriages

Functions:

Companionship (“marry for love”) Sex and reproduction Socialisation of children Social support (especially during crises) Economic cooperation

Nuclear family: Father, mother and kids

Extended family: The above plus grandparents

“Family life cycle” – structure of an individual family changes over time

The Family is ChangingThe Family is Changing

Changing roles (role = “expected behaviour” Changing roles (role = “expected behaviour” that goes with a social position) that goes with a social position)

People marry later, have fewer kids, and People marry later, have fewer kids, and also have them lateralso have them later

More divorcesMore divorces

Single parent families (these are more likely Single parent families (these are more likely to be poor)to be poor)

The Family is ChangingThe Family is Changing

More working mothers and “latchkey More working mothers and “latchkey kids”kids”

Children may be unsupervised and Children may be unsupervised and feel neglected and unlovedfeel neglected and unloved

Working mothers are stressed Working mothers are stressed (“Supermom Syndrome” and “Double (“Supermom Syndrome” and “Double Burden of Women”)Burden of Women”)

Stressed Working MothersStressed Working Mothers

Examples:Examples: Female nurses with childrenFemale nurses with children Female doctors with childrenFemale doctors with children

Role conflict: Being a good doctor to Role conflict: Being a good doctor to one’s patients versus being a good one’s patients versus being a good mother to one’s kidsmother to one’s kids

Effects of Family on HealthEffects of Family on Health

1) Effects on Illness Behaviour:1) Effects on Illness Behaviour:

Stoic? self-medicate? seek Stoic? self-medicate? seek alternative medicine? Effects on alternative medicine? Effects on medical adherencemedical adherence

e.g. religion & health (faith healing, e.g. religion & health (faith healing, Jehovah’s Witness)Jehovah’s Witness)

Effects of Family on HealthEffects of Family on Health

2) Effects on patients with long term 2) Effects on patients with long term illness:illness:

Quality of care provided by family Quality of care provided by family members (female relatives as care members (female relatives as care providers for kids, husbands, in-laws providers for kids, husbands, in-laws and elderly parents)and elderly parents)

Effects of Family on HealthEffects of Family on Health

3) Family and social networks promote 3) Family and social networks promote health:health:

Socially isolated have poorer mental Socially isolated have poorer mental health; recover slower from sicknesshealth; recover slower from sickness

The Dysfunctional FamilyThe Dysfunctional Family

““Troubled family that has a negative Troubled family that has a negative effect on the physical or effect on the physical or psychological well-being of its psychological well-being of its individual family members”individual family members”

Effects of Family on HealthEffects of Family on Health

4) Dysfunctional families and poor parenting:4) Dysfunctional families and poor parenting:

Child abuse – neglect, physical abuse, Child abuse – neglect, physical abuse, verbal abuse, sexual abuseverbal abuse, sexual abuse

OverindulgenceOverindulgence Domestic violenceDomestic violence Alcoholism and substance-abuse in the Alcoholism and substance-abuse in the

familyfamily Gambling problemsGambling problems

NOTE !!NOTE !!

Families with divorced parents are NOT Families with divorced parents are NOT NECESSARILY dysfunctional families !NECESSARILY dysfunctional families !

Cultural and Media Cultural and Media InfluencesInfluenceson Healthon Health

Michael ToddMichael Todd

Describe one with the team, how affect the development