Theories Flashcards
body size, body proportions, appearance, brain development, motor development, perception capacities, physical health
physical domain
thought processes and intellectual abilities, incliding attention, memory, problem solving, imagination, creativity, academic and everyday knowledge, metacognition and language
cognitive domain
self knowledge, moral reasoning, understanding and expression of emotions self regulation, termperment, understanding others, interpersonal skills and friendships
social/emotional domain
belief that heredity and innate biological processes govern growth
biological theories
assumes a heirarchial nature of nervous system maturation
attibutes normal motor develpment to increasing corticalization of the CNS
functional behaviors appear as the nervous system matures
development is build upon reflexes
assumes that CNS maturation is the primary agent for change in development
neural-maturationist
attachment between an infant and the caregiver can insure the infant’s survival
the infant’s relationship to the parent begins as a set of innate signals that call the adult to the baby’s side
as time passes a true affectionate bond develops which is supported by new cognitive and emotional capacities as well as a history of consistent, sensitive, responsive care by the parent
attachment theory
examines how behavior is determined by a species need for survival
has its roots in charles darwins research
describes a “critical period” or “ sensitive period” for learning
although it emphasizes the genetic and biological roots of development, learning is also considered imortant becuawe it lends flexibility and adaptiveness to behavior
Ethology
belifes that describe how children learn
cognitive theories
development occurs through intreaction between the individual and environment
contingency learning and positive reinforcement
pavlovian conditioning
behavioral (skinner)
development occurs through interaction between cognitive-neural structures and environmental opportunities
first cation are reflexive, then become voluntary
paigetian
paigets cognitive development stages
sensori-motor
preoperation
concrete operations
formal operations
ages birth-2: the infant uses his senses and motor abilites to understand the world
sensori motor
ages 2-7: the child uses mental representations of objects and is able to use symbolic throught and language
preoperation
ages 7-11: the child uses logical operations or principles when solving problems
concrete operations
ages 12 and up: the use of logical operation in a systematic fashion and with the ability to use abstractions
formal operations
agreed that children are active learners, but their knowledge is socially constructed
cultural values and customs dictate what is important to learn
children learn from more expert members of the society
described the “zone of proximal development” where learning occurs
Lev Vygotsky
socio-cultural theory
the distance between the actual development level as determined by independent problem solving and the level of potential development as determined through problem solving under adult guidance or in collaboration with more capable peers
zone of proximal development
uses the model of the computer to describe how the brain works
focuses on how information is perceived, how information is stored in memory, how memories are retrieved and then used to solve problems
information processing theory
children are passive beings who can be molded by controlling the stimulus-response associaations
john watson
father of american behaviorist theory
stressed how children learn by observation and imitation
believed that children gradually become more selective in what they imitate
social learning theory
albert bandura
the belief taht development can’t be explained by a single concept, but rather by a complex system
development systems theory
development of a motor pattern depends on a combination of mechanical, neuroligic, cognitive, and perceptual factors in addition to environmental contributions
neural maturation is equal to other structures and processes that influence motor development
environment is an important as the organism
movements are self organizing and emerge as a result of interaction between the subsystems
each subsystem develops at its own rate
dynamical systems
variables that regulate change in the behavior (movement) of the child
control parameters
factors that limit the ability of the child to move
rate limiters
stable movement patterns (preferred but not obligatory)
attractors
varied systems of the environment and the interrelationships amond the systems shape a childs developemnt
bothe the environment and biology infuence the childs development
the environmental affects the child and the child influences the environment
ecological systems theory or bioecological theory
brogenbrenner
activites and interaction int he child’s immediate surroundings: parents school, friends
microsystem
relationships among the entities involved in the childs microsystem: parents interations with teachers, a schoold interaction with the daycare provider
mesosystem
social institutions which affect children indirectly: parents work settings and policies, extended family networks, mass media, community resources
exosystem
broader cultural values, laws and governmental resources
macrosystem
changes which occur during a childs life, both personally like the birth of a sibling and culturally like the iraqi war
chronosystem
principles of development
cephalocaudal
proximodistal
maturation
dead downward
child first gains control fo the head, then arms then legs
cephalocaudal
development proceeds from center of the body outward
spinal cord develops before other parts of the body
arms develop before hands
proximodistal
sequence of biological changes in children
depends on changes in the brain and nervous system
these changes assist children to improve their thinking abilities and motor skills
maturation
continuing process of the creation and organization of neuron connections that occurs as a result of a person’s life experiences
experience-dependent
normal, generalized development of neuron connection that occur as a result of common experiences that all humans are exposed to in a normal environment. these early universal experiences are visual stimulation, sound, and bodily movement
experience-expectant
development doesn’t follow a linear pattern
as children develop a skill, they may regress to and earlier forms of the behavior as new, more mature and adaptive, versions of these skills emerge
periods of instability or disequilibrium drive the developmental process
interventions may be more effective during periods of sensitive period
spiraling pattern of development
