Theories of Child Development

Question 1

The maturationist theory states that human traits, behaviors, and learning are genetically _

Answer 1

Predetermined

Question 2

The maturationist theory states that environment is _ _ on a child’s development

Answer 2

Less influential

Question 3

What are the 2 main critiques of the maturationist theory?

Answer 3

Environment accounts for more than 50% of “innate” intelligence
This theory could cause parents to give up on their children assuming they are predetermined for failure

Question 4

How does the behaviorist theory differ from the maturationist theory?

Answer 4

The behaviorist theory focuses on experience and environmental influence on development rather than genetics

Question 5

Classical conditioning shapes behavior by:

Answer 5

Pairing a neutral stimulus with a pleasant or unpleasant event

Question 6

Operant conditioning shapes behavior by:

Answer 6

Reward

Question 7

What are the 2 key components of the Social Learning theory?

Answer 7

Children learn by imitating desirable behaviors modeled by adults
When children are rewarded for a modeled behavior they do it more frequently

Question 8

What is the biggest critique of the behaviorist and social learning theory?

Answer 8

Behavior does not fully explain the complex act of learning

Question 9

Psychoanalytic Theory states that children’s emotional health is determined from their ability to resolve conflict between:

Answer 9

Internal impulses/desires and external pressures

Question 10

What term did Frued use to describe instinctual urges that want to satisy basic drives?

Answer 10

Id

Question 11

The _ emerges in early infancy and is more rational and regulates and redirects the instinctual urges so that needs are only fulfilled at appropriate times

Answer 11

Ego

Question 12

_ is comprised of conscience where the values and moral customs of culture are included

Answer 12

Superego

Question 13

What are Erikson’s 8 stages of development?

Answer 13

Trust vs. Mistrust
Autonomy vs. Shame/Doubt
Initiative vs. Guilt
Industry vs. Inferiority 
Identity vs. Role Confusion
Intimacy vs. Isolation
Generativity vs. Stagnation
Integrity vs. Despair

Question 14

What are the 2 main critiques of the psychoanalytic theory?

Answer 14

Only focuses on emotional states does not account for other aspects of development
Based on a small sample

Question 15

Cognitive-Development theory states that _ growth is the most important aspect in a child’s development

Answer 15

Mental growth

Question 16

Cognitive-Development theory states that everything humans do is motivated by _ and _

Answer 16

Thinking and language

Question 17

Cognitive-Development thoery states that learning occurs as a result of complex _ and _ processes

Answer 17

Thinking and learning

Question 18

Jean Piaget believes knowledge is developed through the:

Answer 18

Action of the learner

Question 19

What two concepts are needed for learning to take place?

Answer 19

Assimilation and accommodation

Question 20

Give a zebra example of assimilation and accommodation

Answer 20

A child seeing a zebra and calling it a horse is assimilation. The child assimilates this into her schema for horse. Once she finally learns the word zebra she has accommodated this information

Question 21

What are Piaget’s 4 stages of cognitive development?

Answer 21

Sensoirmotor, preoperational, concrete operational, formal operational

Question 22

What are the 2 main critiques of the cognitive development theory?

Answer 22

Research shows that kids have more
intellectual capacity then what Piaget suggests
Children in different cultures may develop specific skills
at a faster rate based on their experiences

Question 23

How is the sociocultural theory different from the cognitive-development theory?

Answer 23

It includes that social interaction and culture have a great influence on thinking

Question 24

Lev Vygotsky said that _ engage in nonverbal thoughts and non conceptual speech

Answer 24

Infants

Question 25

Lev Vygotsky said that _ _ begin having more verbal thought and use self-directed speech

Answer 25

Preschool kids

Question 26

In the sociocultural theory, Zone of Proximal Development means:

Answer 26

When a problem/task is out of a child’s intellect an adult can ask questions and give cues to cause intellectual growth in the child

Question 27

Why was Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory left incomplete?

Answer 27

Because he died! :(:(:(:(

Question 28

What makes the information processing theory similar to Piaget’s and Vygotsky’s theories?

Answer 28

All three of them believe that learning is an active process that occurs when we construct meaning from our experiences

Question 29

The information processing theory is mostly concerned with:

Answer 29

Intellectual development and learning

Question 30

The information processing theory states that thinking changes _ overtime and is more _ (not fixed)

Answer 30

Thinking changes gradually overtime and is more cohesive (not fixed)

Question 31

What are the two key components to learning according to the information processing theory?

Answer 31

The child must be able to 1. pay attention and 2. store the information into memory

Question 32

What are 3 critiques of the information processing theory?

Answer 32

To narrow of a focus on how learning works
Doesn’t take into account cognitive processes
Doesn’t describe HOW memories are stored