Psychologists have developed various theories of childhood development. Psychoanalytic theories suggest that children go through stages, cognitive theories state that children are active learners, behavioral theories focus on the environment, and social theories focus on the role of society. Freud and Erikson developed psychoanalytic theories, Piaget developed cognitive theories, and Watson, Skinner, and Pavlov developed behavioral theories. Vygotsky, Bandura, and Bowl developed social theories.
The field of psychology started paying attention to childhood development in the 20th century and psychoanalytic theories of childhood development suggest that children go through stages to develop while cognitive theories state that children are active learners. Behavioral theories suggest that the environment can influence a child’s development. Theories of child social development focus on the role of society in the development of children.
Sigmund Freud and Erik Erikson both developed psychoanalytic theories of childhood development. Both psychologists have heard that children go through stages that can impact their lives as adults. Freud believed that the stages were psychosexual stages called genital, latency, phallic, anal and oral stages, during which a child would have to satisfy the desire to pass the stage and continue to develop, with serious consequences in adulthood if the stage had not been completed. Erikson believed that different stages occur throughout a person’s life, not just in childhood, and that conflicts must be overcome to complete a stage. If the child has failed to overcome a conflict, such as developing their own identity, then the child would suffer later in life not knowing who they are.
Cognitive theories of child development were developed by Jean Piaget. This theory states that children think very differently than adults and go through various stages of cognitive development as they get older. Piaget believed that children are active learners who need adults to provide the proper environment in which to learn. This theory has shaped many school and preschool curricula.
Behavioral theories of child development do not take into account how a child feels or thinks. These theories, developed by John B. Watson, BF Skinner and Ivan Pavlov, focus on behaviors that can only be observed. This theory says that a child’s development depends on the reinforcements, punishments, rewards, and stimuli she experiences, and that these experiences are what shape children into the adults they become.
Lev Vygotsky, Albert Bandura and John Bowl have developed social theories of childhood development. Vygotsky developed sociocultural theory and felt that children learned from hands-on activity and that adults such as parents and teachers – as well as society as a whole – were responsible for how a child developed. Bandura created the social learning theory and believed that children learn new things by observing those around them and paying attention to internal feelings such as pride. Bowl believed that the relationships babies develop with primary caregivers soon after birth influence both the child’s development and her lifelong relationships. Bowl’s theory is popular among those who practice attachment parenting.
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