Order from us for quality, customized work in due time of your choice.
Introduction
Many scientists and researchers involved in studying child psychology have come up with many theories that attempt to explain how children develop. These theories have shown that children play an active role in their development. Papalia, Wendkos, and Feldman (2007) say that some theories have pointed out that the development of children can occur in a continuous process or a discontinuous process, and the latter is explained by Piagets theory.
This research paper focuses on the three main development theories, their main concepts, major differences, and similarities. It also explains the interaction of cognition, emotional and physical development in child development and its importance. It also reveals the significance of understanding the development of children and adolescents and why they should be assisted so that they can realize their full potential. The three theories discussed in this paper are the Theory of Social Development, Stage Theory of Cognitive Development, and Social Learning Theory.
Three Main Concepts of each Theory
The Theory of Social Development
This is a theory that was developed by Lev Vygotsky, a Russian psychologist who lived between the years 1896-1934.
According to Vygotskys Theory of Social Development, it has got three major perspectives. One important factor in his theory is that it is laid on constructivism.
The Three Main Concepts
-
In the process of cognitive development of a child, the way he or she socially interacts with others is very fundamental. Vygotsky felt that what a child learns socially is the one that comes before development. He said that Every aspect of a childs cultural development surfaces twice: initially on the social point and afterward, on the individual level. This means that development is inner psychological or between people and intrapsychological that is within the child (Vygotsky, 1978).
-
The More Knowledgeable Other is abbreviated as MKO. This acronym MKO refers to any person who has a better understanding than the learner in a certain task or process. The MKO can be a teacher, older adult, peers, or even computer.
-
The Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). This is the expanse between a learners ability to carry out a particular task alone and under peer or adult supervision and the learners ability to solve the problem without supervision or independently.
Stage Theory of Cognitive Development
Jean Piaget (1896-1980), a Swiss psychologist and biologist came up with the Stage Theory of Cognitive Development.
The Main Concepts
In this theory, he said that the cognitive development of children can be grouped into four distinct groups.
-
Sensorimotor stage: This occurs when a child is between 0-2 years. The child understands how things work and herself or himself by the social interactions with the environment.
-
Preoperational stage. This is when a child is aged between 2-4 years. At this level, a child cannot recognize concepts rather he or she demands a physical situation.
-
Concrete operations. This occurs when a child is aged between 7-11 years. At this level, the more the child accumulates experience, the more he or she accommodates. At this level, a child starts to think, get concepts, and reason logically based on previous physical experiences.
-
Formal operations. This develops between the years 11-15. At this level, cognition has developed fully. At this level, the teen does not rely on concrete items to make logical and rational judgments.
According to Piaget, development through these four stages relies on the organization. Through the organization, a child can create cognitive structures. Cognitive structures can be defined as systems of thinking that tend to incorporate more precise images of reality. The other perspective is that of adaptation where an infant adjusts to any new information in his or her environment. After that, the infant takes the newly acquired information in such a way that they assimilate it into their cognition. Then after that, they learn ways of accommodating it. Equilibrium is important at this stage because it dictates the transition from assimilation to accommodation. If there is a problem between the transitions, the child tends to be uncomfortable since there is no balance.
The Social Learning Theory
This theory was developed by an American Psychologist, Albert Bandura.
The Main Concepts
According to Bandura, children or people learn through observation. In this theory, it is possible for learning to occur without alteration of behavior. Another important factor is that in this theory, cognition plays a great responsibility in the learning process. Bandura carried out Bobo doll studies (Bandura, 2001). For instance, if the children saw that the adults treated the doll well, they too treated it well.
This indicates that there is a behavior observation and modeling process involved (Bandura, 2001). From this theory, the following has to be incorporated for learning and modeling processes to occur. These are:
-
Attention- someone has to be keen so that they can learn. Learning takes place when one observes a model. In this case, a model can be a teacher or an adult, or even a peer.
-
Retention: this is the ability of one to retain the information that they have learned from the modeling or learning process.
-
Reproduction: this is the ability of a person to behave or display the information that they learned and retained.
Three Major Points of Difference
The differences between these three theories are very clear. According to Banduras theory stresses that cognitive processes are the most vital in child development. As children grow, they observe and learn, look at models and then they retain that information and can reproduce a pattern of their own. From the feedback that the children get from their parents, teachers, and peers, they develop standards against which they judge their actions. Again they are bound to look for models that have the behavior that they would want to imitate. This is when they develop the confidence and sense of efficacy and this often dictates the success in their later lives.
However, Piagets theory shows some form of discontinuity and distinctiveness of the minds of the children as they grow. According to Piaget, the mind of an infant is not an adults mini-mind. This theory implies that if you take a person out of the view of a two-year-old, then the child tends to think the person no longer exists which is not the truth. His theory shows that cognitive learning is not continuous.
Vygotskys social-cultural theory points out that the growth of cognition of a child is a collaborative process. It is laid on constructivism. According to this theory, language is a very important part of learning and it greatly influences the way children think and learn in the world. If children are given support in what they do, they can learn, and later on, they can be able to do that alone. Vygotskys theory implies that cognitive growth requires guidance from an elder person, teacher, or coach. This is known as scaffolding.
Similarities of the Three Theories
All three theories are based on many similarities. The first one is that learning of any individual whether infant, young child, or adult is based on cognitive processes. The growth of the cognitive processes is very dependent on the cultural context. This means that the individual is part of the environment and that same environment is responsible for shaping an individuals behavior.
The other point of similarity is that learning is a continuous process. This means that as time elapses the way a child thinks and looks at issues changes. This is why the way a seven-year-old child will think is quite different from the way a fifteen-year-old teen will think. The more children grow older the more rational they tend to think.
All theories rely on information processing. The approach of processing information tries to illuminate the fact that cognitive growth occurs through several mental procedures which are usually involved in handling and recognizing information. According to these theories, people are actively thinking about the environment they are in, and by so doing they learn also information from it. This means that as a child grows from infancy to the age of 15, the efficacy of mental processing and speed increases. Also the complexity and the amount of information the mind can keep increases. Some information processing models have shown that there is a possibility that as a child grows; they tend to configure their minds physically so that they can accommodate the unconscious and conscious memory.
The interaction between physical, emotional, and cognitive development in child development
Child development can be defined as cognitive, physical, and psychological changes that take place from the time of conception up to the terminus of adolescence. Child development is a gradual and continual process whose key characteristic is changing. Through change, children can develop from the simple levels of communication when they babble words, cry to a complex echelon where they think, feel, and move and interact with others independently.
The physical development of a child is the key to the proper growth of any person. Physical development encompasses various aspects of the human body like gross and fine development of the motor system, growth of the size, and increase in strength. For every child to develop physically, he or she should be provided with a balanced diet, protected, and well cared for. At the same point, the child should be raised in a safe environment that fosters and nurtures his growth and development. This is by Banduras Social Learning Theory that states that children tend to base their behavior on what they observe. Also, a child should be encouraged in such a way that it will stimulate him or her to discover their world and put their motor skills into practice.
When a childs physical development is nurtured well, the emotional and cognition processes are bound to develop too. Emotional and psychological development is very important since a child develops a sense of self. The various aspects of emotional and psychological development are emotional regulation, development of self-worth, and sense of trust. Others are the development of feelings of responsibility, socialization skills, confidence, and the ability to interact with others. It is crucial that in the early years of a child, they should be accorded love and support so that their psychology can develop well. It is important to note that social skills and the behavior of children are based on what they see their caregivers do and they imitate it. Whatever the adults do is very powerful and it greatly influences the personality and behavior of a child.
Cognitive or intellectual development refers to language development and the way that a child learns and thinks (Smith, 2002). The cognitive development of a child comes through interaction and socialization with others, play, and learning settings that are formal like schools. The experience and knowledge that a child earns at this point are very important since they help him or her to nurture their confidence and curiosity. Language development of a child occurs during the early years of child growth. A child develops language from what he or she sees, hears. As they see and hear they try to imitate. Language and cognitive development occur when a child listens, talks, sings, reads, and has the overall interaction with other children and caregivers.
Acquisition of knowledge when the child is young is governed by a set of key principles and these same principles are the ones that may constrain the cognitive development of that child in the future. Some key constraints which can alter cognitive development are the environment, the adults or caregivers, and the physical well-being of the child. This is why emotional and physical developments are very important and dictate how a childs cognitive process will develop.
The importance of comprehending Child and Adolescent Development
Every child has got his or her unique characteristics and potential. However, for them to attain their full potential, all children need to be nurtured, well cared for, and fully supported. Every child needs to be accepted and treated with respect, given their basic needs, and given a supportive environment that fosters learning. This is very significant in fostering the growth of a child.
Every caregiver should accept that every stage of development of a child from infancy to adolescence presents new challenges to both the caregiver and the child. It is therefore very important to understand and offer them full support and help because this is where a child has shaped especially the personality. If not supported they become frustrated and resentful which can dictate their character in later life. This can also affect how they relate with others both at home and at formal learning centers like schools.
The needs of the childlike food, a safe environment, love, and support have to be met at all times. The health of the children is important because ill health hampers cognitive, language, and emotional development. This can help the child to develop attitudes towards self and others that are positive and help them to cope and learn in the larger world. As they grow, children should be taught to share, appreciate others, and teamwork. Whatever that children learn in their everyday life is very vital and plays a great role in shaping their minds and cognitive skills (Papalia, Wendkos, & Feldman, 2007). Offering a child a supportive learning environment, encouraging them to try can help children to realize their potential.
References
Bandura, A. (2001). Social cognitive theory: An agentive perspective. Annual Review of Psychology, 52, 1-26.
Papalia, D.E., Wendkos,S.O. & Feldman, R.D. (2007). A Childs World: Infancy through Adolescence. 11th ed. London: Mcgraw-hill.
Smith, L. (2002). Piagets Model. In Blackwells Handbook of Childhood Cognitive Development, ed. U. Goswami. Oxford: Blackwells.
Vygotsky, L.S. (1978). Mind and society: The development of higher mental processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Order from us for quality, customized work in due time of your choice.