Child Development Principles and Theories Chapter 4 Child Development Principles and Theories

Child Development Development: change or growth in children Infants: children from birth through the first year Toddlers: children from age one up to the third birthday Preschooler: children ages three to six years

Areas of Development Physical development: physical body changes that occur in a relatively stable, predictable sequence Gross-motor development: improvement of skills using the large muscles in the legs and arms Fine-motor development: improvement of small muscles of the hands and fingers Cognitive development: mental processes used to gain knowledge

Areas of Development Social-emotional development: two areas grouped together Social development: learning to relate to others Emotional development: refining feelings and expression of feelings

Principles of Development Cephalocaudal principle: development proceeds from the head downward Proximodistal principle: development proceeds from the center outward Maturation: sequence of biological changes in a child

Discussion Which is more important for the developing brain—heredity or the environment in which the child grows?

Brain Development Neurons: specialized nerve cells Synapses: connections or links between the neurons Brain wiring occurs as new links are formed The larger the number of synapses, the greater the number of messages that can pass through the brain

Brain Development Links are a result of the child’s interaction with the world They influence the ability of the child to learn solve problems get along with others control emotions

Brain Development Plasticity is the ability of an infant’s brain to change according to stimulation. Early care has long-lasting impact on how children develop.

Discussion Identify a case from your experience or the news about a child who is being neglected. How might this lack of nurturing hurt the child?

Brain Development Amount of stress created by negative experiences also affects brain development Overstimulation—flood of sounds and sights causing stress Body produces a steroid called cortisol Cortisol washes over brain like an acid Cortisol has been linked with memory problems and the ability to regulate emotion

Windows of Opportunity Windows of opportunity: specific times for normal development of certain types of skills Appropriate stimulation is needed for brain synapses to link easily and efficiently

Discussion What might be done to alleviate some of the risk factors for healthy brain development?

Windows of Opportunity Vision—first six months of life Vocabulary and speech—birth to three years Emotional control—birth to three years Math/logic development—one to four years Motor development—prenatal to eight years

Theories of Development Theory: a principle or idea that is proposed, researched, and generally accepted as an explanation Developmental theories provide insights into how children grow and learn. Theories are helpful for understanding and guiding developmental processes.

Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory Erik Erikson believed development occurs throughout the life span His theory emphasizes the social and emotional aspects of growth A social conflict or crisis occurs at each stage Children’s personalities develop in response to their social environment

Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory Eight stages (four between birth and age 12) Trust versus mistrust Autonomy versus shame and doubt Initiative versus guilt Industry versus inferiority

Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory Stage 1: Trust Versus Mistrust Occurs during first 18 months Purpose: children learn to trust or mistrust Children need warm, consistent, predictable, attentive care caregivers who read and respond to signals loving, physical contact, nourishment, cleanliness, and warmth Mistrust occurs if the infant experiences an unpredictable world and is handled harshly

Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory Stage 2: Autonomy Versus Shame and Doubt Occurs between 18 months and 3 years Purpose: toddlers gain self-control without loss of self-esteem Children need loving and supportive environments positive opportunities for autonomy and independence

Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory Toddlers begin to become self-sufficient use their motor and mental skills discover their bodies make decisions and choices

Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory Stage 3: Initiative Versus Guilt Occurs between 3 and 5 years Purpose: take initiative without being hurtful to others Children need to develop a sense of purpose constructive ways of dealing with people and things

Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory Stage 4: Industry Versus Inferiority Occurs between 6 and 12 years Purpose: gain approval through planning and carrying out projects Children need realistic goals and expectations encouragement

Piaget’s Cognitive Development Theory Piaget believed children naturally attempt to understand what they don’t know knowledge is gathered gradually during active involvement in real-life experiences

Piaget’s Cognitive Development Theory Schemata: mental representations or concepts Adaptation: mentally organizing what is perceived Assimilation: process of taking in new information and adding it to what is already known Accommodation: adjusting what is already known to fit the new information

Piaget’s Cognitive Development Theory Sensorimotor stage Birth to 2 years of age Infants use all their senses to explore Learn that objects still exist when out of sight

Piaget’s Cognitive Development Theory Preoperational stage Ages 2 to 7 Children are very egocentric Skills of language, symbolic play, drawing are learned Thinking is illogical Children learn skills of conservation, classification

Piaget’s Cognitive Development Theory Concrete operations stage Ages 7-11 Children develop capacity to think systematically Begin to internalize tasks Become capable of reversing operations

Piaget’s Cognitive Development Theory Formal operations stage 11 years of age to adulthood Develop capacity to think in abstract ways No longer need concrete examples Learn problem-solving and reasoning skills

Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory Vygotsky’s beliefs: children build knowledge through experiences children learn through social and cultural experiences through interaction with others, children learn customs, values, beliefs, and language of their culture language is an important tool for thought and plays key role in cognitive development Private speech—when children think out loud

Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory Zone of proximal development (ZPD) Presents learning as a scale One end: tasks children can do alone Other end: tasks children cannot do even with help Middle: tasks children can accomplish with help Learning is not limited by stage or maturation

Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences Theory Multiple intelligences: theory that there are different kinds of intelligences used by the human brain Intelligence is result of complex interactions between children’s heredity and experiences Each intelligence functions separately, but all are linked Learning is best achieved using a child’s strongest intelligence

Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences Theory Bodily-kinesthetic Ability to control one’s own body movements and manipulate objects Athletes, dancers, actors

Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences Theory Musical-rhythmic Ability to recognize, create, and appreciate pitch, rhythm, tone quality Composers, musicians

Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences Theory Logical-mathematical Ability to use logic, reason, mathematics to solve problems Math experts, scientists, composers

Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences Theory Verbal-linguistic Ability to use well-developed language skills to express self and understand others Lawyers, poets, public speakers, translators

Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences Theory Interpersonal Ability to understand feelings, behaviors, and motives of others Teachers, politicians, salespeople, people in the service industry

Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences Theory Intrapersonal Ability to understand personal strengths, weaknesses, talents, and interests Psychologists, social workers, religious leaders, counselors

Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences Theory Visual-spatial Ability to form mental images Photographers, artists, architects, engineers, surgeons

Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences Theory Naturalistic Ability to distinguish between living things such as plants and animals Sailors, gardeners, chefs, farmers

Making the Pieces Fit The brain affects all aspects of growth and development Development generally progresses in a similar way for all children Each theory of development offers a wealth of insight into how children develop Theorists agree that children learn best in a caring environment with many opportunities for learning

Summary Understanding child development will help you become a successful caregiver or early childhood education teacher. Development is divided into three main areas: physical cognitive social-emotional

Summary Early infant care and interaction with caregivers is crucial to brain development. Theories of development help caregivers understand how to best work with children. Erikson Piaget Vygotsky Gardner

Discussion Do you believe there is a connection between child and adult behavior based on the theories presented in this chapter?