Child Development Theories:

Birth to Age 12
Early Childhood Education I
Objective 6.03
 What are some of the major child
development theories?
Psychosocial Theory of Human
Development- Erik Erikson
Theory of Cognitive Development- Jean
Piaget
Theory of Behaviorism-B.F. Skinner
Sociocultural Theory- Lev Vygotsky
Theory of Multiple Intelligences Howard
Gardner
Motivation Theory Abraham Maslow
 Erik Erikson
Psychosocial Theory of Development
Life occurs in series
of stages.
Each invidual must
pass through each
stage.
Way people handle
stages affects
persons identity and
self-concept.
 Stages of Psychosocial Theory of
Development
Trust vs. Mistrust
Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt
Initiative vs. Guilt
Industry vs. Inferiority
Identity vs. Identity Confusion
Intimacy vs. Isolation
Generativity vs. Stagnation
Integrity vs. Despair
 Trust vs. Mistrust
Birth to 18 months
Basic needs being met
Primary caretaker
Fear of abandonment
Need consistency in care
Mistrust (does not securely attach, inability to
bond)
 Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt
18 months to 3 years
Shame when comparing self with competent
giants
Opposition-test limits, no
Offer them safe easy choices
Potty Training
 Initiative vs. Guilt
3-5 years
Desire to copy caregivers
Take initiative to create play
experiences
Make up stories
Play telephone
Play out roles
Most significant relationship
is with family.
 Industry vs. Inferiority
5-12 years
my way
Capable of learning, creating, accomplishing
new skills (industry)
Very social stagecan lead to self-esteem
issues if we have unresolved feelings of
inadequacy (inferiority)
Identity vs. Identity Confusion
12-18 years (adolescence)
Attempt to find own identity
Figure out who we are
separate from our family
Struggle with social
interactions
Moral issues
Unsuccessful will lead to
role confusion
Intimacy vs. Isolation
18-35 years
Seek one or more
companions (love)
successful = intimacy
Unsuccessful = isolation
(withdraw from others)
Relationship is with marital
partner or friends most
important.
 Generativity vs. Stagnation
35-55 or 65 years old
Focus on career and
family
Significant
relationships with
workplace, community
and family
 Integrity vs. Despair
55 or 65 to death
Look back on life and feel content and happy
know we have made contribution (integrity)
Accept death
See life as failure, fear death, struggle to find
purpose (despair)
 Theory of Cognitive Development
Jean Piaget
Behavior and thinking
can only be explained
by interaction of
nature (intrinsic) and
nurture (extrinsic
environment)
Children pass through
specific stages
Cognitive Development Stages
Sensorimotor (birth-2) learn through
senses and develop intellect
Preoperational (2-6 years) children begin
to think symbolically and imaginatively
Concrete Operational (6-12) children
learn to think logically
Formal Operational (12 yrs adulthood)
adults develop critical thinking skills
Theory of Behaviorism
B.F. Skinner
Based on Tabula Rasa
(clean slate idea)
Children start as empty
organism waiting to be
filled through learning
experiences
Behavior can be changed
through positive and
negative reinforcement
Based on cause and effect
relationships
Major elements of Behaviorism:
Positive and negative reinforcement
Use of stimulus and response
Modeling
Conditioning
 Check out this video on
Behaviorism!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_ctJqjl
rHA
 Sociocultural Theory
Lev Vygotsky
Culture and way children
interact with people influences
intellectual development
Cultural environment-children
learn values, beliefs, skills,
and traditions they will pass to
own children
Cooperative play-children
learn to behave according to
rules of culture
Learning is constructed
Zone of Proximal Development

the child follows the

adult's example and
gradually develops the
ability to do certain
tasks without help or
assistance.
the difference
between what a child
can do with help and
what he or she can do
without guidance
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjLUiV
RIqRc
 Howard Gardner
Theory of Multiple of Intelligences
Viewed as the ability to solve problems
and create products in a specific situation
Many kinds of intelligence exist
IQ Tests tend to focus on only one or two
of these intelligences
May be exceptionally well developed in
individuals due to well-developed parts of
brain or cultural conditions
 Multiple Intelligences
Linguistic
Logical-Mathematical
Spatial
Bodily-Kinesthetic
Intrapersonal
Interpersonal
Musical
Naturalistic
Linguistic
Has to do with words,
spoken or written
Typically good at reading,
writing, and telling stories
Learn foreign languages
easily
Good speakers and good
at explaining
Writers, lawyers, poets,
journalists, politicians
 Logical-Mathematical
Analyze problems
logically
Carry out mathematic
operations
Investigate issues
scientifically
Detect patterns
 Spatial
Picture smart
Visual learners
Sharp eye for detail and
colors
Good hand-eye
coordination
Tend to be artistically
inclined
Need visual support like
pictures, charts, and other
images
 Bodily-Kinesthetic
Learn best by moving
and using their body
parts
Highly coordinated
Enjoy working with
hands
Enjoy taking things
apart and putting
them back together
Doing and trying vs.
watching and hearing
Intrapersonal
Self smart
march to the beat of their
own drum
Have high self esteem and
confidence
Tend to be perfectionists
In tune with their emotions,
abilities, and goals
Introverted and play on
their own
Do not seek approval of
peers nor their companions
Interpersonal
People smart
Have lots of friends
Able to create long meaningful
relationships
Empathetic and sensitive to
others feelings, moods, and
temperaments
Enjoy socializing and working
together
Able to lead and be led
Have strong communication
skills
Learn best by working with
others through discussion and
debate
 Musical
Music smart
High sensitivity to sounds,
tones, and music
Sharp hearing allows them to
follow lecture without visual aid
Rhyming, singing, playing an
instrument, and composing
music comes easily
Sing or hum while doing other
activities
Use rhyming and songs to help
memorize information
Work while playing music in
background
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wkFG
XqJxas
Motivation Theory
Abraham Maslow
People are motivated by
set of basic human needs
Organized in
hierarchy/pyramid
Most critical needs at
bottom
Once most critical needs
met, you can move on to
higher needs on pyramid
such as love, respect,
self-actualization
Hierarchy of
Needs