HDFS 101 Chapter 3 Theories Quick Guide

1. Lifespan Perspective

Focuses on individual growth throughout the entire lifetime, emphasizing that development is influenced by sociocultural contexts and involves both gains and losses at all ages.

2. Life Course Perspective

Considers how historical and generational time influence development, highlighting the impact of social and family transitions, and whether life events occur on-time or off-time based on evolving sociocultural contexts.

3. Symbolic Interaction Theory

Examines how individuals create and interpret symbols in social interactions, shaping their identities and social realities, with shared meanings resulting from interactions.

4. Bioecological Theory

Emphasizes the importance of various environmental systems and their interactions in influencing human development.

5. Family Systems Theory

Views the family as an interconnected system where each member affects and is affected by others, focusing on patterns and dynamics within the family.

6. Family Stress Theory

Investigates how families respond to and manage stress, emphasizing the role of resources and coping strategies in adaptation.

7. Social Exchange Theory

Analyzes social interactions as exchanges where individuals seek to maximize rewards and minimize costs, with relationships developing based on expectations for rewards and costs.

8. Conflict Theory

Focuses on the role of power and inequality in social relationships, highlighting how conflicts arise from competing interests.

9. Social Learning Theory

Stresses the impact of social interactions on development, emphasizing learning through observation, modeling, and personal experiences.

10. Classical Conditioning

A learning process where a neutral stimulus becomes associated with a naturally occurring stimulus to elicit the same response.

11. Operant Conditioning

A method of learning that employs rewards and punishments for behavior, where behaviors are strengthened or weakened based on the consequences.

12. Sociocultural Theory

Focuses on how social interactions and cultural contexts influence cognitive development, emphasizing learning through guided participation.

13. Bowlby's Attachment Theory

Suggests that early relationships with caregivers play a crucial role in child development and influence emotional and social outcomes throughout life