Child Development Theories: Cognitive, Social-Emotional, Behavioral & Systems Approaches

What is developmental theory?

A framework for understanding how children grow and change across various domains.

What are the main domains of developmental theories?

Cognitive Development, Social-Emotional Development, Behavioral and Learning Development, and Systems Theories.

What is the focus of cognitive development theories?

How children think, learn, and understand the world.

Who proposed the four stages of cognitive development?

Jean Piaget.

What are the four stages of Piaget's cognitive development?

1. Sensorimotor (0-2 years), 2. Preoperational (2-6 years), 3. Concrete Operational (6-12 years), 4. Formal Operational (12+ years).

What is the Zone of Proximal Development?

The gap between what children can do independently and what they can do with help from an adult, as proposed by Lev Vygotsky.

What does Erik Erikson's psychosocial theory focus on?

The development of identity through eight stages, each with a psychosocial crisis to resolve.

What is attachment theory?

A theory by John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth that emphasizes the importance of early bonds between infants and caregivers.

What is classical conditioning?

A learning process where a neutral stimulus becomes associated with a reflexive response.

What are the key terms in classical conditioning?

Unconditioned Stimulus (US), Unconditioned Response (UR), Neutral Stimulus, Conditioned Stimulus (CS), Conditioned Response (CR).

What is operant conditioning?

A learning process where behavior is modified by reinforcement or punishment.

What is the difference between positive and negative reinforcement?

Positive reinforcement adds a stimulus to increase behavior, while negative reinforcement removes a stimulus to increase behavior.

What is observational learning?

Learning that occurs by observing and imitating others, as demonstrated in the Bobo Doll Study.

What is the focus of information processing theory?

Comparing the child's mind to a computer, focusing on how children develop strategies for memory and learning.

What does developmental cognitive neuroscience study?

The relationship between changes in the brain and changes in behavior or cognition with age.

What are the four systems in Bronfenbrenner's bioecological systems theory?

Microsystem, Mesosystem, Exosystem, and Macrosystem.

What does the microsystem refer to in Bronfenbrenner's theory?

The immediate environment and interactions between the child and others.

What is the mesosystem in Bronfenbrenner's theory?

The interrelationships between different microsystems.

What is the exosystem in Bronfenbrenner's theory?

Physical settings and interactions that impact the child indirectly.

What is the macrosystem in Bronfenbrenner's theory?

Cultural customs, laws, and policies that influence development.

What is the significance of the Strange Situation procedure?

It assesses attachment styles between infants and their caregivers.

What is vicarious learning?

Learning the consequences of an action by observing others.

What is an example of positive reinforcement?

Giving a child extra screen time for completing homework.

What is an example of negative punishment?

Taking away a toy when a child misbehaves.

What does the term 'conservation' refer to in cognitive development?

The understanding that quantity doesn't change even when its shape does, typically developed in the concrete operational stage.

What is egocentric thinking in the preoperational stage?

The inability to see a situation from another person's perspective.

What is the role of technology in advancing developmental theories?

Improvements in technology have facilitated research and understanding of child development processes.