Child Development and Developmental Theories

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering developmental psychology theorists, cognitive operations, psychosocial crises, behaviorism, parenting styles, and foundational developmental terminology.

Erickson's Psychosocial Theory

A psychoanalytic and epigenetic framework influenced by Freud, positing that human development occurs across 8 life stages where conflict and crisis resolution foster personal growth.

Trust vs. Mistrust

The first psychosocial crisis in Erikson's theory (infancy, ages 0–2), centered on establishing foundational security and trust.

Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt

Erikson's second psychosocial stage (toddlerhood), characterized by the child asserting independence ('me, I do it').

Initiative vs. Guilt

Erikson's third psychosocial stage (preschool), exemplified by active social engagement and making friends.

Industry vs. Inferiority

Erikson's fourth psychosocial stage (school age), focused on skill acquisition and achievement, such as earning good grades.

Identity vs. Role Confusion

Erikson's fifth psychosocial stage (young adulthood), centered on self-discovery, goals, and milestones such as gaining acceptance into a dream college.

Freud's Psychoanalytic Theory

A nature-based theory asserting that human behavior is shaped by past experiences and ongoing internal conflict among three personality structures: the id, ego, and superego.

Id

The unconscious component of personality in Freud's theory that operates on instinct and is continually in conflict with moral principles.

Superego

The component of personality in Freud's theory that represents an individual's internalized morals and concepts of right and wrong.

Arnold Gesell's Maturation Theory

A biological, nature-based theory outlining 6 stages of maturation, asserting that learning occurs through experience and that tasks should be postponed until a child's mind is developmentally ready.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

A five-tier motivational model proposing that human actions are driven by sequential needs: physiological, safety, love and belonging, self-esteem, and self-actualization.

Physiological Needs

The foundational first level of Maslow's hierarchy, comprising vital survival necessities: food, water, air, sleep, shelter, and care.

Safety Needs

The second level of Maslow's hierarchy, encompassing security, shelter, and stability.

Love and Belonging Needs

The third level of Maslow's hierarchy, involving social connection through relationships, family, and friends.

Self-Esteem Needs

The fourth level of Maslow's hierarchy, encompassing personal confidence, self-respect, and achievement.

Self-Actualization

The pinnacle of Maslow's hierarchy, characterized by purposeful living, creative drive, and fulfilling one's ultimate goals.

Piaget's Cognitive Theory

A 4-stage cognitive theory viewing children as 'little scientists' who actively construct understanding through hands-on activity rather than passive instruction.

Reversal

The Piagetian concept that an action or process can be undone, exemplified by drawing on an Etch A Sketch and shaking it to erase the image.

Classification

The cognitive ability to group objects into broad sets based on a shared common trait, such as grouping Lego bricks by size or number of dots.

Sorting

The cognitive process of categorizing classified items into smaller sub-groups based on similarities and differences, such as organizing by color, shape, and size.

Seriation

The cognitive ability to arrange items systematically along a quantitative dimension, such as ordering cut-out letters or numbers from smallest to largest on a number line.

Conservation

The Piagetian principle that changing the physical form or appearance of an object does not change its basic properties (amount, volume, or material), exemplified by reshaping Play-Doh.

Transformation

The cognitive understanding of an object progressing from one state to another, such as an unpopped kernel changing into popcorn.

Universal Grammar

Noam Chomsky's cognitive, nature-based theory asserting that humans possess innate biological 'brain translators' designed for acquiring language.

Gardner's Multiple Intelligences

A cognitive and epigenetic perspective emphasizing that distinct learners possess different cognitive learning pathways.

Maria Montessori's Method

A cognitive, nurture-oriented educational approach based on trial-and-error discovery and hands-on learning experiences.

Pavlov's Classical Conditioning

A nurture-based behaviorist learning process showing how cause-and-effect associations form between stimuli, famously demonstrated with dogs salivating to associated signals.

Watson's Behaviorism

A learning theory asserting that infants are blank slates whose behavior is conditioned by environmental stimuli, famously illustrated by the Little Albert experiment.

Skinner's Operant Conditioning

A behaviorist paradigm showing that behavior is shaped through consequences of reward and punishment (reinforcement), studied using pigeons, rats, and children.

Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)

Lev Vygotsky's sociocultural, cognitive concept stating that learning and cognitive growth are mediated through social interaction, mentorship, and apprenticeship.

Bandura's Social Learning Theory

A theory integrating cognitive and behaviorist concepts, proving that individuals learn by observation, modeling, and doing, as demonstrated in the Bobo doll experiment.

Kohlberg's Moral Development

A 3-stage developmental theory examining how moral reasoning evolves through pre-conventional, conventional, and post-conventional thinking.

Authoritative Parenting

Diana Baumrind's parenting style characterized by warmth, firm boundaries, and being the most rational approach to guidance.

Authoritarian Parenting

Diana Baumrind's 'military style' parenting approach that relies on strict obedience and harsh discipline where the crime does not fit the punishment.

Permissive Parenting

Diana Baumrind's relaxed, overly lenient parenting style where parents lack clear boundaries and unpredictable reactions may occur.

Learning Theory

A developmental theory that emphasizes the sequences and processes of conditioning.

Response

An instinctive or learned behavior that is elicited by a specific stimulus.

Nature

All the genetic and hereditary influences that shape human development.

Nurture

All the environmental and non-genetic influences that affect human development.

Eclectic Perspective

A developmental perspective that selectively accepts and integrates useful elements from multiple theories.

Emergent Theory

A type of theory that brings together findings and information from many disciplines into a comprehensive model of development.

Mini-theory

A specialized developmental theory that focuses strictly on a specific, delimited area of human growth.

Epigenetic Systems Theory

A developmental approach emphasizing the continuous, reciprocal interaction of genetic (nature) and environmental (nurture) factors.

Reinforcement

The process by which the pleasant or unpleasant consequences of a behavior make that behavior more likely to recur.

Grand Theory

A traditional, comprehensive developmental theory that has ultimately proven inadequate in explaining the full range of human development.

Psychoanalytic Theory

A grand theory of personality and developmental psychology that emphasizes the profound influence of unconscious forces and internal drives.

Ethology

The study of animal and human behavior as it relates directly to the evolution and survival of a species.

Modeling

The observational learning process through which an individual acquires behaviors by observing and imitating another person.