Summary PYC4805 - Developmental Psychology

Theorists have a certain point of view or take a certain stand on the basic issues underlying child development. Berk (2006) refers to the following issues: • What is the course of development (continuous/discontinuous)? • Is development characterised by both universal and unique individual features (one course of development or many)? • What factors determine development (nature/nurture)? Determine, discuss and evaluate the point of view with regard to these issues Underlying child development of Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory AND the Information-Processing approach. Definition of concepts: Continuous development: a process of gradually adding more of the same type of skills that were there to begin with. Discontinuous development: a process in which new ways of understanding and responding to the world emerge at specific times. Thus the child moves through a series of developmental steps until he reaches the highest level of functioning. Theories that accept the discontinuous perspective, regard development as taking place in stages – qualitative changes in thinking, feeling, and behaving that characterize specific periods of development. One course of development or many? Stage theorists assume that people everywhere follow the same sequence of development at the same time; the field of child development is becoming increasingly aware that children grow up in distinct contexts, or unique combinations of genetic and environmental circumstances that can result in different paths of change. Relative influence of nature / nurture? Each theory takes a stand on a major question of underlying causes: are genetic or environmental factors more important in influencing development (NATURE / NURTURE controversy)