The following theorists have had a major impact in the world of development. Each has contributed valuable ideas and findings, some of which are still used today. The theorists are divided into four groups based on the kind of work they did.
Psychoanalysts
Sigmund Freud
Sigmund Freud was from Vienna and was born in 1856 and lived until 1939. He developed the idea of the unconscious mind which he said contains unaware thoughts and feelings. He also created the idea of free association. This is the thinking of anything that comes to mind in relation to a dream or other thought to reveal contents of the unconscious mind. Sigmund Freud also created psychosexual stages which he split into six parts. The oral stage, anal stage,phallic stage, latency stage, and genital stage.
Sigmund Freud was from Vienna and was born in 1856 and lived until 1939. He developed the idea of the unconscious mind which he said contains unaware thoughts and feelings. He also created the idea of free association. This is the thinking of anything that comes to mind in relation to a dream or other thought to reveal contents of the unconscious mind. Sigmund Freud also created psychosexual stages which he split into six parts. The oral stage, anal stage,phallic stage, latency stage, and genital stage.
Erik Erikson
Born in 1902 near Frankfort, Germany Erikson claimed that humans developed in eight psychosocial stages. Trust vs. mistrust, autonomy vs. shame and doubt, initiative vs. guilt, industry vs. inferiority, identity vs. identity confusion, intimacy vs. isolation, generativity vs. stagnation, and integrity vs. despair. Social experiences are the root of each stage. At each age he believed that there is a central conflict to be resolved and the way in which we resolve that conflict lays the groundwork for the next stages of our development.
Born in 1902 near Frankfort, Germany Erikson claimed that humans developed in eight psychosocial stages. Trust vs. mistrust, autonomy vs. shame and doubt, initiative vs. guilt, industry vs. inferiority, identity vs. identity confusion, intimacy vs. isolation, generativity vs. stagnation, and integrity vs. despair. Social experiences are the root of each stage. At each age he believed that there is a central conflict to be resolved and the way in which we resolve that conflict lays the groundwork for the next stages of our development.
Behaviorists
John B. Watson
Behaviorism, the theory developed by him himself is based on principles of classical and operant conditioning. “Focuses on environmental control of observable behavior” He stated that our abilities and personalities are determined by the environment. Watson believed that individuals are born with a blank slate. Environmental experiences draw upon this slate. According to Watson, we learn by classical conditioning. This is "the process by which a stimulus that naturally evokes a certain response is paired repeatedly with a neutral stimulus. Eventually the neutral stimulus becomes the conditioned stimulus and evokes the same response, now called the conditioned response." Watson's most famous experiment is on Little Albert, who was conditioned to be afraid of white rats. His fear eventually generalized to other white, furry objects.
Behaviorism, the theory developed by him himself is based on principles of classical and operant conditioning. “Focuses on environmental control of observable behavior” He stated that our abilities and personalities are determined by the environment. Watson believed that individuals are born with a blank slate. Environmental experiences draw upon this slate. According to Watson, we learn by classical conditioning. This is "the process by which a stimulus that naturally evokes a certain response is paired repeatedly with a neutral stimulus. Eventually the neutral stimulus becomes the conditioned stimulus and evokes the same response, now called the conditioned response." Watson's most famous experiment is on Little Albert, who was conditioned to be afraid of white rats. His fear eventually generalized to other white, furry objects.
B.F. Skinner
Born on March 20, 1904 in Pennsylvania and died August 18, 1990 in Massachusetts. He created the idea of operant conditioning: the process that happens when the response that follows a behavior causes that behavior to happen more. He also created the idea of reinforcement: a response to a behavior that causes that behavior to happen more. Also the idea of negative Reinforcement- removal of unpleasant stimulus and punishment is used to reduce a behavior. He also believed that you could shape behavior by gradual reinforcement of similar behaviors until the desired behavior is reached.
Born on March 20, 1904 in Pennsylvania and died August 18, 1990 in Massachusetts. He created the idea of operant conditioning: the process that happens when the response that follows a behavior causes that behavior to happen more. He also created the idea of reinforcement: a response to a behavior that causes that behavior to happen more. Also the idea of negative Reinforcement- removal of unpleasant stimulus and punishment is used to reduce a behavior. He also believed that you could shape behavior by gradual reinforcement of similar behaviors until the desired behavior is reached.
Albert Bandura
Born in 1925 in Mundare, Canada. Started out with classical and operant conditioning then added learning through imitation. He is well known for his Bobo Doll experiment in which he stated that to learn anything, one must pay attention and reproduce observed behavior. The motivation to do so comes from past reinforcement (or punishment) or promised reinforcement (or punishment).
Born in 1925 in Mundare, Canada. Started out with classical and operant conditioning then added learning through imitation. He is well known for his Bobo Doll experiment in which he stated that to learn anything, one must pay attention and reproduce observed behavior. The motivation to do so comes from past reinforcement (or punishment) or promised reinforcement (or punishment).
Cognitition
Jean Piaget
Born in 1896 in Switzerland, Piaget was a scientist who studied child development. He thought that the environment was something we were constantly adapting to. He was well known for his development of the idea of schemas, assimilation vs. accommodation, equilibriation, and constructivism. He created four stages of development sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operations, and formal operations.
Born in 1896 in Switzerland, Piaget was a scientist who studied child development. He thought that the environment was something we were constantly adapting to. He was well known for his development of the idea of schemas, assimilation vs. accommodation, equilibriation, and constructivism. He created four stages of development sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operations, and formal operations.
Lev Vygotsky1896-1934 A Russian psychologist named Lev Vogtsky, emphasized the importance of the social world and of the culture in promoting cognitive growth. He is responsible for developing the zone of proximal development. This is what a child cannot do on her own but can do with a little help from someone more skilled or knowledgeable. He also believed in scaffolding, or the idea that more knowledgeable adults and children support a child's learning by providing help to move the child just beyond his current level of capability. Both of these ideas have been used to help teachers promote active learning.
David Rumelhart and Information Processing
David Rumelhart's main contribution is the thought that prior knowledge is important An example of this is when one word is said, what is one other word that first comes to mind? Information processing is done in two ways sensory memory- as information comes in through our senses, it is retained for a little time in the raw form, then comes short term or working memory- limited capacity, information can be retained for only a brief time unless the information is processed. Long term- thought to be capable of permanent storage
David Rumelhart's main contribution is the thought that prior knowledge is important An example of this is when one word is said, what is one other word that first comes to mind? Information processing is done in two ways sensory memory- as information comes in through our senses, it is retained for a little time in the raw form, then comes short term or working memory- limited capacity, information can be retained for only a brief time unless the information is processed. Long term- thought to be capable of permanent storage
Educator focus
Abraham Maslow
Abraham Maslow was born in Brooklyn, NY in 1908 and he died in 1934 due to a heart attack. He developed the Hierarchy of Needs. He stated that in order to be truly happy and reach self actualization, one must achieve each of the 5 levels of needs. He considered the idea of self-actualization which is defined as the ultimate level of self fulfillment and happiness. This is said to be the unconscious force that drives each person to fulfill each level of need 1. Biological and Physiological needs - air, food, drink, shelter, warmth, sex, sleep. 2. Safety needs - protection from elements, security, order, law, limits, stability. 3. Social Needs - Belongingness and Love, - work group, family, affection, relationships. 4. Esteem needs - self-esteem, achievement, mastery, independence, status, dominance, prestige, managerial responsibility. 5. Self-Actualization needs - realizing personal potential, self-fulfillment, seeking personal growth and peak experiences.
Abraham Maslow was born in Brooklyn, NY in 1908 and he died in 1934 due to a heart attack. He developed the Hierarchy of Needs. He stated that in order to be truly happy and reach self actualization, one must achieve each of the 5 levels of needs. He considered the idea of self-actualization which is defined as the ultimate level of self fulfillment and happiness. This is said to be the unconscious force that drives each person to fulfill each level of need 1. Biological and Physiological needs - air, food, drink, shelter, warmth, sex, sleep. 2. Safety needs - protection from elements, security, order, law, limits, stability. 3. Social Needs - Belongingness and Love, - work group, family, affection, relationships. 4. Esteem needs - self-esteem, achievement, mastery, independence, status, dominance, prestige, managerial responsibility. 5. Self-Actualization needs - realizing personal potential, self-fulfillment, seeking personal growth and peak experiences.
Urie Bronfenbrenner
Urie Bronfenbrenner was born April 29,1917 in Russia. He developed the ecological systems theory to explain how everything in a child and the child’s environment affects how a child grows and develops. Microsystem-Small, immediate environment that a child lives in this includes family, caregivers, daycare, or school. The more nurtured a child is when younger the better off the child is as he or she grows up. They learn how to interact with others and typical appropriate behavior (or not). Mesosystem-How different parts of the microsystem interact.Helps ensure child’s overall growth. Exosystem-People and places that the child might not directly interact with but still affects their growth. Macrosystem- All other factors that could influence a child positively or negatively. Helped to establish Head Start Program-provides early childhood education, health, nutrition, and parent involvement services to low-income children and their families
Urie Bronfenbrenner was born April 29,1917 in Russia. He developed the ecological systems theory to explain how everything in a child and the child’s environment affects how a child grows and develops. Microsystem-Small, immediate environment that a child lives in this includes family, caregivers, daycare, or school. The more nurtured a child is when younger the better off the child is as he or she grows up. They learn how to interact with others and typical appropriate behavior (or not). Mesosystem-How different parts of the microsystem interact.Helps ensure child’s overall growth. Exosystem-People and places that the child might not directly interact with but still affects their growth. Macrosystem- All other factors that could influence a child positively or negatively. Helped to establish Head Start Program-provides early childhood education, health, nutrition, and parent involvement services to low-income children and their families