Developmental Theories

The Relationship between and Research What is a theory?

An explanationSuggests what, how, or whyIn development, it explains

changein us over time

A guideline for researchHelps us understand research

It is not a fact.

Theories of Motivation

Psychodynamic Theories

Freud’s Psychosexual Theory: Background Freud: (b.1856-

d.1939) Hysteria “talking cure” early childhood Mental illness

and reality

Defense Mechanisms Repression Regression Rationalization Denial Sublimation Displacement Projection Reaction

Formation

Freud’s Parts of the Self

Id Ego Superego

Psychosexual Development

Oral Stage Anal Stage Phallic Stage Latency Stage Genital Stage

Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory

Student of Freud’s

Emphasized the Ego

Father of Developmental Psychology

Erikson’s First Four Stages

Trust vs. Mistrust (infancy)

Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt (toddlers)

Initiative vs. Guilt (early childhood)

Industry vs. Inferiority (middle childhood)

Erikson’s Last Four Stages Identity vs. Role

Confusion (teens) Intimacy vs.

Isolation (early adulthood)

Generativity vs. Stagnation (midlife adults)

Integrity vs. Despair (late adults)

Test Yourself Who is the father of developmental

psychology? According to Freud, which part of

the self are we born with? At what age do we establish a basic

sense of trust, per Erikson? Name and describe one defense

mechanism. When does the ego develop? How would you test Freudian

concepts?

Learning Theories

Focus on how we learn and emphasizes behaviors that can be seen rather than internal motivation

Classical Conditioning Ivan Pavlov Learning through

association Feelings or

emotions Gut level reactions

of the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems

Pavlov’s DogsOne of Pavlov’s Dogs(Robert K. Lawton)

Classical Conditioning Terms

Before conditioning Unconditioned stimulus Unconditioned response

After conditioning Conditioned stimulus Conditioned response

WHO CARES ABOUT PAVLOV’S DOGS?

Watson and Behaviorism Watson built on

Pavlov’s work Parenting

expert in the 1920s

Kids can be taught to love or hate anything!

Little Albert

Who Else Cares?

ADVERTIZERS

Operant Conditioning Why repeat

actions? Law of Effect Reinforcement

not criticism

Reinforcers

Reinforcer defined Intrinsic or primary reinforcers Extrinsic or secondary

reinforcers

Primary or Secondary?

Food College Degree

Money

Big House Hug Car

Job Compliment Award

Positive Reinforcers

Adding An example? How do you positively

reinforce others?

Negative Reinforcers

Subtraction An example? How do you negatively

reinforce others?

Punishment

Stopping behavior Less effective than reinforcers. Suppresses rather than stops Doesn’t indicate desired

behavior. Leads to a focus on mistakes.

SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY

Social Learning Theory

Learn from others without conditioning

Modeling Albert Bandura and the Bobo

Doll Experiment on Aggression

How did you learn?

To kiss? To drive? To be afraid of the dark? To do your job?

Cognitive Theories

How thinking changes over time

Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development “father of

cognitive psychology”

how children think and reason

Maturation

Piaget’s Principles: Equilibrium

Cognitive Equilibrium:

A balance between what we see and what we know

Piaget’s Principles: Schema

Schema: Mental box containing a concept

Piaget’s Principles: Assimilation

Assimilation:

Similarity between what we see and what we already know

Piaget’s Principles: Accommodation

Accommodation:

Changing our mind to adjust to new people, objects, experiences, etc.

Piaget’s Stages of Cognitive Development Sensorimotor (birth to 2) Preoperational (early childhood) Concrete operational (middle

childhood) Formal Operational (adolescence or

adulthood)

Sociocultural Theory: Vygotsky Cognitive

abilities change with guidance

Scaffolding Zone of

Proximal Development: potential

Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Model

A focus on context

The Ecological Systems Model Microsystems Mesosystems Exosystems Macrosystems Chronosystems