A Comparison of Theorists

A Comparison of Theorists

Introduction

Many theories have been put forward by developmental theorists. Some of them have been quite popular among the masses while others have not received much acknowledgment. One of the major sources of disagreement among developmental and educational psychologists is the idea of development being continuous or discontinuous. Some of the common stage theorists believe that development takes place in a series of steps. On the other hand, many experts believe that it is a discontinuous process and has no defined series of steps (Caprara, 2008).

The development of a child starts from birth and continues until adulthood. The basic idea behind development was ignored in the earlier stages of research. Children were regarded as smaller versions of adults and no serious attention was paid to their development. Later, many psychologists proposed their developmental theories that addressed the issues of physical growth, language, cognitive development etc. Many psychologists proposed their theories of development. Some of the most famous were theories of development proposed by Sigmund Freud and Albert Bandura.

Discussion

Psychoanalytic Theory- Sigmund Freud

Sigmund Freud proposed his theory of child development known as the Psychoanalytic theory of development. The theory was supported by many other researchers of the psychodynamic school of though. Freud had extensive experience as a clinician working with mental patients. He was a firm believer that “childhood experiences and unconscious thoughts/desires influence one's learning and behavior throughout the life of an individual”.

Sigmund Freud's Psychoanalytic theory was based on his expertise and observations and divided the development of a child in psychosexual stages. He ascertained that “conflicts arise in each stage of development- and they have an impact on the child's learning, personality and behavior” (Ricoueur, 1995).

Psychoanalytic theory was an enormously influential force during the first half of the twentieth century. Those inspired and influenced by Freud went on to expand upon Freud's ideas and develop theories of their own. Of these neo-Freudians, Erik Erikson's ideas have become perhaps the best known. Erikson's eight-stage theory of psychosocial development describes growth and change throughout the lifespan, focusing on social interaction and conflicts that arise during different stages of development.

Major Elements of the Theory

According to Sulloway (2001), Sigmund Freud believed that human cognition and behaviors are heavily affected by the underlying unconscious motives of the person. The main elements of his theory are as under:

A child's personality is comprised of three major parts i.e. Id, Ego and Super ego.

The personality of a child is formed by the persistent conflicts and experiences in childhood i.e. during different stages of psychosexual development.

The causes of behaviors always have a predetermined cause i.e. stemming from the unconscious.

Human learning and behavior is deep rooted in the person's childhood memories/experiences.

He also believed that a child's learning and motivation is primarily driven by two distinct instinctual drives: Eros (life) and Thanatos (death instinct). Also, both drives originate from the person's “Id”.

Social Learning Theory- Albert Bandura

The Social Learning Theory was proposed by Albert Bandura. It is considered to be one of the ...