I.  Biological perspectives

A.     Ethology

1.  Assumptions

 

 

 

 

2.  As applied to human development

 - -  innate behaviors as well as a predisposition to learn particular things

 - -  behavior is adaptive and ensures survival

 - - early experience important - critical (sensitive) periods  

 --  methodology, e.g.,  

-- ethogram    

-- deprivation study  

          3.  Examples:

• Attachment - Bowlby  

• Peer relations  - Dominance hierarchies 

4.      Evaluation

B.     Behavior-genetics

1.  Assumptions

2. Methodology

·   family studies (twin study, adoption study)    

3. Estimates of genetic contribution  

-  Concordance rates

 

 

 

 

- Heritability coefficients

 

 

 

 

 

   4.  Problems with behavior-genetics approach

 

 

 

C.  Gene/Environment Interactions (Scarr & McCartney, 1983)

1. Passive

2. Evocative 

3. Active/niche-picking

 

  4.   A developmental perspective

    

 

 

II. Bronfenbrenner - Bio-Ecological approach

 A.   Importance of person, process and context

 

 

 

           B.  Series of nested systems  

·        Microsystem  

·        Mesosystem  

·        Exosystem  

·        Macrosystem  

 

 

           

C.   Family as context

 

 

 

 

 

D. Natural experiments

 

 

 

 E. Role of biology and proximal processes

 

 

III. Cognitive Perspectives

A.  Vygotsky

1. Assumptions

2 . Differences between Vygotsky and Piaget

·        the role of play  

·        the role of language (as our social tool)  

·        the role of adults/peers  

      3.  Processes

• thinking influences social behavior

2. Example: Guerra & Slaby

 

 

 

 

3. Evaluation