Classic
Theories (Ch. 2):
Note:
You should be able to describe and evaluate each
theory/theoretical approach and compare/contrast with
other approaches
theoretical world views (organismic, mechanistic, contextual)
Freud (psychoanalytic, psychosexual):
- position on developmental
issues
- id, ego, superego
- unconscious motivations/
role of sexual energy, internal conflict
- role of early experience
- oral, anal, phallic,
genital stages
- Oedipus (Electra) complex
and development of superego and sex roles
- contributions/criticisms of
theory
Erikson (psychoanalytic, psychosocial):
- position on developmental
issues
- focus on social world/ ego
development
- differences between Freud
and Erikson
- contributions/criticisms of
theory
- stages (trust vs. mistrust
through identity vs. identity diffusion)
Strict behaviorist approach/Learning Theory:
- Watson and
environmental determinism
- classical conditioning
- importance of observable
behavior
- how learning
occurs (exposure, classical conditioning, operant conditioning)
- Skinner (operant
conditioning, positive and negative reinforcement, punishment, behavior
modification)
- contributions/criticisms of theory
Social Learning Theory
(Bandura)
- importance of observational
learning
- method/results of classic
1965 (bobo doll) experiment ( box 2.1)
- role of
self-reinforcement/self-standards
- role of cognitive abilities
- processes which guide
observational learning (e.g., cognitive factors, deferred imitation,
verbal mediators)
- reciprocal determinism (be
able to apply) vs. environmental determinism
- evaluation
(contributions/criticisms) of theory and compare with behaviorist approach
Cognitive-developmental approach (Piaget)
(see
discussion questions
on Piaget)
Recent
Perspectives (Ch.3):
Note: you should be able to compare/contrast and evaluate
these theories (see table 3-3)
Ethological
approach
- assumptions (e.g., adaptation and
survival value of particular behaviors)
- examples: dominance hierarchies + attachment
- methodology (e.g., naturalistic observation/ethogram and deprivation
studies)
- critical/sensitive periods
- comparison
with other approaches
Behavior-genetics:
- genotype/phenotype
- family studies
(adoption/twin studies) and what designed to demonstrate
- heritability estimates,
concordance rates
- contributions of, and problems with, approach (box
3.2)
- types of gene/environment interactions (passive, evocative,
active)
Bronfenbrenner (bioecological systems theory)
- interactions between person,
process, context
- micro-, meso-, exo-,
macrosystems, chronosystem (be able to give and identify examples)
- role of family in
development
- proximal processes
- contributions/criticisms of
theory
Vygotsky (sociocultural/cognitive):
- role of culture and social
interaction in development
- collaborative learning
- differences between Piaget and Vygotsky
-
intersubjectivity, zone of proximal development
- relation between social and cognitive development
- contributions/criticisms of
theory
Social information processing theory:
- assumptions of theory
- Attribution/interpretations
influencing behavior
- social problem solving
- Guerra
& Slaby study as example of SIP
- contributions/criticisms of
theory
Emotional
Development – Ch. 4
Life's First Feelings Video guiding questions
definition of emotion/role
of emotion
emotional and social competence
(define and give examples)
functions of early emotions
developmental progression of appearance of discrete emotions
discrete
emotions theory vs. functionalist approach
basic (primary)
emotions vs. secondary (self-conscious) emotions
cognitive
milestones associated with the development of secondary emotions
emotion regulation (strategies and individual differences and role of parents)
cognitive component of emotions (secondary/social emotions, emotion display
rules, emotion understanding, social referencing)
early fears and
how they might develop (Campos and fear of heights studies)
separation
anxiety and stranger anxiety and theoretical explanations for them
emotional
competence (factors included in this construct)
emotion understanding, developmental changes in emotion
understanding.
temperament
- components of temperament (e.g.,
activity level)
- stability/heritability of temperament
- Thomas and Chess model (easy etc.)
- temperament and developmental outcome
- goodness of fit and role of environment, parenting
(Belsky study)
- problems with measurement of temperament (e.g., bias)
- temperament as a predictor of later adjustment
- Kochanska - temperament
and moral development
SHORT ESSAY
One of the following
essay questions will be on the exam.
1. Compare
and contrast TWO of the following broad theories covered in class:
Social
Learning
Theory (Bandura)
Social Information
Processing
Cognitive-developmental
(Piaget)
BioEcological
(Bronfenbrenner)
Discuss
the theories in terms of:
-
general
assumptions about social-emotional development, including each
theory's position on the basic controversies of development
(nature/nurture, passive/active, continuity/discontinuity)
-
how each
theory
would be translated into teaching or parenting practice.
-
the contributions and
criticisms of each theory (at least one of each)
2. Consider
three
different theoretical views of the
environment: a (strict) behaviorist
approach (Watson/Skinner), Social
Learning Theory (Bandura),
and an ecological approach (Bronfenbrenner). Contrast these three
theories in terms of ( a) how environment is defined and (b) how
environment influences development. Which do you think best describes
the role that environment plays in children's development - and why (support
your answer!)?
3.
Discuss the role that cognition plays in emotional development.
Specifically, what role does the achievement of certain cognitive milestones
mean for the expression of emotion? Provide additional examples that illustrate
the contribution of cognition and socialization in early emotional development?
