This document provides a comprehensive overview and personal reflection on various developmental psychology topics. It begins with lessons learned from a documentary on the process of conception to birth, highlighting the complexity of human development. The author notes key stages, such as the bla...
Freud's Psychosexual Theory - Sigmund Freud was a controversial figure who took over the
field of psychiatry with his study of development and psychopathology until the 1950s. He
believed that a child's first few years of being cared for impacts not only their personality but
also their emotional state. His theory of self follows three components, the id, ego, and
superego, all of which are dependent on parenting in the early stages itself.
Erikson's Psychoanalytic Theory - Erik Erikson was a student of Freud, but his theory
focused on how our behavior is impacted by society's expectations. His theory was based on
ego and our conscious thoughts when determining actions. Erikson formed eight stages and
believed that as we overcome these challenges our personality starts to reveal itself more.
John Watson's Behaviorism and Learning Theory - Watson's theory was based on the
"power of classical conditioning". He believed that our emotional responses and fears are
produced in our early years through negative associations. He performed an experiment with an
18-month-old baby and the outcome proved that his theory was indeed correct.
Piaget's Constructivist Theory - Jean Piaget was a cognitive theorist who was fascinated
between the thought processes of children and how they differ from adults. He divided the
lifespan of a child and separated them into different stages starting from birth up until they
become a teenager. He based these stages on the development of their mind on their
understanding of the world through cognitive skills.
Vygotsky's Sociocultural Theory - Lev Vygotsky’s theory revolved around scaffolding. He
thought that proper guidance can internalize a child's learning. Vygotsky believed that children
can adopt cognitive skills from teachers or peers through a specific range, known as the zone of
proximal.
Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Theory - After studying Freud, Erikson, Piaget, and learning
theorists Urie Bronfenbrenner believed that they could all be enhanced by adding the dimension
of context. He built a visual model that consisted of nested systems that could possibly influence
a child; Microsystems, Mesosystems, Exosystems, Macrosystems, and Chronosystems. His
theory stated that we have to take into account the child's environment in order to understand
their individual development.
For the most part, I do agree with most of the theories but Bronfenbrenner’s theory is the one
that resonated with me the most. I believe that the environment that you are raised in has a
great impact on a child, especially from an early age.
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