Description
This book is written primarily for psychology and education students whose programs include a course in child psychology,
child development, or theories of development. The text may also be used to supplement courses on child development
organized thematically or chronologically. Instructors of graduate courses in child development may wish to consider this text
as a primary synthesis containing more source material and source citations than others of its kind.
The primary aim of the book is to describe what developmental theories are, what they can do, where they come from, how
they work, and how they can be used to explain human nature.
Table of Contents
PART I PRELIMINARY CONSIDERATIONS
Chapter 1 Theories as Windows for Looking to See
Preview questions
Why do we study theories?
What is a theory?
Windows for looking to see
Theory Definition
Structural components of developmental theories
Assumptions
Explaining human phenomena
Internal principles
Bridge principles
Change mechanism
Limitations of developmental theories
Families and Paradigms of developmental theories
Paradigms and paradigm "cases" in developmental psychology
Philosophical antecedents of developmental theories
The big picture: Paradigms in perspective
Summary points
Suggested readings
Chapter 2 Evaluating Developmental Theories
Preview questions
Evaluating theories of human development
Values of scientific worthiness
Developmental adequacy
Pedagogical usefulness
Important paradigm patterns
Summary points
Suggested readings
PART II THE ENDOGENOUS PARADIGM
Chapter 3 Freud and Psychoanalysis
Preview questions
Historical sketch
Structural components of psychoanalysis
assumptions
problems for study
internal principles
bridge principles
change mechanism
Explaining human development: the research
disorders and psychodynamic treatment
personality types
the Oedipal complex
dreams
looking ahead
Contributions and criticisms of psychoanalysis
contributions
criticisms
Evaluation of psychoanalysis
scientific worthiness
developmental adequacy
pedagogical usefulness
Summary points
Problems and exercises
class exercises
individual exercises
Suggested Readings
more about Freud and his theory
reviews of research
critical reviews
Chapter 4 Erikson and Psychosocial Theory
Preview questions
Historical sketch
Structural components of psychosocial theory
assumptions
problems for study
internal principles
bridge principles
change mechanism
Explaining human development: the research
indirect research on infants and children
child rearing
adolescent identity
cultural context
adulthood and aging
Contributions and criticisms of psychosocial theory
contributions
criticisms
Evaluation of psychosocial theory
scientific worthiness
developmental adequacy
pedagogical usefulness
Summary points
Problems and exercises
Suggested Readings
more about the theory
research reviews
critical reviews
Chapter 5 Wilson and Sociobiology
Preview questions
Historical sketch
The legacy of Darwin
Edward O. Wilson and the roots of sociobiology
Structural components of sociobiology
assumptions
problems for study
internal principles
bridge principles
change mechanism
Explaining human development: the research
Aggression and dominance hierarchies
Kinship systems and nomenclature
Altruism
Language
Status hierarchies
Contributions and criticisms of sociobiology
Contributions
Criticisms
Evaluation of sociobiology
scientific worthiness
developmental adequacy
pedagogical usefulness
Summary points
Problems and exercises
class exercises
individual exercises
Suggested Readings
more about the theory
research reviews
critical reviews
Chapter 6 Ainsworth and Infant Attachment
Preview questions
Historical sketch
from past roots, a new view of infancy
John Bowlby and the birth of attachment theory
Harry Harlow and surrogate mothering
Mary Ainsworth: attachment types and the secure base
Structural components of attachment theory
assumptions
problems for study
internal principles
bridge principles
change mechanism
Explaining human development: the research
caretaker qualities
infant experiences
attachment and mental development
attachments later in life
Contributions and criticisms of attachment theory
contributions
criticisms
Evaluation of attachment theory
scientific worthiness
developmental adequacy
pedagogical usefulness
Summary points
Problems and exercises
Suggested Readings
more about the theory
research reviews
critical reviews
PART III THE EXOGENOUS PARADIGM
Chapter 7 Skinner and Operant Conditioning
Preview questions
Historical sketch
growing up and into psychology
behaviorism
the legacy of Ivan Pavlov
roots of American behaviorism
operant conditioning
Structural components of operant conditioning
assumptions
problems for study
internal principles
bridge principles
change mechanism
Explaining human development: the research
discrimination learning
group contingencies
learned helplessness
metaanalyses
Contributions and criticisms of operant conditioning
contributions
criticisms
Evaluation of operant conditioning
scientific worthiness
developmental adequacy
pedagogical usefulness
Summary points
Problems and exercises
Suggested Readings
more about the theory
research reviews
critical reviews
Chapter 8 Bandura and Social Cognitive Theory
Preview questions
Historical sketch
personal biography
extending Skinner’s legacy
Structural components of social cognitive theory
assumptions
problems for study
internal principles
bridge principles
change mechanism
Explaining human development: the research
aggression
altruism
sex roles
self-efficacy
social cognitive theory and neuroscience
Contributions and criticisms of social cognitive theory
contributions
criticisms
Evaluation of social cognitive theory
scientific worthiness
developmental adequacy
pedagogical usefulness
Summary points
Problems and exercises
Suggested Readings
more about the theory
research reviews
critical reviews
Chapter 9 Vygotsky and Cultural-historical Theory
Preview questions
Historical sketch
Structural components of cultural-historical theory
assumptions
problems for study
internal principles
bridge principles
change mechanism
Explaining human development: the research
egocentric speech
zone of proximal development
other empirical research
Contributions and criticisms cultural-historical theory
contributions
criticisms
Evaluation of cultural-historical theory
scientific worthiness
developmental adequacy
pedagogical usefulness
Summary points
Problems and exercises
Suggested Readings
more about the toeory
critical reviews
PART IV THE CONSTRUCTIVIST PARADIGM
Chapter 10 Piaget and Cognitivedevelopmental Theory
Preview questions
Historical sketch
an intellectual start
the stimulus of Kant
Spencer’s principles of psychology
Heinz Werner and John Flavell
Structural components of cognitive-developmental theory
assumptions
problems for study
internal principles
bridge principles
change mechanism
Explaining human development: the research
sensorimotor stage
concrete operational stage
formal operational stage
other validation studies
Contributions and criticisms of cognitive-developmental theory
Evaluation of cognitive-developmental theory
scientific worthiness
developmental adequacy
pedagogical usefulness
Summary points
Problems and exercises
Suggested Readings
Chapter 11 Kohlberg and Moral Development
Preview questions
Historical sketch
early life
from Piagetian roots
Structural components of moral development theory
assumptions
problems for study
internal principles
bridge principles
change mechanism
Explaining human development: the research
stage sequence
cognitive and perspective-taking development
type A and type B distinction
promoting moral development
Contributions and criticisms of moral development theory
contributions
criticisms
Evaluation of moral development theory
scientific worthiness
developmental adequacy
pedagogical usefulness
Summary points
Problems and exercises
Suggested Readings
Chapter 12 The Neo-Piagetians
Preview Questions
Historical Context
Robbie Case and conceptual structure
Biographical sketch
Structural components of Case’s theory
Juan Pascual-Leone and M-capacity
Biographical sketch
Structural components of Pascual-Leone’s theory
Kurt Fisher and dynamic skill theory
Biological sketch
Structural components of Fischer’s theory
Evaluation of the neo-Piagetians
Scientific worthiness
Developmental adequacy
Pedagogical usefulness
Summary points
Suggested Readings
PART V -- SUMMING UP
Chapter 13 Are Theories Compatible?
Preview questions
The case for theoretical eclecticism
The case for theoretical purity: theory incompatibility
Can the eclectic – purist debate be resolved?
Final Comments
Summary
Suggested readings
References
Subject Index
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Theories of Human Development: A Comparative Approach, CourseSmart eTextbook, 2nd Edition
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