1. CHAPTER 3: Understanding and Using Theories
Infant and Toddler Development and Responsive Program Planning: A Relationship-Based Approach
Third Edition
Donna S. Wittmer
Sandy Petersen
© 2014, 2010, 2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

2. What are theories?
Possible explanations of information, observations, and life experiences
Provides continuity between present and past events and ways to anticipate future events

3. Our theoretical framework
The primary importance of relationships for early development
The transactional nature of development
The effect of early experience on later development
The effect of the wider ecology on development

4. Relationship-based theory
Dimensions of relationships
Content of the interactions
Diversity of the interactions
Qualities of the interactions
Qualities that emerge from relative frequency and patterning of different types of interactions
Complementarity vs. reciprocity
Intimacy
Interpersonal perception
Commitment
(Hinde, 1992)

5. Ecobiodevelopmental theory
American Association of Pediatrics
Epigenetics -The process by which a gene is “told” whether or not to turn on (express itself).
Early experiences build the architecture of the brain.
Health, parenting, and educational supports

6. Transactional theory
“Bidirectional, reciprocal relationships between infants and their caregivers”
Infant stimulates parent through appearance or behavior
Parent attributes meaning to message
Parent reacts with some form of caregiving
(Sameroff and MacKenzie, 2003)

7. Bioecological systems theory
(Bronfenbrenner, 2002)

8. Theories of emotional development
A sense of self and relationship with others
Psychosocial development
The hierarchy of human needs
Separation and individuation
Attachment theory

9. Theory of psychosocial development
Erik Erikson
8 age-related stages
Each stage’s unique biological, social and cognitive needs evoke a developmental crisis or conflict that requires resolution

10. Erikson’s psychosocial conflicts
Age range
Basic conflicts
Birth- 18 months
Trust vs. mistrust
18 months – 3 years
Autonomy vs. doubt, shame
3 to 6 years
Initiative vs. guilt
6 – 12 years
Industry vs. inferiority
Adolescence
Identity vs. role confusion
Young adulthood
Intimacy vs. isolation
Middle age
Generativity vs. stagnation
Old age
Integrity vs. despair

11. Hierarchy of human needs Abraham Maslow

12. Described in more detail in Chapter 6.
Attachment theory
John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth
Children use the relationship with an adult in order to feel safe and explore and learn.
Described in more detail in Chapter 6.

13. Interpersonal development theory
Daniel Stern offers a theory of emotional development.
An experience of being occurs with a sense of:
Self-agency (an ability to make things happen)
Self-coherence (sense of being a complete entity
Sense of continuity
Being with others

14. Theories of cognitive development
Learning about the world
Constructivist theory
Sociocultural theory
Core knowledge theory

15. Constructivist theory Jean Piaget
Schemas – mental structures of current understanding of the world.
Assimilation – using existing schemas to understand new experiences
Accommodation – creating new schemas when existing ones fail to explain the information
Equilibrium – schema and information are in balance
Disequilibrium – schema are not adequate for the information

16. Piaget’s Stages of cognitive development
Sensorimotor (Birth – 2 years)
Motor actions for exploration
Preoperational ( 3 – 7 years)
Use of symbols – language/ pretend play
Magical thinking
Concrete operations (7 – 10 years)
Logical understanding about concrete things
Operational thinking (Early adolescence)
Abstractions, theoretical thinking

17. Substages of sensorimotor development

18. Lev Vygotsky Sociocultural theory
Adult partner provides just enough help and information for child to solve problems independently.
Zone of proximal development
Scaffolding
Role of culture in learning

19. Elizabeth Spelke Core knowledge theory
Humans have evolved with inborn systems or brain structures ready to learn about those things necessary to survival.
Objects
Agents
Number
Geography

20. Theories of language development
Kuhl’s Perceptual Mapping Model
Infants are able to figure out –or compute- the structure of language
Social Interaction Theory
The social environment interacts with biology to influence language development

21. A theory of motor development: Learning to move to move
Karen Adolph
overcome gravity, have the strength to support her own weight, and balance and coordinate body parts.
readjust to constantly changing skills, size, and environments

22. Applying theories to programs
Child development
Relationship-based