1. Child Development Theories
Human Growth and Development NUR 311
Child Development Theories
Lecture 3

2. What is a theory?
A theory should allow us to predict and explain human behavior
Different theorists place different emphasis on the genetic, environmental or interactive influences on development

3. TYPES OF THEORIES Psychological Theories Social Cultural Theories
Freudian Psychoanalytic theory
Erikson psychosocial theory
Piaget Cognitive Development
Social Cultural Theories
Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory
Bandura’s Social Cognitive Model
Humanistic Theories
Abraham Maslow
Carl Rogers: Client-Centered Theory

4. Psychological Theories
Freudian Psychoanalytic Theory
Erikson Psychosocial Theory
Piaget Cognitive Development

5. Freud’s Psychoanalytic Theory
Personality has 3 Structures of id, ego, superego
Structures
Definition id
Is the part of one’s nature that reflects basic or innate desires such as pleasure-seeking behavior and aggression
Superego
Is the part of a person’s nature that reflects moral and ethical concepts, values, and parental and social expectations
ego
Is the balancing or mediating force between the id and the superego

6. Freudian Stages Five stages—Oral, Anal, Phallic, Latency, Genital
Birth to 1½ yrs
1½ to 3 yrs
3 to 6 years
6 yrs to puberty
Puberty onward
Oral Stage
Infant’s
pleasure
centers on
mouth
Anal Stage
Child’s
pleasure
focuses on
anus
Phallic
Stage
Child’s
pleasure
focuses on
genitals
Latency
Stage
Child
represses
sexual
interest
and develops
social and
intellectual
skills
Genital
Stage
A time of
sexual
Reawakening

7. Erikson’s Stages Developmental Period
Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory:
There are 8 stages
Each has a unique developmental task
Erikson’s Stages
Developmental Period
Trust vs Mistrust
Infant
Autonomy vs shame & doubt
Toddler
Initiative vs guilt
Preschool
Industry vs inferiority
School age
Identity vs identity confusion
Adolescence
Intimacy vs isolation
Early adulthood
Generativity vs stagnation
Middle adulthood
Integrity vs despair
Late adulthood

8. Piaget Cognitive theories: Four Stages of Cognitive Development
Sensorimotor Stage:
The infant constructs an understanding of the world
by coordinating sensory experiences with physical
actions.
Birth to 2 years of age
Preoperational Stage:
The child begins to represent the world with words
and images. These words and images reflect
increased symbolic thinking.
2 to 6 years of age
Concrete Operational Stage:
The child can now reason logically about concrete
events and classify objects into different sets.
6 to 12 years of age
12–15 years of age
Formal Operational Stage
The adolescent reasons in more abstract idealistic
and logical ways.

9. Social Cultural Theories
Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory
Bandura’s Social Cognitive Model

10. Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory
Learning is based upon inventions of society
Knowledge is created through interactions with other people and objects in the culture
Less skilled persons learn from the more skilled

11. Bandura’s Social Cognitive Model
Behavior
Person
(cognitive)
Environment
Figure 2.4

12. Child imitates behavior
Bandura’s Modeling/Imitation
Child
observes someone
admired
Child imitates behavior
that seems rewarded

13. Humanistic Theories
Abraham Maslow
Carl Rogers: Client-Centered Theory

14. Humanistic Theories
Abraham Maslow studied the needs or motivations of the individual
Carl Rogers: Client-Centered Theory
Carl Rogers focused on the therapeutic relationship and developed a new method of client centered therapy. Rogers was one of the first to use the term “client” rather than “patient.” Client centered therapy focused on the role of the client, rather than the therapist, as the key to the healing process