1. Child Development Principles and Theories
Chapter 4
Child Development
Principles and Theories

2. Child Development Development: change or growth in children
Infants: children from birth through the first year
Toddlers: children from age one up to the third birthday
Preschooler: children ages three to six years

3. Areas of Development
Physical development: physical body changes that occur in a relatively stable, predictable sequence
Gross-motor development: improvement of skills using the large muscles in the legs and arms
Fine-motor development: improvement of small muscles of the hands and fingers
Cognitive development: mental processes used to gain knowledge

4. Areas of Development
Social-emotional development: two areas grouped together
Social development: learning to relate to others
Emotional development: refining feelings and expression of feelings

5. Principles of Development
Cephalocaudal principle: development proceeds from the head downward
Proximodistal principle: development proceeds from the center outward
Maturation: sequence of biological changes in a child

6. Discussion
Which is more important for the developing brain—heredity or the environment in which the child grows?

7. Brain Development Neurons: specialized nerve cells
Synapses: connections or links between the neurons
Brain wiring occurs as new links are formed
The larger the number of synapses, the greater the number of messages that can pass through the brain

8. Brain Development
Links are a result of the child’s interaction with the world
They influence the ability of the child to
learn
solve problems
get along with others
control emotions

9. Brain Development
Plasticity is the ability of an infant’s brain to change according to stimulation.
Early care has long-lasting impact on how children develop.

10. Discussion
Identify a case from your experience or the news about a child who is being neglected. How might this lack of nurturing hurt the child?

11. Brain Development
Amount of stress created by negative experiences also affects brain development
Overstimulation—flood of sounds and sights causing stress
Body produces a steroid called cortisol
Cortisol washes over brain like an acid
Cortisol has been linked with memory problems and the ability to regulate emotion

12. Windows of Opportunity
Windows of opportunity: specific times for normal development of certain types of skills
Appropriate stimulation is needed for brain synapses to link easily and efficiently

13. Discussion
What might be done to alleviate some of the risk factors for healthy brain development?

14. Windows of Opportunity
Vision—first six months of life
Vocabulary and speech—birth to three years
Emotional control—birth to three years
Math/logic development—one to four years
Motor development—prenatal to eight years

15. Theories of Development
Theory: a principle or idea that is proposed, researched, and generally accepted as an explanation
Developmental theories provide insights into how children grow and learn.
Theories are helpful for understanding and guiding developmental processes.

16. Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory
Erik Erikson believed development occurs throughout the life span
His theory emphasizes the social and emotional aspects of growth
A social conflict or crisis occurs at each stage
Children’s personalities develop in response to their social environment

17. Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory
Eight stages (four between birth and age 12)
Trust versus mistrust
Autonomy versus shame and doubt
Initiative versus guilt
Industry versus inferiority

18. Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory
Stage 1: Trust Versus Mistrust
Occurs during first 18 months
Purpose: children learn to trust or mistrust
Children need
warm, consistent, predictable, attentive care
caregivers who read and respond to signals
loving, physical contact, nourishment, cleanliness, and warmth
Mistrust occurs if the infant experiences an unpredictable world and is handled harshly

19. Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory
Stage 2: Autonomy Versus Shame and Doubt
Occurs between 18 months and 3 years
Purpose: toddlers gain self-control without loss of self-esteem
Children need
loving and supportive environments
positive opportunities for autonomy and independence

20. Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory
Toddlers begin to
become self-sufficient
use their motor and mental skills
discover their bodies
make decisions and choices

21. Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory
Stage 3: Initiative Versus Guilt
Occurs between 3 and 5 years
Purpose: take initiative without being hurtful to others
Children need to develop
a sense of purpose
constructive ways of dealing with people and things

22. Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory
Stage 4: Industry Versus Inferiority
Occurs between 6 and 12 years
Purpose: gain approval through planning and carrying out projects
Children need
realistic goals and expectations
encouragement

23. Piaget’s Cognitive Development Theory
Piaget believed
children naturally attempt to understand what they don’t know
knowledge is gathered gradually during active involvement in real-life experiences

24. Piaget’s Cognitive Development Theory
Schemata: mental representations or concepts
Adaptation: mentally organizing what is perceived
Assimilation: process of taking in new information and adding it to what is already known
Accommodation: adjusting what is already known to fit the new information

25. Piaget’s Cognitive Development Theory
Sensorimotor stage
Birth to 2 years of age
Infants use all their senses to explore
Learn that objects still exist when out of sight

26. Piaget’s Cognitive Development Theory
Preoperational stage
Ages 2 to 7
Children are very egocentric
Skills of language, symbolic play, drawing are learned
Thinking is illogical
Children learn skills of conservation, classification

27. Piaget’s Cognitive Development Theory
Concrete operations stage
Ages 7-11
Children develop capacity to think systematically
Begin to internalize tasks
Become capable of reversing operations

28. Piaget’s Cognitive Development Theory
Formal operations stage
11 years of age to adulthood
Develop capacity to think in abstract ways
No longer need concrete examples
Learn problem-solving and reasoning skills

29. Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory
Vygotsky’s beliefs:
children build knowledge through experiences
children learn through social and cultural experiences
through interaction with others, children learn customs, values, beliefs, and language of their culture
language is an important tool for thought and plays key role in cognitive development
Private speech—when children think out loud

30. Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory
Zone of proximal development (ZPD)
Presents learning as a scale
One end: tasks children can do alone
Other end: tasks children cannot do even with help
Middle: tasks children can accomplish with help
Learning is not limited by stage or maturation

31. Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences Theory
Multiple intelligences: theory that there are different kinds of intelligences used by the human brain
Intelligence is result of complex interactions between children’s heredity and experiences
Each intelligence functions separately, but all are linked
Learning is best achieved using a child’s strongest intelligence

32. Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences Theory
Bodily-kinesthetic
Ability to control one’s own body movements and manipulate objects
Athletes, dancers, actors

33. Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences Theory
Musical-rhythmic
Ability to recognize, create, and appreciate pitch, rhythm, tone quality
Composers, musicians

34. Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences Theory
Logical-mathematical
Ability to use logic, reason, mathematics to solve problems
Math experts, scientists, composers

35. Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences Theory
Verbal-linguistic
Ability to use well-developed language skills to express self and understand others
Lawyers, poets, public speakers, translators

36. Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences Theory
Interpersonal
Ability to understand feelings, behaviors, and motives of others
Teachers, politicians, salespeople, people in the service industry

37. Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences Theory
Intrapersonal
Ability to understand personal strengths, weaknesses, talents, and interests
Psychologists, social workers, religious leaders, counselors

38. Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences Theory
Visual-spatial
Ability to form mental images
Photographers, artists, architects, engineers, surgeons

39. Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences Theory
Naturalistic
Ability to distinguish between living things such as plants and animals
Sailors, gardeners, chefs, farmers

40. Making the Pieces Fit
The brain affects all aspects of growth and development
Development generally progresses in a similar way for all children
Each theory of development offers a wealth of insight into how children develop
Theorists agree that children learn best in a caring environment with many opportunities for learning

41. Summary
Understanding child development will help you become a successful caregiver or early childhood education teacher.
Development is divided into three main areas:
physical
cognitive
social-emotional

42. Summary
Early infant care and interaction with caregivers is crucial to brain development.
Theories of development help caregivers understand how to best work with children.
Erikson
Piaget
Vygotsky
Gardner

43. Discussion
Do you believe there is a connection between child and adult behavior based on the theories presented in this chapter?