1. Topic 1.2 - Grand Theories in Human Development

2. This lesson looks at human development from the conceptual organizer of the Medicine Wheel. In addition, we also consider the different perspectives from which human thoughts, feelings and behaviours are interpreted: psychoanalytic, behavioural, cognitive, humanistic, ecological, ethological and Aboriginal.

3. Objectives: After completing the activities for this topic you should be able to answer the following questions: What are the four domains of human development? What are the theoretical perspectives on human development?

4. Select one of the six major theoretical perspectives, and review the overview information: Psychoanalytic Behaviourist Cognitive Ecologist Humanistic Evolutionary

5. Based on that theoretical perspective, conduct an observational research study to find examples of how human development could be explained from that theoretical perspective. In other words, if you were a behaviourist psychologist, what examples could you find in people's behaviour to support your belief that development is shaped by conditioning, stimulus response, rewards and so on.

6. If you were a humanistic psychologist, what examples could you find in people's behaviour to support your belief that human development is shaped by striving to be their best, to "self-actualize".

7. Be prepared to present your research findings in class in a discussion about which theoretical perspective best describes and explains human development.