psychosocial theory (ECE 1)

• Psychosocial theory


  Theory developed by Erik Erikson about the stages of human development and the social influences on that development
• Erikson's psychosocial theory


  • Emphasizes the importance of social relationships and culture in human development
  • Describes 8 stages of development with a specific emotional strength to be attained at each stage
• Erikson's stages of psychosocial development

  1. Birth to 12-18 months: Trust vs Mistrust

  2. 18 months to 3 years: Autonomy vs Shame/Doubt

  3. 3 to 6 years: Initiative vs Guilt

  4. 6 to 12 years: Industry vs Inferiority
• Play


  Essential concept in Erikson's theory, allows children to reenact past, present and future and work out conflicts
• Erikson believed that development continues from birth until death, and the stages are closely interconnected
• Unresolved conflicts from earlier stages can still be resolved later in life according to Erikson
• Behaviorism


  Focuses on the observable and quantifiable aspects of experience, not inner thoughts and feelings
• Classical conditioning


  Connecting uncontrolled reflexes with environmental factors, resulting in learning (Pavlov's dog experiment)
• Operant conditioning


  Manipulating the environment through rewards and punishments to shape behavior (Skinner)
• Social learning theory


  Highlights how children and adults learn by observing and imitating others (Bandura)
• Cognitive theories


  Focus on how a child thinks and learns, and how the environment influences these processes
• Schemas


  Cognitive structures that facilitate the regulation and understanding of information from the environment (Piaget)
• Assimilation and accommodation


  Processes that enable a person to adjust to their environment (Piaget)
• Piaget's stages of cognitive development

  1. Sensorimotor (birth-2 years)

  2. Preoperational (2-7 years)

  3. Concrete operational (7-11 years)

  4. Formal operational (adolescence)
• Constructivist theory


  Individuals create their own meaning and understanding of the world through their experiences and interactions (Bruner)