Comparison of approaches

• Views on development - psychodynamic

  Psychodynamic approach -most coherent theory of development - ties its concepts and processes to specific (psychosexual) stages that are determined by age HOWEVER Freud saw little development once child enters genital stage in teens.
• Views on development - biological

  Maturation is important principle - genetically determined changes in child's physiological status influence psychological and behavioural characteristics
• Views on development - cognitive


  Stage theories - contributed to our understanding of child development

  Eg as part of their intellectual development children form increasingly complex concepts (schema) as they get older
• Views on development - Humanistic 


  See development of self as ongoing throughout life however childhood is important period and a child's relationship with their parents important in terms of unconditional positive regard (basic acceptance and support of someone regardless of what they say or do)
• Views on development - behaviourist and social learning theory 


  Do not offer coherent stage theories of development, instead see processes that underpin learning as continuous, occurring at any age
• Nature vs nurture 


  Biological and two learning approaches are furthest apart

  Behaviourists characterise babies as 'blank slates' at birth and suggest all behaviour comes about through learnt associations , reinforcement or SLT observation and imitation.

  Biological approach argues behaviour is result of genetic blueprint we inherit from parents but way it's expressed is influenced by our environment
• Nature vs nurture 


  Freud thought much of our behaviour was driven by biological drives and instincts but also saw relationships w parents as playing fundamental role in future development
• Nature vs nurture 


  Humanistic approach regard parents, friends and wider society as having critical impact on persons self concept
• Nature vs nurture 


  cognitive psychologists recognise many of our information processing abilities and schema are innate - they constantly refined through experience
• Reductionism the practice of analysing and describing a complex phenomenon in terms of its simple or fundamental constituents, especially when this is said to provide a sufficient explanation.
• Reductionism - behaviourism


  reductionist as it breaks up complex behaviour into stimulus response units for ease of testing in a lab.
• Reductionism - biological approach


  Explains human behaviour and psychological states at level of gene or neuron
• Reductionism - psychodynamic approach


  reduces much of our behaviour to the influence of sexual drives and biological instincts

  Although Freuds argument that personality is a dynamic interaction between three parts of personality is viewed as more holistic.
• Reductionism - cog approach


  Machine reductionism - presenting people as information processing systems and ignoring influence of emotion on behaviour
• Reductionism - social learning theory 


  Reduce complex learning to handful of key processes though they do at least place emphasis on cognitive factors that mediate learning and how these interact with external influences
• Reductionism - humanistic approach

  Formulates holistic approach to understanding human behaviour - involves investigating all aspects of individual including effects of interaction with others and wider society
• Determinism


  proposes all behaviour has internal or external cause and so is predictable
• Determinism - behaviourist approach


  Sees all behaviour as environmentally determined by external influences that we are unable to control
• Determinism- biological approach


  Genetic determinism assumes much of our behaviour is determined by innate influences
• Determinism - psychodynamic

  Psychic determinism is key feature of psychodynamic approach insofar as the unconscious forces that drive our behaviour are the ultimate cause of behaviour and these are simply rationalised by by our conscious minds.
• Determinism - cognitive approach

  Soft determinism

  Suggests we are choosers of our own thoughts and behaviours yet these choices can only operate within the limits of what we know and have experienced
• Determinism - SLT

  Reciprocal determinism - Idea that as well as being influenced by our environment we also exert some influence upon it through the behaviours we choose to perform
• Determinism - Humanistic 


  Not deterministic

  humans have free will and operate as active agents who determine their own development