5 Major Theory of Child Development
Though numerous scientists and researchers have approached the study of child development over the last century or so, only a few theories have gained traction, including the following:
5 Major Theory of Child Development
- Freud’s psychosexual stage theory
- Erikson’s psychosocial stage theory
- Kohlberg’s moral understanding stage theory
- Piaget’s cognitive development stage theory
- Bronfenbrenner’s ecological system theory
Freud’s psychosexual stage theory
- According to Freud, each stage focuses on sexual activity involving a particular organ of the body, and the pleasure associated with it compels the child to repeat the act. For example, during the oral phase, children are preoccupied with the pleasures associated with sucking and biting with their mouths. This focus shifts to the anus during the Anal phase, as they begin toilet training and attempt to control their bowels. The Phallic stage shifts the emphasis to genital stimulation and the sexual identification associated with the presence or absence of a penis.
- Freud believed that during this phase, children direct their affection and love toward their parent of the opposite sex and develop a strong dislike for their parent of the same sex. He coined the term "Oedipus Complex" after the events of an ancient Greek tragic play in which a king named Oedipus marries his mother and murders his father because he saw the father as a rival for his mother's love and affection.
- The Phallic/Oedipus stage was believed to be followed by a period of Latency, during which sexual urges and interest waned temporarily as children developed in all other areas. This is followed by the adolescent stage, during which sexual desires and interest are at an all-time high. Finally, it was believed that children would enter and remain in a final Genital stage, during which adult sexual interests and activities would take precedence.
- Another aspect of Freud's theory concerned the division of consciousness. According to Freud, all infants are initially dominated by unconscious, instinctive, and selfish desires for immediate gratification, which he coined the Id. As babies attempt and fail to satisfy all their needs and desires, they develop a more realistic appreciation for what is realistic and possible, which Freud referred to as the "Ego." Babies also learn about, internalise, and represent their parents' values and rules over time. These internalised rules, which he dubbed the "Super-Ego," serve as the foundation for the development of the child's conscience, which is concerned with concepts of right and wrong and collaborates with the Ego in order to rein in the Iimmediate d's gratification and urges.
- While Freud's psychosexual theory is not considered very scientific by today's rigorous scientific standards, it remains significant and influential today because it was the first developmental theory to consider the stages of an individual's development. This attracted considerable attention, and many subsequent theorists used it as a jumping-off point.
Erikson’s psychosocial stage theory
- Erik Erikson (1902-1994) developed a theory about human development through stages from birth to death using Freud's work as a starting point. In contrast to Freud's emphasis on sexuality, Erikson placed a premium on the development of people's sense of identity. He examined the facts surrounding how people develop or fail to develop the abilities and beliefs about themselves necessary to become productive, satisfied members of society. Erikson's theory is referred to as a 'psychosocial' theory because it combines how people develop psychological and mental beliefs with how they learn to exist within a larger community of people.
- Erikson's stages are as follows: trust versus mistrust; autonomy versus shame and doubt; initiative versus guilt; industry versus inferiority; identity versus role confusion; intimacy versus isolation; generativity versus stagnation; and integrity versus despair. Each stage corresponds to a specific period of life and a general age range. Erikson's theory explains which types of stimulation children require to progress through each stage and develop into productive and well-adjusted members of society. It explains the types of problems and developmental delays that can occur in the absence of this stimulation.
- The initial stage (from birth to 18 months)
- Stage 2 (18 months to 3 years)
- Stage 3 (between the ages of three and six years)
- Stage 4 (6-13 years)
- Stage 5 (13-20 years)
- Stage 6 (21-40 years)
- Stage 7 (age 41-60) and
- Stage 8 (60 and above)
Kohlberg’s moral understanding stage theory
- Lawrence Kohlberg (1927-1987) classified moral development into three stages: pre-conventional, conventional, and post-conventional. It refers to reasons not to achieve or to people who described the process by which people acquire the ability to distinguish right from wrong and to develop increasingly sophisticated moral judgments. He believed that his stages were cumulative; each stage built on prior understanding and abilities. According to Kohlberg, moral development is a lifelong endeavour, and many people never reach the advanced stages of moral comprehension.
Piaget’s cognitive development stage theory
- Jean Piaget (1896-1990), a Swiss psychologist, developed a cognitive-developmental stage theory that described how children's ways of thinking developed as they interacted with their environment. Infants and young children have a very different understanding of the world than adults do, and as they play and explore, their minds learn to think in more realistic ways.
- The four stages of Piaget's theory are sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, and formal operational. Children are just beginning to learn how to learn during the sensorimotor stage, which typically lasts from birth to age two. While language development, and thus thought, begins during this time period, the more significant tasks that occur during this time period involve children figuring out how to use their bodies. They accomplish this by utilising all five of their senses.
Bronfenbrenner’s ecological system theory
- Urie Bronfenbrenner's (1917–2005) developmental theory is not a stage theory. He developed the ecological systems theory to explain how everything in a child's environment has an effect on the child's growth and development. The microsystem, the mesosystem, the exosystem, and the macrosystem all have an effect on the child's growth and development. Consider the environment, which includes the family or caregivers, as well as the child's school or daycare.
- The way these factors interact with the child has an effect on his or her development and growth. The more nurturing and healthy these relationships are, the more capable the child will be of growing. Additionally, how a child behaves or reacts to his or her family members has an effect on how they treat the child. Each child's biological requirements and personality characteristics have an effect on how others treat him or her.
- When babies are infants, they transition from being completely dependent on caregivers to learning to walk, talk, and play with others, and they begin to recognise their unique selves. When children enter early childhood, their large and small motor skills continue to develop as they run and move more smoothly.
As children mature and their bodies and physiques mature during adolescence, they become capable of reproduction. Teenagers attempt to assert their individuality while still requiring rules and limits to assist them in making sound life choices. Late in adolescence, young adults begin the process of identifying a life calling or job, as well as locating or establishing their own next-generation family. As a result, numerous theories exist to explain child development.
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