Comparison of Developmental Theories in Child Development - Essay Example

It is from such (mis)understanding that different early childhood care facilities have cropped up in most societies-and usually privately owned, and administered-to provide the “brightest start” to children (Haan & Johnson, 2003). Even amongst such educators, a conflict in the opinion as to which methods and instruments should be used in both guiding and measuring the growth of these young children (Wittmer & Peterson, 2009). This paper attempts to demonstrate this precise predicament and to analyze the difference between a few selected theoretical approaches to child cognition and development process.

Erikson's Theory of Psychosocial Development Erik Erikson is a theorist of the psychoanalytical school of thought which was highly influential in the first half of the 20th century. The psychoanalytical theories find roots in research by famous physician, Sigmund Freud whose clinical work with mental patients concluded that behavior is influenced by childhood experiences and unconscious desires. Erikson’s psychosocial theory assesses growth and behavioral change throughout the lifespan of individuals by focusing primarily on the impact of social interactions.

A key focus of Erikson’s psychosocial stage theory is the development of individual’s ego identity. . In addition to social interactions, Erikson also believed that competence influenced behavior and actions to a large extent. In each of the eight psychosocial stages, Erikson believed that there existed a conflict which served as a point of adjustment in an individual’s growth. In order; from earliest to latest, the stages are; Trust versus Mistrust; Autonomy versus Shame and doubt; Initiative versus Guilt; Industry versus Inferiority; Identity versus Confusion; Intimacy versus Isolation; Generativity versus Stagnation and Integrity versus despair.

Therefore, for students with different needs and abilities, this model fails to acknowledge the specialized attention required to enhance the child’s development; opting instead to condemn the child as a failure. This discourages the individual and further hinders their development process. A major strength of the theory is the detailed attention to the role of motivation in children’s development. This is a gospel that needs be taught to parents and educators alike. Central Conceptual Structure Theory Robbie Case is a neo-piagetian theorist whose works, like others from the same school of thought are founded on Piaget’s belief that children’s thinking is reflective of development in their internal mental structures (The Gale Group, 2003).

Piaget’s concept of cognitive development is likened to the process involved in climbing stairs. He further argued that biological maturation sets broad ceilings on the types of thoughts that children who are of a particular age should have (Case & Okamoto, 2000). Case’s earlier focus was on the common effects of essential processing speed and the mental memory span. He investigated conceptual structures