summary of perspectives of child development

Let's make a summary of perspectives of child development.
In child development, there are six perspectives, psychoanalytic, learning, cognitive, biological, ecological and sociocultural. 


Psyhcoanalytic: 
Theory of pyschosexual development (Freud) and theory of psychosocial development (Erikson)
In theory of psychosexual development, 

there are always unconsicous conflicts. Neither nature nor nurture is more important, they interact with each other. Since there are five stages of development, it is viewed as discontinuous. These stages are based on sexual impulses which are expressed or repressed in certain ways. The child is usually passive, at the mercy of older people.








In theory of psychosocial development, 

it is claimed that children undergo crises based on social relationships, opportunities and expectations. Here again there is an interaction of nature and nurture. Eight stages of development, each containing one life crisis makes the development discontinuous. The child, who decides about everything, is active.










Learning: 
Behaviorism (Watson, Pavlov an Skinner) and Social cognitive (Bandura)
Behaviorism 

suggests that behavior is learned by association, as in classical and operant conditioning. Since children are seen as blank tablets, nurture is dominated here. The behavior reflects the accumulation of conditioned responses: the development in continuous. Responses are learned by association and maintained by reinforcement, hence the child is passive.

In Social Congitive theory, 

there is still conditioning but in addition to that children also learn by observing others and choose whether they're going to display these learned responses or not. Therefore, we can say that nurture dominates but there is also room for expression of natural tendencies. Development is continuous and the child is active; the child influences the environment just as the environment influences him.


Cognitive: 
Cognitive-developmental (Piaget) and Information-processing theory (numerous)
In cognitive-developmental theory, 

children accomodate to existing mental structures and assimilate. As a result, they adapt to the environment. Opposite to social cognitive theory, nature dominated but there is also room for influence of experience. There are four stages, which make the development discontinuous. Children who are trying to understand, explore and manipulate are said to be active.


In Information-processing theory, cognitive functioning of children is compared to that of a computer, that is how they input, manipulate, store and output information are taken into consideration. Nature and nurture interact. This capacity of storing information develop continuously. Children are active since they seek to obtain and manipoulate the information.


Biological: Ethology and Evolution (Darwin, Lorenz, Tinbergen)

Organisms are prewired biologically. They develop certain adaptive responses during sensitive periods. It emphasizes nature but experience is also critical. Experience determines the object of imprinting. It is said that there are critical periods in development, which makes it discontinuous.














Ecological: 
Ecological system theory (Bronfenbrenner)

There are interlocking systems within which children's development occurs. And it is enhanced by intervening in these systems. Children's personalities and skills contribute to their development, the nature and the nurture interact. The child is active, the influences are not in one direction, they are bidirectional. System and the child influence each other.


Sociocultural: 
Sociocultural (Vygotsky) and Sociocultural perspective and human diversity (numerous)
In sociocultural theory, 

while developing problem-solving skills, children internalize sociocultural dialogues. Nurture which is discussed in social and cultural terms and nature interact with each other. We can talk about an accumulation of knowledge and skills, therefore it is continuous. The people, the adults that exist in the environment of the child are experienced members of a culture. Children are passive and active at the same time, they internalize cultural dialogues which develop externally.




In sociocultural perspective and human diversity, sociocultural factors, such as ethnicity gender, influence children's development thus it can be said that nurture dominates. The continuity and the view of a child as active or passive are not indicated.