Comparing Theories of Child Development

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ISBN: 9780534355791 | 053435579X
Cover: Hardcover
Copyright: 7/16/1999

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Explaining the nature of theories in the field of child development (including why theories are useful and why there are multiple theories), Thomas' highly respected book covers the widest range of theories of any text currently available. Thomas suggests a variety of ways to compare theories to help guide the search of child development theorists who may be dissatisfied with existing explanations of how a child grows up.

PREFACE

PART ONE STANDARDS OF COMPARISON Ways of analyzing likenesses and differences among theories

(52)

CHAPTER ONE THEORIES, MODELS, PARADIGMS, AND SUCH

(26)

The Difference Your Choice of Theory Can Make

(7)

The Word Theory and Other Terms

(5)

Good Theory, Bad Theory

(10)

Conclusion

(1)

For Further Reading

(2)

CHAPTER TWO THE CONTENTS OF CHILD DEVELOPMENT THEORIES

(24)

Content Characteristics

(21)

Conclusion

(1)

For Further Reading

(3)

PART TWO SOURCES OF THEORIES A search for the wellsprings of child development theories

(56)

CHAPTER THREE CULTURAL ORIGINS OF SCIENTIFIC THEORIES

(21)

Refining Descriptive Data

(3)

Introducing Alternative Perspectives

(3)

Systematizing Information

(6)

Refining Definitions

(1)

Improving Quantification

(3)

Extending Commonsense Insights

(1)

Replacing Dubious Explanations

(1)

Interpreting Puzzling Observations

(1)

Avoiding Troublesome Issues

(1)

Responding to Existing Theories

(1)

For Further Reading

(2)

CHAPTER FOUR COMMONSENSE ATTRIBUTION THEORY

(23)

The Causes of Human Action

(1)

Talk about Children: Grist for Commonsense Psychology's Mill

(1)

Applying an Attribution Theory

(8)

The Development of People's Commonsense Theory

(1)

Implications of the Theory for the Treatment of Children

(1)

Children's Interpretations of Their Own Behavior

(1)

Privilege and Responsibility

(2)

Practical Applications

(1)

Naive Psychology: An Assessment

(6)

For Further Reading

(2)

PERSPECTIVE A Distinguishing Normal from Abnormal Development

101

(8)

PART THREE THE PSYCHOANALYTIC TRADITION A search for developmental causes and cures of neuroses

109

(68)

CHAPTER FIVE SIGMUND FREUD'S PSYCHOANALYSIS

111

(33)

Levels of Consciousness

112

(2)

The Psychic Apparatus

114

(5)

The Psychosexual Stages of Development

119

(8)

Two Facets of Development

127

(6)

Anna Freud's Psychoanalysis of Children

133

(2)

Practical Applications

135

(1)

Freudian Theory: An Assessment

136

(6)

For Further Reading

142

(2)

CHAPTER SIX ERIKSON'S VARIATION ON FREUD'S THEME

144

(19)

Ego Identity and the Healthy Personality

145

(1)

The Epigenetic Principle

145

(1)

The Grid of Psychosocial Stages

146

(13)

Practical Applications

159

(1)

Erikson's Version of Psychoanalysis: An Assessment

160

(2)

For Further Reading

162

(1)

PERSPECTIVES B Identifying States of Consciousness

163

(14)

PART FOUR BEHAVIORISM AND SOCIAL LEARNING MODELS A search for the way principles of learning and social contexts explain development

177

(66)

CHAPTER SEVEN SKINNER'S OPERANT CONDITIONING

181

(26)

The Nature of Operant Conditioning

181

(4)

Conditioned Reinforcement and Chaining

185

(2)

The Scope of Skinner's Theory

187

(2)

Heredity versus Environment

189

(1)

The Stages of Child Rearing

190

(5)

Bijou and Baer's Additions to Radical Behaviorism

195

(3)

Enhanced Behaviorism

198

(3)

Practical Applications

201

(2)

Skinner's Operant Conditioning: An Assessment

203

(3)

For Further Reading

206

(1)

CHAPTER EIGHT SOCIAL COGNITION THEORY AND CONTEXTUALISM

207

(26)

Bandura's Conception of Social Learning or Social Cognition

207

(14)

Practical Applications of Bandura's Model

221

(1)

Bandura's Social Cognition Theory: An Assessment

222

(2)

The Nature of Contextualism

224

(8)

For Further Reading

232

(1)

Perspective C Judging the Appropriateness of Research Methods

233

(10)

PART FIVE THE GROWTH OF THOUGHT AND LANGUAGE A search for patterns of development in children's cognitive and verbal skills and for the mechanisms that bring these patterns about

243

(86)

CHAPTER NINE PIAGET'S COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT THEORY

245

(42)

Piaget's Clinical Method

246

(1)

Piaget's Conception of Knowledge

247

(2)

The Mechanisms of Development

249

(6)

Levels and Stages of Development

255

(13)

Four Concepts: A Closer Look

268

(5)

Educational Applications of the Theory

273

(7)

Piaget's Theory: An Assessment

280

(5)

For Further Reading

285

(2)

CHAPTER TEN VYGOTSKY AND THE SOVIET TRADITION

287

(26)

Key Influences on Vygotsky's Theory

289

(7)

The Development of Thought and Language

296

(8)

Key Generalizations about Development

304

(2)

Central Concerns in Soviet Developmental Theory: 1920s-1980s

306

(1)

Practical Applications

307

(2)

Vygotsky's Theory: An Assessment

309

(3)

For Further Reading

312

(1)

PERSPECTIVE D Estimating the Future of Stage Theories

313

(16)

PART SIX COMPUTER ANALOGUES AND THE SELF A search for the way children gain skill in processing information and for how a child's innermost self develops

329

(70)

CHAPTER ELEVEN INFORMATION-PROCESSING THEORIES

331

(33)

Classical Components of the Information-Processing System

332

(15)

Modes of Investigation

347

(1)

Modifications of Classical Theory

348

(8)

Continuing Debates

356

(3)

Practical Applications

359

(1)

Information-Processing Theories: An Assessment

360

(3)

For Further Reading

363

(1)

CHAPTER TWELVE CONCEPTIONS OF THE SELF: HUMANISTIC AND OTHERWISE

364

(27)

Defining the Self

364

(1)

The Humanistic Persuasion

365

(12)

Practical Applications

377

(2)

Humanistic Theory: An Assessment

379

(5)

Other Conceptions of the Self

384

(5)

For Further Reading

389

(2)

PERSPECTIVE E Speaking of Cause

391

(8)

PART SEVEN ENVIRONMENTS, GENETIC PLANS, AND THE BIOLOGICAL CHILD A search for patterns of environmental influence and for the biological sources of development

399

(72)

CHAPTER THIRTEEN ECOLOGICAL PSYCHOLOGY

402

(17)

Backgrounds of Ecological Psychology

403

(2)

Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Theory

405

(8)

Practical Applications

413

(1)

Ecological Theory: An Assessment

414

(4)

For Further Reading

418

(1)

CHAPTER FOURTEEN ETHOLOGY AND SOCIOBIOLOGY

419

(20)

A Foundation of Neo-Darwinism

420

(2)

Ethology's Place in the Study of Children

422

(1)

Relevant Propositions from Ethology

422

(8)

Fruitful Research Methods

430

(3)

Practical Applications and Research Challenges

433

(2)

Ethological Theory: An Assessment

435

(3)

For Further Reading

438

(1)

CHAPTER FIFTEEN A BIO-ELECTROCHEMICAL MODEL

439

(26)

Level 1: The Unitary Child

442

(2)

Level 2: The Organic Child

444

(4)

Level 3: The Cellular Child

448

(5)

Level 4: The Molecular Child

453

(3)

Level 5: The Elemental/Atomic Child

456

(3)

Level 6: The Subatomic-Particle Child

459

(2)

The Bio-Electrochemical Model: An Assessment

461

(3)

For Further Reading

464

(1)

PERSPECTIVE F Faith and Conviction

465

(6)

PART EIGHT THEORY CENTERED IN VALUES: MORAL DEVELOPMENT A search for the ways children's and youths' moral reasoning and moral behavior evolve

471

(62)

CHAPTER SIXTEEN KOHLBERG'S MORAL DEVELOPMENT MODEL

475

(17)

The Theory's Focus

476

(1)

Kohlberg's Research Methods

477

(1)

The Levels and Stages of Moral Growth

478

(2)

The Interaction of Nature and Nurture

480

(3)

The Three Characteristics of the Stages

483

(2)

Practical Applications: Fashioning a Program of Moral Education

485

(2)

Kohlberg's Theory: An Assessment

487

(4)

For Further Reading

491

(1)

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN AN INTEGRATED THEORY OF MORAL DEVELOPMENT

492

(21)

Problems with Existing Theories

492

(1)

Foundational Definitions and Assumptions

493

(1)

Principal Features of the Model

494

(1)

Foundational Components

494

(2)

The Nature of Long-Term Memory

496

(8)

The Nature of Environments

504

(3)

Working Memory

507

(1)

Stages of Moral Development

508

(1)

An Integrated Moral Development Theory: An Assessment

509

(4)

PERSPECTIVE G Charting Trends of the Times

513

(20)

PART NINE THE CONTINUING QUEST A never-ending search for more accurate development models

533

(40)

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN RECENT ENTRIES

535

(34)

Connectionism

535

(2)

Dynamic Systems Theory

537

(5)

Sociohistorical Life-Course Theory

542

(6)

An Evolutionary-Psychology View of Birth Order

548

(2)

Ethnographies--Positivist, Postpositivist, Postmodern

550

(10)

Child Development under Disadvantaged Social Conditions

560

(4)

Peer Abuse Theory

564

(4)

For Further Reading

568

(1)

PERSPECTIVE H Depicting Theories in the Guise of Metaphors

569

(4)

REFERENCES

573

(24)

NAME INDEX

597

SUBJECT INDEX

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Comparing Theories of Child Development

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Table of Contents

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