Question

Discuss how the study of child and adolescent development has changed over time? And describe the five theoretical perspectives, including the major theorists associated with each???

Answer 1

Recently the researches about the Adolescent development has become advanced. New researchers are including more complecated view points in the study of Development. Not only that,Nowadays researchers also depending on the theoretical Hypothesis for discovering new factors.

Changes on the Perspectives

Changes in Adolesence-

Nowadays Researchers are constantly observing the dramatical changes in Adolesence. They recently discovered that, a lot of dramatic changes are happening in the period of adolesence. As we all know that, sudden physical growth is the main changes in this phase of life, so physical changes such as endocrine hormonal changes brings a lot of dramatical changes in the adolesence period.

Realistic Veiws

Researchers are now focusing more for esstablishing realistc viewponts on adolesence Development.In earlier, Adolesence was descibed as the most difficult development changes for a long time period, But a recent study have found that, Biological Changes is the only major factor which is affecting the development of the young people and influencing the other adjustment and behavioral factors.

Without Traumatic Experiences

A recent study has refuse to accept the old biased concept that, all adults during the period of adolesence have to face a lot of traumatic experiences.''. A recent study in United Kingdom stated that, Not all the adults have traumatic experiences, many adults can goes under the adolesence period without any kinds of traumatic experiences.

Not only that, till the 21st century, all the studies in North America concluded that, psychosocial problem is only responsible for the changes of adults, but after founding the biological evidence in adolesence development, the studies have been changed.

Co-relation Between Factors

In the past, researchers only tried to examine the factors of the child and Adolesence Development. But there is now researchers have found co-relationship between all the factors. As example they stated that, Not only biological changes are responsible for the Development, Social and biological factors both have the significant co-relation for the development of a child.

So after all the discussion it can be said that, studies of Child and adolescent development is now becoming more advanced and Significants.Theoretical hypothesis also becoming more effective and Scientific.

Erick Erickson's Theorey

Erik Erikson (1950,1963) proposed a theorey of development. According to Erickson, Every person goes under the 8 stages in during the period of development. The eight stages of Development are 1) Trust Vs Mistrust, 2 ) Autonomy vs Shame, 3) Initiative vs Guilt, 4) Industry vs Inferiority, 5) Identity vs Role Confusion, 6) Intimacy vs Isolation and 7) Creativity vs Stagnation

Not only that Erickson also stated that, Identity crisis can also arise in the stage of adolescence. ''Who am i?'', ''What is my role?'' these kind of questions may arise in the stages of development.Parents need to be very supportive in during the development period.

Levinson's Theorey

Lavinson is well known for his view points in Development.He believed that there were stages with the task inherent with each other. He also stated that, each stage starts with a transition and lasts more than 5 years.

In Lavinson's theorey, we can find that during the early aduthood, most of the people imagine themeselves as the adults and always try to make their own decision without the guidence of seniors. This stage is well known as the stage of Dreams and Mentors.

Piaget's Theorey

Piaget has lots of contribution in the development factors. Piaget has discoverd that, there are 4 stages in the development. 1) The Sensorimotor Stage, 2) The preoperational Stage, 3) The Concrete Operational Stage. 4) Formal Operational Stage.

According to Piaget, Every child goes under these 4 stages in the period of Development. Each stage brings a lot of changes in the child.

In the first stage, the child learn about the earth by their sence organs. In during the Second stage, the Memory and imqagination get increased.In the 3rd stage, child becomes more respondent,The child wants to know about the external sources.In the 4th stage the child always try to solve his or her own problem and try to become independent.

Watson's Theorey-

One of the most Controversial theorey of child development was the Watson's behavioral theorey.Watson strongly beliedved that, a child environment has the lot of influences in the childs development.

Not only that, he also stated that we can change the whole personality or behaviors of a child if we give the correct training to the child. This theorey is basically influenced by the theorey of classical conditioning which is proposed by the famous psychologist Pavlov.

Freud's Theorey

Famous Psychologist Sigmund Freud stated that, all the children goes under multiple stages of sexual development during the present period of Development. He also discoverd the sexual stages of development Such as- Oral, Anal, Phallic,Latency and Gentital. Acording to Freud, Child gets a pleasure in during every stages of development. These stages have a lot of influence in the personality development of the child.