Question

Examine the following theories of development.

Piaget's cognitive development

Erikson's Psychosocial development

Kohlberg's Moral Development

please compare the theory to an actual development at each stage. Interview parents, caregivers, old teachers, friends if necessary. need to provide at least one specific example of development for each stage in given theory and compare and contrast development to the theory of development.

Answer 1

Note: This response is in UK English, please paste the response to MS Word and you should be able to spot discrepancies easily. You may elaborate the answer based on personal views or your classwork if necessary. Also, I have obviously not conducted interviews for this answer, you will have to add a small real-life example at each stage, based on the short explanation I have provided.

(Answer) Jean Piaget’s Stages of Development: Piaget’s stages of cognitive development –

Sensorimotor (0-2 years) Infant develops learning based on what is absorbed through the senses.

Preoperational (2-6 years) Child uses images to understand objects but does not understand them logically.

Concrete operational (7-12) Child can think logically about concrete objects. They can add, subtract and observe.

Formal operational (12 and up) The child understands abstract terms and is able to hypothesize.

Erik Erickson’s Stages of Development:

1 Trust vs Mistrust – Hope – (0-1 ½ years) – This is where the child begins to explicitly trust the parent.

2 Autonomy vs. Shame – Will – (1 ½ - 3) – This is where the child begins to feel shameful about eating food that has fallen on the floor.

3 Initiative vs Guilt – Purpose – (3 – 5) – The child feels sorry for the mischief they do.

4 Industry vs inferiority – Competency – (5-12) – The child wants to be “all grown up” at this age.

5 Ego identity vs. Role Confusion – Fidelity (12-18) – This is where the child tries to “find themselves.”

6 Intimacy vs. Isolation – Love – (18-40) – This is where the individual wants to establish close relationships.

7 Generativity vs. Stagnation – Care – (40-65) – This is where there is lesser development.

8 Ego Integrity vs. Despair - Wisdom – (65+) – This is where the individual gains a deeper understanding of life through heuristic experience and introspect.

Kohlberg's Moral Development:

Obedience/ Punishment: Infancy – The child does not know the difference between doing the right thing and avoiding punishment.

Self-Interest: Pre-school – The child is most interested in being rewarded at this stage.

Conformity and Interpersonal Accord: School-age – The child is interested in establishing interpersonal relationships at this stage.

Authority and Social Order: School-age – Social relationships and morality are maintained to keep social order.

Social Contract: Teens – Mutual benefit and utilitarian rules that benefit everyone.

Universal Principals: Adulthood – Morality is based on qualities that go beyond mutual benefit.