...Module: African Psychology (PSY 404) ------------------------------------------------- Lecturer: Mr. Mtemeri J. ------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------- Assignment: Compare and contrast the concept formation according to Piaget and Vygotsky. How applicable are their theories to the African context. ------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------- Due Date: 15 March 2012 Concept formation according to Muthivhi, (2009) refers to the development of ideas based on the common properties of objects, events or qualities using the process of abstraction. Jean Piaget (1896-1980) and Lev Vygotsky (1896-1934) proposed the classical constructivist theories of concept formation or cognitive development. Their contributions to developmental psychology, albeit different, are similarly remarkable and unique. These two theories have some noted resemblances and differences. This essay will give an overview of these two theories, outlining their similarities and differences and their applicability to the African context with special reference to the Zimbabwean context. In Jean Piaget’s research, the main goal was to answer the question,...
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...as Behavioural, Developmental, Psychodynamic, socio-cultural and humanist perspectives. Behaviourism has been an influential theory in educational psychology. Behaviourism was based on the belief that behaviours can be measured, trained and changed. Developmental perspectives is concerned with child development. Psychodynamic perspectives is concerned with the development of ‘self’. It is primarily a study of factors that may affect a child’s behaviour and development such as childhood experiences affecting emotions and behaviour as adults and the various conflicts throughout childhood that affect overall personality. Socio-cultural perspectives studies learning...
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...Social Cognition ECE: 353 Cognitive Development of Infants and Young Children Instructor: Sandi Levinson August 14, 2012 Social Cognition Social cognition refers to the awareness of one’s own and other people’s mental states (i.e., acquiring a theory of mind), including emotions, motives, desires and feelings. Socio-cognitive skills, such as the ability to understand, describe and predict people’s mental states, allow children to develop a strong social cognition (Moore, 2010). Developing social and cognitive awareness is especially important during infancy to prepare children to interact properly with the social world prior to school entry. For example, it is through group activities that children gradually learn the importance of sharing. This crucial ability originates from children’s understanding that other children may have a desire to play with the same toys (Moore,2010). Along the same line, recent evidence indicates that children’s socio-cognitive skills may have a direct impact on the quality of their relationships and school success. Children with a more developed social cognition tend to be better communicators, socially competent, popular with peers, happier at school, and academically more advanced. In contrast, those with poor social cognition are more likely to have difficulty making the transition to school, to react more violently in face of harsh parenting, and to experience difficulties in school that may be misread as conduct problems...
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...important theorists when examining and studying cognitive development would most certainly be Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky. The definition of cognitive development can be explained as the ability to think, reason and remember; it is a vital part and plays an important role in the development of children into adults. Piaget believed that children were responsible for their own learning through explicit instructional and discovery learning; whereas Vygotsky’s theory concentrated on children learning through their Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) and scaffolding. Vygotsky’s definition of the ZPD was the distance between the knowledge a child could gain on their own compared to what the child was able to learn with guidance (Duchesne, McNaugh, Bochrer and Krause, 2013). Although they take different approaches, both theorists agree that social interaction played a role in children’s development. This essay will link these theories and principles to the teaching strategies used in classrooms and in particular the practices used in the provided scenario of Ann’s Year 5 Science class. Piaget’s constructivist method adopted the idea that children build their own knowledge individually through the initial instruction from the teacher followed by the exploration of their own environment. This method is a balanced teaching practice that can be used in classrooms as it allows learners to be responsible for their own knowledge development (Lourenco, 2012). Ann uses these principles in the...
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...watching a child for sometime in order to understand how he or she perceives and interacts with the world. attributes physically, cognitively and socially of two children, one male and one female, ages five and ten, respectively. This writer will identify the socio-economic status (SEC), age, gender, ethnic background, and family demographics of each of these children. The two children this writer has chosen come from similar living situations (i.e. they both live with single mothers), but have vast differences in their physical, cognitive, and social development. This paper will examine Erik Erikson's Eight Psychosocial Stages as explained by Dacey, Fiore, Travers (2009) in an effort to explain the noticeable differences in the two children that this writer has chosen to observe. These two children were chosen because they are both being raised in a single parent household, which is something that this writer can relate to, as this writer is a single mother. This writer will also explore the Cognitive Development Approach theories of Jean Piaget and Albert Bandura's Social Cognitive Learning in an attempt to further explain the significant differences in these two children. Childhood Observation Theories on Human Development Many psychologists have different...
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...our environment and also supports behaviourism. Another debate is continuity v discontinuity, some individuals have created continuity theories and others have created discontinuity theories. Continuity theorists believe that the development of an individual is constantly continuous while discontinuous theorists believe that there are specific periods where individuals develop. For example Freud’s psychosexual stages are a discontinuous theory. There is also an issue of nomothetic vs idiographic; some theorists adopt a nomothetic approach while others adopt an idiographic approach. Individuals that adopt a nomothetic approach create theories based on what we share with others, and find general laws that can be applied to large groups of people, for example behaviourism is a nomothetic approach. On the other hand the idiographic approach goes into large detail for the individual to investigate why we are unique, for example Freud’s theory is an idiographic approach. There are six principle psychological perspectives which are applied to the understanding which includes; behaviourism, social learning, psychodynamic, humanistic, cognitive and developmental. These perspectives can be used to explain the development of individuals. Cognitive development starts when developing from when we are born. It refers to how intelligence, conscious thought and problem solving develop from infancy. As well as improving the ability to think, learn and reason. Jean Piaget...
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...Developmental Research Nakiya Reese PSY 104 October 17, 2011 Professor Rebecca Wilson Most theories fall within a board perceptive with each one focusing on a different part of development. The developmental theories offer different ways of thinking about human, growth, development, and learning. Many researchers use theories as a guide them in their observation and to generate new information, the theories are the platform for all research (Mossler, R.A. 2011). Theorists have researched and tested many theories on child development that have been discovered. This paper will show how three developmental theories gave insight on the similarities and differences of the developmental theories of child development. While there are many theoretical perspectives that try to explain the development of children; the theories provide an overall understanding as well as allows educated hypotheses about the different aspects of child development. Behavioral theories within child development allows the focus to be placed on how environmental interactions influences behavior, and in turn how these behaviors are reinforced and learned. Behaviorism accepts that learning happens through interactions that children have with their environment. The theory points out the study of measureable, observable behavior and it also, includes the way the environment controls a child’s behavior. Theorist John B, Watson and B.F. Skinner, theories are based off their belief that, internal...
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...Abstract Child development is defined as a normal progression by which children change as they grow older by acquiring and refining knowledge, adjusting behaviours and mastering new skills. As children grow there are both quantitative and qualitative differences between them. Quantitative differences emerge in that children acquire more knowledge and grow physically larger and stronger. Qualitative differences in the way children think, behave, and perceive the world differently as they mature. Many theories of child development have emerged as researchers continue to try to support, contradict or integrate differing points of view. Theories of child development have reflected the thinking of the times in which they arose. Some more recently developed theoretical perspectives focus on children’s internal processes and others on external influences related to development. This essay will discuss two different theoretical approaches - sociocultural theory, which stresses that social interaction is fundamental in the role of physical, cognitive and social development, and ecological systems theory, which integrates a holistic approach to encompassing the key individual and environmental influences on child development. The focus of the discussion is a comparative analysis of a theory from each of these approaches. A Discussion of the Theories of Bronfenbrenner and Vygotsky According to Berk (2013), there are three basic questions to consider in the area of child development. “Firstly...
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...Play is a vital part of our lives. In a child’s formative years, play is a powerfull and productive way of learning about the world. When the child grows and develops, the way in which he/she plays changes clearly. In this essay I will explain how and why this change occurs. I will look at how play is defined in different theoretical perspectives and discuss the features and functions of play. I will explain how play is relevant with the child’s degree of maturational development and explain how the child’s physical, intellectual, linguistic, emotional and social developments are inter-related through play. I will describe how this maturational development is connected to the child’s ability to engage in increasingly complex and social play. First of all, “what is play?” First of all being a universal feature of human life, it is difficult to define. Wardle defines play as a freely chosen activity which is "non-literal, self-motivated, enjoyable and process oriented. Critical to this definition is the non-literal, non-realistic aspect. This means external aspects of time, use of materials, the environment, rules of the play activity, and roles of the participants are all made up by the children playing. They are based on the child's sense of reality" (Wardle, undated); with the key point being that all aspects of the play are based on the child’s sense of reality. Hughes and King describe play as “a process that is freely chosen, personally directed and intrinsically motivated”...
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...CH1-2 Assignment 1. Child development is shaped by many factors. The three factors that play an important role in our development are culture, ethnicity, and socio-economic status. Culture is behavior patterns and beliefs passed down from generations. Cultural groups can be small or large. Ethnicity is a person’s nationality, race, religion, and language. Examples of ethnic groups are African Americans, Native Americans, and Asians, Socioeconomic status is a person’s position within a society based on occupation, education, and economic status. Socio-economic status is obtained by one’s self and not by cultural beliefs or ethnicity. The socio-economic status of my mother helped shape my development. As a child I was raised by a single mom; she worked full time and overtime to support us. 2. Characarticis of...
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...Juliette Gordon Low: Analysis of Development By: Mary E. Dean May 3, 2014 Lifespan Development Walden University Spring Quarter 2014 Prof. V. Salzer Juliette Gordon Low is most recognized for founding and running what is now known as Girl Scouts of America. Her insight and forward thinking for her time led to this astonishing achievement but what did it take for her to get there, who or what influenced her to rise above the conventional thinking of her time and forge to such great heights? In this analysis I hope to discover answers to that question while exploring age old concepts like nature versus nurture and comparing such development theories like Erickson’s stages of development and Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Juliette Gordon Low, or Daisy as she was known in her childhood, was born October 31, 1860 into a life of privilege in Savannah, GA. Juliette was the second oldest of six children. Her father William Washington Gordon was born in the south and strongly believed in the true southern traditions such as owning slaves and that the South should succeed from the Union. While her mother, Eleanor Lytle Kinzie whose family helped to found the city of Chicago and believed intensely in abolition. These opposing views caused much anguish for Juliette’s mother during the Civil War and would play a strong influence on the family dynamics as Juliette grew up. While her parents described her has having a sweet personality and caring disposition her sibling...
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...The impact of early education as a strategy in countering socio-economic disadvantage Research paper for Ofsted’s ‘Access and achievement in education 2013 review’ Professor Chris Pascal and Professor Tony Bertram UK Research Team: Sean Delaney, Selma Manjee, Marjory Perkins and Manja Plehn International Research Team: Alice Bennett, Carol Nelson, Sarina Razzak and Maureen Saunders Centre for Research in Early Childhood (CREC) © Centre for Research in Early Childhood (CREC) 2013 The views expressed in this report are the authors’ and do not necessarily reflect those of Ofsted. Any enquiries regarding this publication should be sent to Elizabeth Boulton at publishing@ofsted.gov.uk or Aviation House, 125 Kingsway, London WC2 6SE This publication is available at www.ofsted.gov.uk/accessandachievement. No. 130155-RR-005 In June 2012, Sir Michael Wilshaw, HMCI, stated his determination to address the issue of narrowing the gap of educational achievement between disadvantaged pupils and others. To support this intention, The Centre for Research in Early Childhood has been commissioned by OfSTED to conduct a review looking at the impact of Early Childhood Education (ECE) initiatives to combat social and economic disadvantage, both in the UK and internationally. This paper: Examines the impact of nati...
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...Child development is a process every child goes through. This process involves learning and mastering skills like sitting, walking, talking, skipping, and tying shoes. Children learn these skills called developmental milestones, during predictable time periods. There are five main areas of development: Cognitive, Socio-emotional, Language, Fine motor skill, and Gross motor skill development. All of these areas correlates to each other. However, the differences of cognitive and language development on a child’s growth is the main focus of this paper. What is Cognitive Development? “Cognitive development is the construction of thought processes, including remembering, problem solving, and decision-making, from childhood through adolescence to...
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...Review on established theories in the areas of intellectual and social development A theoretical understanding of child development is essential, allowing us to fully appreciate the cognitive, emotional, physical, social and educational growth that children go through from birth and into early adulthood (Neufeld & Mate, 2005). Some of the major theories of child development are known as grand theories; they attempt to describe every aspect of development, often using a stage approach, such as, Urie Bronfenbrenner, Eric Erikson and Jean Piaget. Urie Bronfenbrenner (1979 - 2005) founded the Ecological Systems Theory which provides an understanding of how the complex relationship between the infant, the family, and society impact child development. Brofenbrenner’s theory looks at how each of the areas interplay in the development of humans and how all areas impact development instead of studying each area separately. Bronfenbrenner (1975) states that “as a child develops, the interaction within these environments becomes more complex. This complexity can arise as the child’s physical and cognitive structures grow and mature. So, given that nature continues on a given path, how does the world that surrounds the child help or hinder continued development?” Bronfenbrenner labeled five different aspects of the environment that influence children's development. These include the micro system, the mesosystem, the exosystem, the macro system, and the chronosystem. The...
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...Perspectives of Abnormal Psychology Ann Bacon Psy/410 Abnormal Psychology October 24, 2011 Kristi Lane University of Phoenix Perspectives of Abnormal Psychology What is abnormal psychology? Abnormal psychology is the branch of psychology that deals with behaviors that are not considered normal as well as psychological phenomena such as dreams and altered mental states, which have not been explained. The goal of this branch of psychology is to understand abnormal behavior as well as to determine how and if the behavior needs to be addressed and to develop a treatment plan that will help individuals. This branch of psychology also recognizes that there are many influences such as environmental influences on psychological development. The goal of many mental health professionals is not to force an individual to achieve normality but to help individuals who struggle with mental and emotional disorders to achieve fulfilling and active lives. However, to completely understand what abnormal psychology is we need to understand the origins of abnormal psychology as well as the challenges of defining and classifying normal and abnormal behavior. It is also important to understand how abnormal psychology evolved into a scientific discipline as well as the different viewpoints or models of abnormal psychology. The following paragraphs will hopefully help us to completely understand the branch of abnormal psychology. Origins of Abnormal Psychology The field of abnormal...
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