Psychological Development in Early Childhood
From the ages of 2 to 7, children experience rapid physical growth. At the same time, they grow mentally and emotionally as they learn about the word around them. Researchers have developed theories to describe the phases of psychological development that children go through during the early childhood years.
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Stages of Cognitive Development
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Jean Piaget, a child development researcher, developed the theory of the stages of intellectual development. He indicated that children pass through four different stages during childhood. From the ages of 2 to 7, children are in the preoperational stage. This stage of development is characterized by egocentric or self-centered thinking, the use of language to express needs and desires and the use of symbols to represent physical objects, according to the University of Hawaii.
8 Stages of Development
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Erik Erikson was a psychologist who proposed 8 stages of development in 1956, according to the Child Development Institute. He theorized that each stage of development is an emotional crisis situation that must be successfully resolved before the next step can be tackled. From the ages of 2 to approximately 4, children must deal with autonomy versus shame. Children who successfully overcome this stage emerge with a sense of self confidence and pride in their new abilities. From the ages of 3 to 5, the child is in the learning initiative versus guilt stage. Children learn to work with others and develop their imaginations through active play. The following stage is industry versus inferiority. During this period, children learn self-discipline and how to navigate formal social structures as they attend school.
Cultural-Historical Theory
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Lev Vygotsky was a Russian theorist who disagreed with psychologists that believed children developed cognitively without input from others. Instead, he believed that children develop psychologically because of their social interactions with others. He felt that they learn social skills, knowledge and behaviors through relationships with family members, teachers and peers.
Environmentalist Theory
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B.F. Skinner, John Watson and Albert Bandura believed that development occurs as a result of a child's reactions to his environment. In the environmentalist theory, a child's mental growth is based upon his responses to the positive and negative factors in his surroundings, according to the North Central Regional Educational Laboratory.
Sequential Growth
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Children are unique and develop at their own natural pace, according to Reach Out Michigan. However, psycho-social skills are acquired in a sequential order. Between the ages of 2 to 3 1/2 years, children learn language skills quickly. They have a great deal of energy, and they develop a sense of independence even though they are still reliant on caregivers. Between the ages of 3 1/2 and 5, they begin sharing and taking turns, and they start to learn how to cooperate with other children. They also begin to experiment with early literacy skills and concepts of print. Finally, between 5 and 8 they acquire more confidence in their skills. They also become more cooperative in their play.
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