This book is written primarily for psychology and education students whose programs include a course in child psychology, child development, or theories of development. The text may also be used to supplement courses on child development organized thematically or chronologically. Instructors of graduate courses in child development may wish to consider this text as a primary synthesis containing more source material and source citations than others of its kind. The primary aim of the book is to describe what developmental theories are, what they can do, where they come from, how they work, and how they can be used to explain human nature.

Michael Green is Associate Professor in the Department of Reading and Elementary Education at UNC Charlotte. His undergraduate training was in psychology at the University of California Berkeley. He received his Ed. D. in human development from Harvard. Today he teaches courses in child development, theories of development, and elementary mathematics education; directs children’s math-enrichment summer programs at UNC Charlotte and area schools; and is co-author of the Comprehensive Applied Manipulative Mathematics Program (CAMMP). Dr. Green has published in Child Development, Computers in the Schools, Focus on Learning Problems in Mathematics, Journal of Educational Computing Research, Journal of Research on Computing in Education, and Journal of Educational Research.

John A. Piel is an Associate Professor in the Department of Reading and Elementary Education at UNC Charlotte. His graduate training was in child cevelopment and mathematics education at The Florida State University. Today he teaches courses in child development and mathematics education, linking the two as a comprehensive theoretical endeavor. He is the co-author of the Comprehensive Applied Manipulative Mathematics Program (CAMMP) and with Dr. Green directs several summer enrichment camps for children using mathematics as the vehicle. Piel has published in journals representing technology, mathematics education, and child development.

PART I PRELIMINARY CONSIDERATIONS

Chapter 1 Theories as Windows for Looking to See

Preview questions

Why do we study theories?

What is a theory?

Windows for looking to see

Theory Definition

Structural components of developmental theories

Assumptions

Explaining human phenomena

Internal principles

Bridge principles

Change mechanism

Limitations of developmental theories

Families and Paradigms of developmental theories

Paradigms and paradigm "cases" in developmental psychology

Philosophical antecedents of developmental theories

The big picture: Paradigms in perspective

Summary points

Suggested Readings

more about Freud and his theory

reviews of research

critical reviews

Chapter 4 Erikson and Psychosocial Theory

Preview questions

Historical sketch

Structural components of psychosocial theory

assumptions

problems for study

internal principles

bridge principles

change mechanism

Explaining human development: the research

indirect research on infants and children

child rearing

adolescent identity

cultural context

adulthood and aging

Contributions and criticisms of psychosocial theory

contributions

criticisms

Evaluation of psychosocial theory

scientific worthiness

developmental adequacy

pedagogical usefulness

Summary points

Problems and exercises

Suggested Readings

more about the theory

research reviews

critical reviews

Chapter 5 Wilson and Sociobiology

Preview questions

Historical sketch

The legacy of Darwin

Edward O. Wilson and the roots of sociobiology

Structural components of sociobiology

assumptions

problems for study

internal principles

bridge principles

change mechanism

Explaining human development: the research

Aggression and dominance hierarchies

Kinship systems and nomenclature

Altruism

Language

Status hierarchies

Contributions and criticisms of sociobiology

Contributions

Criticisms

Evaluation of sociobiology

scientific worthiness

developmental adequacy

pedagogical usefulness

Summary points

Problems and exercises

class exercises

individual exercises

Suggested Readings

more about the theory

research reviews

critical reviews

Chapter 6 Ainsworth and Infant Attachment

Preview questions

Historical sketch

from past roots, a new view of infancy

John Bowlby and the birth of attachment theory

Harry Harlow and surrogate mothering

Mary Ainsworth: attachment types and the secure base

Structural components of attachment theory

assumptions

problems for study

internal principles

bridge principles

change mechanism

Explaining human development: the research

caretaker qualities

infant experiences

attachment and mental development

attachments later in life

Contributions and criticisms of attachment theory

contributions

criticisms

Evaluation of attachment theory

scientific worthiness

developmental adequacy

pedagogical usefulness

Summary points

Problems and exercises

Suggested Readings

more about the theory

research reviews

critical reviews

PART III THE EXOGENOUS PARADIGM

Chapter 7 Skinner and Operant Conditioning

Preview questions

Historical sketch

growing up and into psychology

behaviorism

the legacy of Ivan Pavlov

roots of American behaviorism

operant conditioning

Structural components of operant conditioning

assumptions

problems for study

internal principles

bridge principles

change mechanism

Explaining human development: the research

discrimination learning

group contingencies

learned helplessness

metaanalyses

Contributions and criticisms of operant conditioning

contributions

criticisms

Evaluation of operant conditioning

scientific worthiness

developmental adequacy

pedagogical usefulness

Summary points

Problems and exercises

Suggested Readings

more about the theory

research reviews

critical reviews

Chapter 8 Bandura and Social Cognitive Theory

Preview questions

Historical sketch

personal biography

extending Skinner’s legacy

Structural components of social cognitive theory

assumptions

problems for study

internal principles

bridge principles

change mechanism

Explaining human development: the research

aggression

altruism

sex roles

self-efficacy

social cognitive theory and neuroscience

Contributions and criticisms of social cognitive theory

contributions

criticisms

Evaluation of social cognitive theory

scientific worthiness

developmental adequacy

pedagogical usefulness

Summary points

Problems and exercises

Suggested Readings

more about the theory

research reviews

critical reviews

Chapter 9 Vygotsky and Cultural-historical Theory

Preview questions

Historical sketch

Structural components of cultural-historical theory

assumptions

problems for study

internal principles

bridge principles

change mechanism

Explaining human development: the research

egocentric speech

zone of proximal development

other empirical research

Contributions and criticisms cultural-historical theory

contributions

criticisms

Evaluation of cultural-historical theory

scientific worthiness

developmental adequacy

pedagogical usefulness

Summary points

Problems and exercises

Suggested Readings

more about the toeory

critical reviews

PART IV THE CONSTRUCTIVIST PARADIGM

Chapter 10 Piaget and Cognitive developmental Theory

Preview questions

Historical sketch

an intellectual start

the stimulus of Kant

Spencer’s principles of psychology

Heinz Werner and John Flavell

Structural components of cognitive-developmental theory

assumptions

problems for study

internal principles

bridge principles

change mechanism

Explaining human development: the research

sensorimotor stage

concrete operational stage

formal operational stage

other validation studies

Contributions and criticisms of cognitive-developmental theory

Evaluation of cognitive-developmental theory

scientific worthiness

developmental adequacy

pedagogical usefulness

Summary points

Problems and exercises

Suggested Readings

Chapter 11 Kohlberg and Moral Development

Preview questions

Historical sketch

early life

from Piagetian roots

Structural components of moral development theory

assumptions

problems for study

internal principles

bridge principles

change mechanism

Explaining human development: the research

stage sequence

cognitive and perspective-taking development

type A and type B distinction

promoting moral development

Contributions and criticisms of moral development theory

contributions

criticisms

Evaluation of moral development theory

scientific worthiness

developmental adequacy

pedagogical usefulness

Summary points

Problems and exercises

Suggested Readings

Chapter 12 The Neo-Piagetians

Preview Questions

Historical Context

Robbie Case and conceptual structure

Biographical sketch

Structural components of Case’s theory

Juan Pascual-Leone and M-capacity

Biographical sketch

Structural components of Pascual-Leone’s theory

Kurt Fisher and dynamic skill theory

Biological sketch

Structural components of Fischer’s theory

Evaluation of the neo-Piagetians

Scientific worthiness

Developmental adequacy

Pedagogical usefulness

Summary points

Suggested Readings

PART V -- SUMMING UP

Chapter 13 Are Theories Compatible?

Preview questions

The case for theoretical eclecticism

The case for theoretical purity: theory incompatibility

Can the eclectic – purist debate be resolved?

Final Comments

Summary

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Theories of Human Development: A Comparative Approach

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