Child Development Theorists

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Child Development Theorists

• Erik Erikson
• Jean Piaget
• Rene Spitz
• Harry Harlow
• Fraser Mustard

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Erik Erikson (1902-1994)

• Danish-German-American psychologist
• Best known for theory on social development
• Stages of psychosocial development
• Coined the phrase identity crisis

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Jean Piaget (1896-1980)

• Developed theory of cognitive development
• Psychologist philosopher
• Stages that children pass through in the
  development of intelligence
• Childhood is unique and important for development

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Rene Spitz (1887-1974)

• One of first researchers who used child
  observation
• One of first to establish importance of social
  interactions in child development
• Followed 2 groups of children from birth one
  raised in orphanage, second group of babies
  raised in nursery in prison (mothers allowed to
  give care and affection each day, plus contact
  with staff)

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Spitz Studies

• Children raised in orphanage had lack of motor,
  social
• cognitive skills
• Focused on normal and abnormal behaviour
• Pointed out effects of maternal and emotional
  deprivation

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Spitz on Development

• Conclusion Catastrophic effects of sensory and
  social deprivation at certain critical periods in
  early childhood can have on childrens subsequent
  development.

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Harry Harlow (1905-1981)

• Infant monkeys were separated from their mothers
  at six to twelve hours after birth and were
  raised instead with substitute or 'surrogate'
  mothers made either of heavy wire or of wood
  covered with soft terry cloth
• Both types of surrogates were present in the
  cage, but only one was equipped with a nipple
  from which the infant could nurse.
• Even when the wire mother was the source of
  nourishment, the infant monkey spent a greater
  amount of time clinging to the cloth surrogate.

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Harry Harlow

• http//www.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id
  226257titleHarry_Harlow_Monkey_Experiment
• Motherless mothers later became either
  indifferent when they had children or abusive
• Provided evidence of need for warmth, affection
  and nurturing parents

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Fraser Mustard (1927-2011)

• CANADIAN physician and scientist
• Wrote several papers and did studies on early
  child development
• Instrumental in Ontario adopting full-day
  kindergarten based on Early Years report
• Emphasized critical nature of early years

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Frasers Contributions

• Brain development during the first five years
  sets stage for health and well-being
• 3 Enduring Messages
• -The years before 5 last a lifetime
• -It takes a village to raise a child
• -Pay now or pay later!

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2 Views on Education

• John Locke Jean-Jacques Rousseau, two
  philosophers of 17th and 18th century, developed
  opposite views of education of children
• Tabula Rasa At birth child is unformed person
  whose mind is a blank slate.
• Parents responsibility to fill childs mind

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Rosseau

• Rosseau believed children are born with innate
  capacity for understanding, curiosity, and
  creativity that is often deadened by education
  and control imposed by adults