Developmental Psychology : Cognitive Development

In Developmental psychology there are four theories that psychologist apply to the development of the human mind. Developmental psychologist always question how much of you is due to your genes or to the environment in which your in. After reading about each of these theories, I can't say that I believe one theory to hold all the answer to the human psyche. But I do believe more strongly in some then others whether through personal experience or through observational learning. I don't think any psychologist is right by saying one theory is right, when it can be a combination of all of them because our minds have different sections too. Now I'll go into more details about each of the four

There are three main theories of development that I shall discuss in this assignment, 'Cognitive', the main theorist being, 'Piaget', (1896 - 1980), The, 'Psychosocial Theory', 'Erikson', (1902 - 1994), and, The 'Psychosexual', of, 'Freud', (1856 - 1939).

Psychology is diverse, and there are many diverse specialty areas available to individuals seeking a career in the field of psychology. Most Psychologists choose to specialize in subfields that focus on specific subjects. Obtaining a profession in any of the specialty areas would require graduate study in that area of interest. Some professionals have a broad general knowledge, are skilled in several areas, and work with a range of clients. Some are specialist in treating a specific type of psychological disorder, or work with a specific age group. For those interested in specializing in a psychology career, developmental Psychology is one of the many fields available.

There are a few factors that are essential for life such as breathing or eating, but one of the most essential factor is sleep. Even though the amount of sleep people need differs from one individual to another, the fact is that eventually everyone needs to sleep. People know the importance of sleep, but due to the increased workload and the pressure of society people are getting less sleep. As a result, there has been an increase interest on the effects lack of sleep has on the mind especially the memory of a person. Many questions arose about the relationship between sleep and memory due to the fact most high school and college students have become sleep deprived. For example, does more sleep mean higher grades?

The cognitive developmental theory comes from the work and research done by Jean Piaget which we believe is an empiricist approach which goes hand and hand with Piaget’s constructive approach. Empiricism is a theory that states that knowledge comes only or primarily from sensory experience. The constructive approach is viewed as children discovering all knowledge about the world through their own learning and knowledge. According to Piaget, children pass through these stages at different times in their lives and cannot skip a stage which causes them to be seen as invariant.

Developmental psychology recognizes three main models of psychosocial and cognitive development. The first theory, presented by developmental psychologist and philosopher Jean Piaget, addresses cognitive development. The second theory, presented by psychologist Lawrence Kohlberg, focuses on the development of morality. The third theory, proposed by developmental psychologist and psychoanalyst Erik Erikson, outlines psychosocial development. All three theories are applicable from birth to death.

Discuss the concept of ‘constructivism’ (from Piaget’s theory of cognitive development). Use a mix of theory and research to back up your ideas about whether or not the child constructs his/her own development.

Piaget and Vygotsky both believed that young children actively learn from their hands-on, day-to-day experiences. Jean Piaget portrayed children as "little scientists" who go about actively constructing their understanding of the world. His theories hold the essence of developmentally appropriate curriculum since Piaget believed that children undergo cognitive development in a stage-based manner, such that a very young child would not think about things the same way that an adult might. He referred to the knowledge and the manner in which the knowledge is gained as a schema. In order to build on the cognitive stages that children experience, informal learning opportunities, formal instructional sessions, and the utilized curriculum must all dovetail with a child's current cognitive stage so that assimilation of the new knowledge may occur. Working with what the child knows and experiences, parents and teachers create bridges to the next cognitive stage that are characterized by the child's accommodation. Piaget argued that optimal learning took place in this manner and that adults should avoid thinking that they can accelerate a child's development through the age-based, maturity-referenced stages. This is because a child works toward establishing an equilibrium between the assimilation and application of new knowledge and changing their behavior to accommodate their newly adopted schemas.

This paper is going to carry out a literature review on cognitive development in infants. The paper will review cognitive development in infants at different stages. Effects of early experience on mental development in infants will also be discussed. The research question and the hypothesis of the research will also be given.

One of the most recent explanations for why we sleep is the brain plasticity theory. This is based on findings that sleep is connected to changes in the structure and organization of the brain. This phenomenon is still not completely understood, but its connection to sleep has many critical implications. It has been known, for example, that sleep plays a crucial part in the development of infant's brains. Infants spend about fourteen hours a day sleeping. A connection between sleep and brain plasticity is becoming clear in adults as well. This is seen in the effects sleep have on people's ability to learn.

As I entered my preschooler phase in life, my cognitive agenda was autonomy and initiative. I showed characteristics of autonomy by picking out my outfit and dressing myself. I had a flamboyant style. I would wear plaid designs with stripes, I have no sense of matching. My mom tried to get to wear clothes that matched but I would become hysterical till I was able to wear my outfit I picked out. My dad, on the other hand, let me wear whatever I wanted. I took initiative with my decision making, if I wanted to do something or get something done, I put my mind to it. On a pre-operation scale, I am sure the task at hand was minimal, but looking forward, this is a cognitive task that is a strong characteristic of mine at twenty years old. The tools in the

The developmental psychopathology approach is the study of psychological problems and complexities in human development. It focuses on the atypical development of childhood through to adult life. According to Sroufe and Rutter (1984) it focuses on individual patterns of adaptation and maladaptation throughout development. This approach is designed to prevent behavioural and emotional differences within development, whilst positively reinforcing the idea of typical development. Cases of atypical development can include ADHD, eating disorders, anxiety and many other developmental disorders that differ from the developmental population norm.

There are many different things that shape the cognitive development of children. To begin with cognitive development is when a child develops how to process, solve problems, and start making decisions. Once they have learned this they take everything they have learned into their adolescence. An example, of what can shape the cognitive development of a child can be an educational game. Educational games can be very useful in shaping a child’s development because they are having fun while learning at the same time and what kid doesn’t like to play games, the fact that it is even educational makes it even better for them. Not only are they having fun but there are many different games that help in different categories of development in

Developmental Psychology has widened my perspective and knowledge of the nature of development from humans’ infancy to adolescence and emerging adulthood. Although I have learned about biological, cognitive, and socioemotional processes and periods of development, I am especially interested in socioemotional development in infancy because it is the foundation for a child’s future development. That is to say, if children have a healthy socioemotional development from infancy, they will have a healthy life later on. By understanding the developmental process in infancy, I will be fully prepared when I have children or when my family’s members do.

The two psychologist’s careers that interest me were developmental and counseling. Developmental psychologists look at how and why humans change over a lifetime. They break development into three parts: cognitive, psychological, and social. Cognitive involves your perception, reasoning, and language skills. Psychological sees the psychical operation of the brain with what we really say and do. Social finds out how do you mature and do your surroundings have an effect on your socialization. I always wanted to know why certain situations in your childhood effects your adulthood in a negative or positive way.