W1 Assignment 1: Exploring Theoretical Foundations
Choose three of the prominent developmental theories that have had a hand in shaping the discipline of Developmental Psychology from the list below.
Using the “Theory Comparison Worksheet” Download “Theory Comparison Worksheet”(below), address some aspects of each major dimension identified on the worksheet for the three theories you selected.
Then, using the space at the bottom of the worksheet provided, comment in 2-3 sentences, on which of the three theories you feel most broadly meets the needs of a Lifespan Developmental Theory.
Choose from the following list of developmental theories:
Freud’s Psychosexual Theory
Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory
Behaviorism and Social Learning Theory
Piaget’s Cognitive-Developmental Theory
Ethology and Evolutionary Developmental Psychology
Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory
Submit the completed worksheet which includes completing the table and the summary statement.
Theory Comparison Worksheet
Choose three Developmental Theories from the provided list. Fill in the information that is pertinent to the question or statement in the column to the left as it pertains to the theory you have chosen and listed above. Be sure to address all 3 theories.
Refer to Figure 16 in Chapter 1.
Theory 1:
_______________ Theory 2:
_______________ Theory 3:
_______________
Continuous or Discontinuous Development?
Lifelong perspective on development?
Influence of Nature v. Nurture on Developmental path?
Multidimensional and multidirectional?
Plastic or rigid/fixed path through development?
Which of the above theories do you believe best addresses a lifelong perspective of development? Why?
