Approaches of Human Development

- Phase-stage theory
o Theorists: Freud, Erikson, Gesell
o There are universal age periods characterized by certain behaviors
o Behaviors occur in phases or stages; invariant and can not be
reordered; however some stages can be skipped
o Focus on broad based changes rather than isolated behaviors
o Pro: gives the big picture
o Con: does not accommodate details
- Developmental Task theory
o Theorist: Havighurst
o Predicts later success/failure based on performance at earlier stage
rather than describing what happens at each stage
o Pro: predicts instead of just describing
o Con: questionable validity
- Developmental Milestone Theory
o Theorist: Piaget
o More descriptive rather than predictive
o Unlike stage theory, it views development as continual and
intertwining developmental processes, not a neat transition between
stages
- Ecological theory Dynamical Systems branch
o Theorists: Bernsteign, Kigler, Kelso, Turvey
o Development doesn't necessarily always mean a forward movement;
can regress if that is how your environment affects you
- Ecological theory behavior setting branch
o Theorists: Barker, Brofenbrenner
o Behavior setting influences behavior
o Focus on perceptions of contexts
- Information Processing Theory
o Theorists: Schmidt & Lee, Kephart
o Sensory based
o Senses behavior; learning theory
Patterns of Attachment
- insecure-avoidant
o played independently
o not distressed when mother left
o ignored mom when she came back
o were ignored/rejected by mothers
o focus on environment as opposed to the mom
- secure
o explored when alone w/ mom
o when mom left, they were upset
o when mom came back they wanted close contact w/ her
o positive impact on later development

insecure-ambivalent/resistant
o strong need for attachment but lack confidence in its availability
o anxious even before separation
o react intensely to separation
o wanted close contact w/ mom but also resisted contact w/ her
o mothers are inconsistently responsive to baby
o focus on parents behavior/moods instead of environment
insecure-disorganized/disoriented
o contradictory behavior when reuinited w/ mother (e.g.: raises hands
to be picked up but also looks away)
o parents are a source of fear

Types of Caregivers
- Secure adults
o 5 characteristics
valued attachment relationships
believed that their attachment relationships had major
influence on their personality
were objective and balanced in describing their relationships
showed readiness of recall and ease in discussing attachment
took a realistic rather than idealistic view of their parents and
their own attachment experiences
o likely to have secure infants
- Dismissive adults
o Dismissed attachment relationships as being of little concern, alue, or
influence
o No vivid memories of attachment
o Current relationships w/ parents are distant or cut off
o Likely to have avoidant infants
- Preoccupied adults
o Parents seemed preoccupied w/ dependency on their own parents
and struggled to please them
o Hold themselves responsible for difficulties in their attachment
relationships and idealie their parents
o Anxiety about relationships and worry about how ppl perceive them
o Likely to have ambivalent infants
- Unresolved adults
o Histories of unresolved trauma
o Fearful about loss and have irrational views
o Accounts of attachment disorganized and lacked coherence
o Likely to have disorganized/disoriented infants