Child Development Theories Flashcards

Which of the following describes a key difference between Piaget's and Vygotsky's views on child development?

Answer: Piaget saw development as stage-based and internally driven; Vygotsky stressed social and cultural context

Piaget believed children construct knowledge independently through stages, whereas Vygotsky emphasized that cognitive development is largely shaped by social interaction and cultural tools.

According to Erikson, a school-age child (ages 6–12) who successfully completes projects and receives recognition is resolving the conflict of:

Answer: Industry vs. Inferiority

During the industry vs. inferiority stage, children develop a sense of competence through academic and social achievements; failure leads to feelings of inferiority.

A child care professional uses praise, stickers, and brief time-outs to manage classroom behavior. This approach is most consistent with which theoretical framework?

Answer: Behavioral and operant conditioning theory

Using reinforcement (praise, stickers) and mild punishment (time-out) to shape behavior directly applies Skinner's principles of operant conditioning.

Arnold Gesell's maturation theory proposed that child development is primarily determined by:

Answer: Biological and genetic timetables that unfold naturally

Gesell believed development follows a biologically predetermined sequence and that children will reach milestones at genetically set times regardless of environmental pressure.

In the context of child development theories, 'private speech' (talking aloud to oneself while working) is considered by Vygotsky to be:

Answer: A cognitive tool that children use to guide their own thinking and behavior

Vygotsky viewed private speech as an important self-regulatory tool that children internalize over time to become inner speech (silent thinking).

Which theorist is associated with the concept of 'sensitive periods' — windows of time during which children are especially receptive to learning specific skills?

Answer: Maria Montessori

Maria Montessori described sensitive periods as biologically driven windows when children are particularly responsive to certain stimuli, such as language or order.

Lawrence Kohlberg's theory of moral development is most closely related to which other theorist's stage-based framework?

Answer: Jean Piaget

Kohlberg built on Piaget's work, extending his ideas about cognitive development into the moral domain and proposing that moral reasoning advances through sequential stages.