Early Childhood Education Child Development Theories Flashcards

Lev Vygotsky's concept of the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) refers to:

Answer: The gap between what a child can do alone and what they can do with guidance

The ZPD is the range of tasks a child can accomplish with skilled assistance but not yet independently.

In Erikson's psychosocial theory, the crisis faced by toddlers (ages 1-3) is:

Answer: Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt

Toddlers struggle with Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt as they develop independence in walking, talking, and self-care.

Which theorist introduced the concept of 'scaffolding' as a teaching strategy?

Answer: Jerome Bruner

Jerome Bruner coined the term 'scaffolding' to describe temporary support given to learners that is gradually removed as competence grows.

According to Piaget, a child who understands that a tall, thin glass and a short, wide glass can hold the same amount of water has developed:

Answer: Conservation

Conservation is the understanding that quantity remains the same despite changes in shape or appearance, mastered in the concrete operational stage.

Bronfenbrenner's microsystem includes:

Answer: Immediate environments like family, school, and peers

The microsystem is the innermost layer of Bronfenbrenner's model and consists of the child's direct, face-to-face environments.

Albert Bandura's Social Learning Theory emphasizes that children learn by:

Answer: Observing and imitating the behavior of others

Bandura argued that observation, imitation, and modeling are primary mechanisms through which children learn new behaviors.

A child in Piaget's preoperational stage (ages 2-7) who believes the sun follows them to school is demonstrating:

Answer: Egocentrism

Egocentrism is the preoperational child's inability to see the world from any perspective other than their own.