Week 2 - Fitzpatrick - Theories of Development

The reading completed for the class in week 2 give us readers a brief overview of each of the six major theories of development, along with sources and evidence that validate the beliefs in each of the said theories. In order of recognition, those theories are Psychoanalytical (Freud), Psychosocial (Erikson), Cognitive (Piaget), Cultural (Vygotsky), Behavioral (Skinner, Bandura), Ecological (Bronfenbrenner), and Contextual (Lerner).

Although I find each of these theories interesting, and plausible, I found myself having the hardest time accepting the believability in Freud’s theory the most. Mainly because of the basis of simplicity for understanding the developmental content. Although the text mentions that Freud’s psychoanalytic theory is beginning to regain interest (31), my struggle comes in accepting the idea that human development is possibly as simple as an on-going balancing act (ego) of acting in pleasure (id) or in moral (superego). Also, while I do believe that Freud is correct in his stages of development that his located pleasure centers of each stage may be the more dominant of any area in the body which may be developing at that time, it is neither correct nor fathomable to believe that it is the only area affected during that stage, and, more importantly, a person cannot continue to develop unless “the pleasure center is satisfied” (30).  To me, while this makes a great foundation for theory, it is hard to accept as a complete theory in and of itself.

Conversely, while thinking as a future educator, while I enjoyed Bronfenbrenner’s theory that interactions between both hereditary and environmental aspects explain human development (42), and Lerner’s theory that our biological, psychological and social characteristics function by reciprocal interactions with environment (44), the theorists I feel are of utmost value to me are Erikson’s Psychosocial theory, and Skinner’s and Bandura’s Behavioral theories. I believe these are most valuable to an educator because, although neither of them combines the biological, psychological, and social characteristics, by understanding theories that place a greater emphasis on one, as opposed to a meshing of all three, it gives the teacher a better understanding of the overall changes expected to observe in the midst of student development, and how you, as the acting social characteristic, can control the social climate to the benefit of the developing students. For example, as a teacher, it is important to understand what Erikson is saying. Erikson states that development is less on the unconscious but more on how the brain adapts to culture.  Much like Freud, he also agrees that the body experiences internal developmental struggles at certain stages throughout life, but unlike Freud, Erikson presents to you the exact life crisis. For instance, teaching middle school Erikson states that children need to expand their horizons at the stage (33). Knowing this about my students, I can create a culture that embraces expansion, such as peer-led discussions, and group projects where the students pick their own project, etc.

Keeping Erikson in mind, I enjoy Skinner and Bandura, because their theories are, in an essence, the essential theories most to all teachers currently educating adhere to daily. In the case of Skinner, throughout my duration of time in the Adult Studies program at Trinity, I cannot tell you how many times in a given class I have been the term “reinforcement.” Intrinsic, extrinsic, positive, and negative reinforcement are everywhere in education. As such, it is important to understand the theory of Operant Conditioning, and how to use it as a beneficial tool for the classroom. As for Bandura’s theory of observational learning, he states with evidence that children learn through observation of others (parents, teachers, peers, etc.) (40). As an educator, I need to know that my actions play a vital role in the development of my students at all time. I must also be aware of the students’ internal crisis and adapt my actions and teaching strategies to allow the students to cognitively feel embraced in my classrooms culture.