PYC4805
EXAM STUDY PACK
NOTES /SUMMARIES
,Theorists have a certain point of view or take a certain stand on the basic issues underlying
child development. Berk (2013) refers to the following issues:
What is the course of development (continuous/discontinuous)?
Is development characterised by both universal and unique individual features(one or many
course of development)?
What factors determine development (nature/nurture)?
Determine, discuss and evaluate the point of view with regard to these issues underlying
child development of: Vygotsky”s
Sociocultural theory and the Information-Processing approach.
1. COURSE OF DEVELOPMENT
Continuous —a process of gradually adding more of the same
types of skills that were there to begin with. Some theorists
believe that development is a smooth, continuous process.
Children gradually add more of the same types of skills.
Discontinuous — a process in which new ways of
understanding and responding to the world emerge at specific
times. Theorists think that development takes place in
discontinuous stages. Children change rapidly as they step up
to a new level of development and then change very little for a
while. With each step, the child interprets and responds to the
world in a qualitatively different way.
UNIQUE INDIVIDUAL FEATURES OR UNIVERSAL?
Stage theorists:
• assume that people everywhere follow the same sequence of development
• try to identify the common influences that lead language, play, logic and reason
Contemporary theorists:
• Context - unique combinations of personal and environmental circumstances that can
result in different paths of change
• Personal side - heredity and biological makeup
• environmental side - include both immediate setting (Micro environment) and remote (Macro
environment)
2
, 2. FACTORS THAT DETERMINE DEVELOPMENT (NATURE/NURTURE | Stability vs
plasticity)
nature - inborn biological givens—the hereditary information we receive from our
parents at the moment of conception
M
nurture - the complex forces of the physical and social world that influence our biological
RA
makeup and psychological experiences before and after birth
stability - that children who are high or low in a characteristic will remain due to heredity
AG
plasticity – open to change in response to influential experiences.
IS
UN
3. VYGOTSKY’S SOCIOCULTURAL THEORY
It focuses on how culture (the values, beliefs, customs, and skills of a social group) is
transmitted to the next generation Social interaction is needed to acquire ways of thinking and
behaving that make up a community‘s culture
PP
Vygotsky's Many possible courses: Socially Both nature and nurture: Heredity, brain
-A
Both continuous and discontinuous:
sociocultural Language acquisition and schooling lead to mediated changes in thought and growth, and dialogues with more expert
TS
theory stagewise changes. Dialogues with more behavior vary from culture to members of society jointly contribute to
expert members of society also lead to culture. development. Both early and later
HA
continuous changes that vary from culture to experiences are important.
culture.
W
4. INFORMATION PROCESSING APPROACH
on
Encoding->Recording->Decoding
the human mind might also be viewed as a symbol-manipulating system through
t
en
which information flows
m
Information Continuous: Children gradually improve in One course: Changes studied Both nature and nurture: Children are
gn
processing perception, attention, memory, and characterize most or all children. active, sense-making beings who modify
si
problem-solving skills. their thinking as the brain grows and they
as
confront new environmental demands.
Both early and later experiences are
important.
L
UL
3
2.
4.
4.
3.
2.
9.
6.
7.
0.
TE
M
A
VI
IN
3
EXAM STUDY PACK
NOTES /SUMMARIES
,Theorists have a certain point of view or take a certain stand on the basic issues underlying
child development. Berk (2013) refers to the following issues:
What is the course of development (continuous/discontinuous)?
Is development characterised by both universal and unique individual features(one or many
course of development)?
What factors determine development (nature/nurture)?
Determine, discuss and evaluate the point of view with regard to these issues underlying
child development of: Vygotsky”s
Sociocultural theory and the Information-Processing approach.
1. COURSE OF DEVELOPMENT
Continuous —a process of gradually adding more of the same
types of skills that were there to begin with. Some theorists
believe that development is a smooth, continuous process.
Children gradually add more of the same types of skills.
Discontinuous — a process in which new ways of
understanding and responding to the world emerge at specific
times. Theorists think that development takes place in
discontinuous stages. Children change rapidly as they step up
to a new level of development and then change very little for a
while. With each step, the child interprets and responds to the
world in a qualitatively different way.
UNIQUE INDIVIDUAL FEATURES OR UNIVERSAL?
Stage theorists:
• assume that people everywhere follow the same sequence of development
• try to identify the common influences that lead language, play, logic and reason
Contemporary theorists:
• Context - unique combinations of personal and environmental circumstances that can
result in different paths of change
• Personal side - heredity and biological makeup
• environmental side - include both immediate setting (Micro environment) and remote (Macro
environment)
2
, 2. FACTORS THAT DETERMINE DEVELOPMENT (NATURE/NURTURE | Stability vs
plasticity)
nature - inborn biological givens—the hereditary information we receive from our
parents at the moment of conception
M
nurture - the complex forces of the physical and social world that influence our biological
RA
makeup and psychological experiences before and after birth
stability - that children who are high or low in a characteristic will remain due to heredity
AG
plasticity – open to change in response to influential experiences.
IS
UN
3. VYGOTSKY’S SOCIOCULTURAL THEORY
It focuses on how culture (the values, beliefs, customs, and skills of a social group) is
transmitted to the next generation Social interaction is needed to acquire ways of thinking and
behaving that make up a community‘s culture
PP
Vygotsky's Many possible courses: Socially Both nature and nurture: Heredity, brain
-A
Both continuous and discontinuous:
sociocultural Language acquisition and schooling lead to mediated changes in thought and growth, and dialogues with more expert
TS
theory stagewise changes. Dialogues with more behavior vary from culture to members of society jointly contribute to
expert members of society also lead to culture. development. Both early and later
HA
continuous changes that vary from culture to experiences are important.
culture.
W
4. INFORMATION PROCESSING APPROACH
on
Encoding->Recording->Decoding
the human mind might also be viewed as a symbol-manipulating system through
t
en
which information flows
m
Information Continuous: Children gradually improve in One course: Changes studied Both nature and nurture: Children are
gn
processing perception, attention, memory, and characterize most or all children. active, sense-making beings who modify
si
problem-solving skills. their thinking as the brain grows and they
as
confront new environmental demands.
Both early and later experiences are
important.
L
UL
3
2.
4.
4.
3.
2.
9.
6.
7.
0.
TE
M
A
VI
IN
3
