What are the Major Theories of Child Development?
(Part I) A number of theories exist in the area of early childhood development that attempt to explain how young children develop and learn. A theory is an organized or systematic way of thinking about a particular concept. According to Trawick-Smith (2003), “A theory might include beliefs about the nature of learning and development, the role of heredity and environment, and how adults, other children, schools, and communities contribute to the development process” (p. 36). In the field of early childhood development, some of the prominent theories of child development are maturationist theory, behaviorist theory, Erikson’s psychoanalytical theory, Piaget’s cognitive development theory, Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory and Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological systems theory. Maturationist Theory Arnold Gesell was a proponent of one of the oldest theories, the maturationist theory. This theory focuses mainly on maturity and little on environmental influences. Basically, this theory maintains
