Developmental Theorists

Lev Vygotsky
1. Places more emphasis on culture
affecting cognitive development
2. Places considerably more
emphasis on social factors
contributing to cognitive
development.
3. Places more (and different)
emphasis on the role of language
in cognitive development.
November 17, 1896 -
June 11, 1934

https://www.simplypsychology.org/vygotsky.html
 Lev Vygotsky
1. Cognitive development varies across
cultures
2. The environment in which children
grow up will influence how they think
and what they think about
3. Cognitive development results from
an internalization of language
 Jean Piaget
1896 - 1980

Theory of Cognitive Development

● The growth of knowledge is a progressive construction, with various

stages of logical capacity superseding one another into adulthood.

● Intelligence is a product of growth, and is not fixed or pre-ordained

by genetics.

● Cognitive development, like the two above, is a progressive

reorganization of mental processes, being the result of maturation
and experience.
 Theory of Cognitive Development
● Schemas
○ Basic learning blocks
● Equilibrium, Assimilation, and Accommodation
● Stages of Development
○ Sensorimotor (age 2)
○ Pre Operational (age 2-7)
○ Concrete Operational (age 7-11)
○ Formal Operational (age 11-adolescence)

https://www.simplypsychology.org/piaget.html

http://www.piaget.org/aboutPiaget.html#bio
 Jerome Bruner
Bruner believed that important outcomes of learning include not just
the concepts, categories, and problem-solving procedures invented
previously by the culture, but also the ability to “invent” these things for
oneself.

https://www.simplypsychology.org/bruner.html
Jerome Bruner
Enactive Representation - encoding action based information and
storing it in our memory (muscle memory)

Iconic Representation - information stored visually in the form of images

Symbolic Representation - information stored in the form of a code or

symbol, such as language-most adaptable form of representation
 David Kolb Born: 1939- Present day

● David Kolb designed a learning theory that works on two levels: one as a four step cycle, and one that works as four different
learning styles.

● 1. Concrete Experience - (a new experience or situation is encountered, or a reinterpretation of existing experience).

● 2. Reflective Observation of the new experience. (of particular importance are any inconsistencies between experience and
understanding).
● 3. Abstract Conceptualization (reflection gives rise to a new idea, or a modification of an existing abstract concept).
● 4. Active Experimentation (the learner applies them to the world around them to see what results ).
 His Theories
-believed that everyone learns different
because they have different
intelligences. (Known as the Theory of
Multiple Intelligences.)

-identified several different

intelligences, or categories, that
students can identify with

-”...students possess different kinds of

11 July 1943-Present Day
minds and therefore learn, remember,
perform, and understand in different
Howard Gardner ways. “
 Different Intelligences
Intrapersonal-”self smart,” learners tend to shy away from other kids, very closed off
and reserved
Interpersonal-”people smart,” learners tend to be very outgoing and learn best
through other people and communicating
Musical-”music smart,” sensitive toward beats and sounds, taught best using sound
patterns (like making a song, or putting words to a beat.)
Bodily Kinesthetic-”body smart,” keen sense of body awareness, they learn best
through hands-on activities and touching materials
Spacial-”picture smart,” very aware of their environments, learn best when looking at
something or drawing it out
Naturalist-”nature smart,” learners connect well with other living things around them
and they love working in the outside environments
 Different Intelligences
Verbal Linguistic- “word smart,” students learns best when they can look at words or
read something, rather than hear it or touch it
Logical/Mathematical- “logic or number smart,” learners benefit best when they can
apply logical thinking to their learning process, they do very well with numbers and
they can problem solve easily
 Ivan Pavlov

1849-1936
http://classicalconditioning9.wikispaces.com/Classical+Conditioning & https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivan_Pavlov
Ivan Pavlov
● Conditioned reflex
● He would sound a tone just before presenting dogs with food, conditioning
them to begin salivating every time he sounded the tone
● Classical Conditioning involves learning to associate an unconditioned
stimulus that already brings about a particular response with a new stimulus,
so that the new stimulus brings about the same response.
● Critique: He would have to insert a saliva catch container surgically.
Something not advertized is that he also used children in his studies.

https://www.simplypsychology.org/pavlov.html & https://www.biography.com/people/ivan-petrovich-pavlov-9435332

Ivan Pavlov

http://acidrayn.com/2012/07/26/the-truth-behind-pavlovs-conditioning-experiments/
B.F Skinner
1904-1990
Skinner’s Theory of operant conditioning says that the idea of
behavior is determined by its consequences, be they reinforcements
or punishments, which will keep kids from getting in trouble less
often.

Which means that people will punish their children for their wrong
behavior and give treats for their right behavior.So that if their good
or bad they will know to act appropriately in a good behavioral
manner and not a bad one.
 B.F Skinner Theory

https://www.simplypsychology.org/operant-conditioning.html