Developmental theorists use their research to generate philosophies on children's development. They organize and interpret data based on a scheme to develop their theory. A theory refers to a systematic statement of principles related to observed phenomena and their relationship to each other. A theory of child development looks at the children's…

This study aimed at investigating the similarities and differences between Vygotsky's perspectives on child language development with nativism and behaviorism. Proposing the idea of the Zone of Proximal Development, Vygotsky emphasized the role of collaborative interaction, scaffolding, and guided participation in language learning. Nativists, on…

We establish the thesis that in moral education, particularly in the first years of the child's development, unreflexive acts or "unreflexiveness" in certain behaviours of adults is a condition for the development of the personality structure and virtues that enable autonomous ethical reflection and a relation to the Other. With the…

Discipline and behavior modification in schools is a culturally dependent and sensitive subject. Despite research demonstrating that corporal punishment is not effective, it remains a common practice in over 70 countries worldwide. School discipline practices vary widely around the world and even within national borders. While physical punishment…

Acquisition in general and first language acquisition in particular is a very complex and a multifaceted phenomenon. The way that children acquire a language in a very limited period is astonishing. Various approaches have been proposed so far to account for this extraordinary phenomenon. These approaches are indeed based on various philosophical…

Cognitive psychology has replaced behaviorism as the dominant school of thought in American psychology regarding learning and development. This paper investigates changes in the field that have led to this major shift. The different methods used by behaviorists and human information processing (HIP) psychology are described. The metaphor of the…

Argues that the world view of contemporary behavior analysis, especially behavior analysis of child development, is contextualistic, not mechanistic. The history of behavior analysis is presented in a revised account that focuses on philosophic movements. Contextualism of behavior analysis is contrasted with mechanism with respect to five core…

Behaviorism and psychoanalytic theory, prevalent early in this century, declined at midcentury. Theorists subsequently developed domain-specific theories of socialization, which were influenced by, or resulted in, changing conceptions of children's identification with their parents, changing definitions of optimal parenting, and an understanding…

This paper examines how the concept of the "whole" child changed from 1890 to 1940 and how those changes affected approaches to early childhood education during that time. The literature survey is based on the content of the published proceedings of the Kindergarten Department of the National Educational Association. Examination of the…

Humanity delights in spinning conceptual models of the world. These models, in turn, mirror their respective root metaphors. Three root metaphors--spiritual, organic, and mechanical--have dominated western thought. The spiritual metaphor runs from Plato, through Hegel, and connects with Montessori. The organic metaphor extends from Aristotle,…

Analyzed kindergarten report cards from Ohio public schools. Results indicated that there was an emphasis on academic skills and that kindergartners were expected to master skills in work habits and reading and math readiness. A behaviorist perspective was favored. (PCB)

The case is made that advances in chaos and complexity theories and self-organizing systems have important implications for the field of learning disabilities. Problems with behaviorism are discussed and the properties of self-organizing systems are explained. The concepts of continuous, nonlinear development and motivation and volition are…

This article contrasts the philosophies of early childhood special education and early childhood education and discusses a service delivery approach, known as activity-based intervention, which combines strategies for both fields and utilizes behavior analytic techniques within child-directed activities. (Author/DB)

Examines developmentally appropriate versus inappropriate practices in terms of curriculum studies. Discusses problems with the justification of child-centered practices based on developmental theory; philosophical, historical, and political dimensions of a curriculum based on appropriate practices; and an alternative model based on early…

In response to increasing requests for funding of parenting education programs, The Pew Charitable Trusts funded a study to examine parenting education in the United States. This resulting report provides a general overview and highlights the "peaks and valleys, risks and opportunities" of the parenting education field. Chapter 1 of the…