Developmental Milestones Chart

Piaget theory is based on four stages, which marks the cognitive development of the child. During the first stage or sensorimotor Period, the child learns to use its senses and moving around. In the second stage of preoperational Period, the child gains experience in symbolic thought and can make observations. In the concrete operational period, the child can make mental operations and work through problems in the mind (Carey, Zaitchik & Bascandziev, 2015). In the final stage known as formal operational period, the child can perform mental operations to abstract concepts. 

Kohlberg theory of moral development is based on the level of cognitive development. As people grow, they go through three levels of moral development. The first level is the pre-conventional level in which children attach great importance to the authority of adults (Raeff, 2011). An action is wrong if punished and good if it does not attract any punishment. In the second level of the conventional phase, the child start to value rules to get approval from others. Later, he gets concerned with the rules of the broader society. The third and final phase is the post-conventional level where people become more flexible in which rules are not absolute although the person still values societal rules (Wellman, Lane, Labounty & Olson, 2011). 

Bandura social learning theory argues that learning in children takes place in a social environment. Reinforcement plays a critical role in learning as well as the presence of others. Thus, through reinforcement, children learn appropriate behavior but they also get signals on what is the acceptable behavior based on the behavior of others (Shahaeian, Nielsen, Peterson & Slaughter, 2013). In social learning, children pay attention to what is happening and social contexts reinforce perceptions. On learning something new, they internalize that information. During reproduction, they start acting out what they have learned and in finally, the decision to adopt a certain behavior is based on motivation available. If people are rewarded, the motivation is to repeat the action. 

The fundamental principle of Vygotsky’s constructivism is that learning takes place in social and cultural settings. Vygosky theory stresses the need for language development in learning. He suggested that development of cognitive and language deployment occurs in two phases. The first is social phase where development is through social interactions and is essential in laying the foundation for learning in children (Fernyhough, 2008). The social phase is characterized with the society’s norms and values, which are conveyed to the children by their parents as well as teachers. Rights and wrongs, dos and don’ts are developed at this stage with the student taking the center-stage. The second phase is intrapsychological where thought and language combine to yield a social language expressed in reasoning. In the zone of proximal development, the teachers teach skills, which are beyond the students current levels of comprehension. 

Erikson theory is concerned with the personality development over the course of the life. During the early stages, the child forges a relationship with the caregiver or parent if the attachment is strong, trust and security becomes strong. The success in other stages is in response to the parenting experience, with greater emphasis being on gaining confidence due to the love and security and autonomy granted (Korkmaz, 2011). As people age, the ability to form lasting relationships with others is critical in ensuring strong bonds. 

The Mahler phases are the critical stages in the formation of individuality. In the third phase, for instance, the child develops, ego, sense of identity, and cognitive abilities. For Jung, the four stages of life determine the mental maturation, expectations, and might determine the sense of happiness or despair. 

References 

Carey, S., Zaitchik, D., & Bascandziev, I. (2015). Theories of development: In dialog with Jean Piaget. Developmental Review , 38 , 36–54. doi: 10.1016/j.dr.2015.07.003 

Fernyhough, C. (2008). Getting Vygotskian about theory of mind: Mediation, dialogue, and the development of social understanding. Developmental Review , 28 (2), 225–262. doi: 10.1016/j.dr.2007.03.001 

Korkmaz, B. (2011). Theory of Mind and Neurodevelopmental Disorders of Childhood. Pediatric Research , 69 (5 Part 2). doi: 10.1203/pdr.0b013e318212c177 

Raeff, C. (2011). Distinguishing between Development and Change: Reviving Organismic-Developmental Theory. Human Development , 54 (1), 4–33. doi: 10.1159/000324334 

Shahaeian, A., Nielsen, M., Peterson, C. C., & Slaughter, V. (2013). Cultural and Family Influences on Children’s Theory of Mind Development. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology , 45 (4), 555–568. doi: 10.1177/0022022113513921 

Wellman, H. M., Lane, J. D., Labounty, J., & Olson, S. L. (2011). Observant, nonaggressive temperament predicts theory-of-mind development. Developmental Science , 14 (2), 319–326. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-7687.2010.00977.x