Lernmaterialien für Developmental an der University of Amsterdam

• theory about a single phenomenon, deal with specific, narrow parts of development
  • Example: learning to see depth

• Order of motor development fairly consistent
• but the timing is variable (not every child starts crawling at the same age)

• Nature = Knowledge is innate and gets expressed during the course of development
• Nurture =  Only learning mechanisms are innate, all the rest of development is determined by the environment 
• Nature & Nurture = Both innate predispositions & the environment shape development

• Continuous = Development is gradual; children are not qualitatively different from adults; children lack experience
• Stages = Development occurs in transitions; children are qualitatively different from adults
• Continuous & Stages = Development is gradual; but some behaviours dominate temporarily and that’s why development appears to occur stagewise

• Passive = Child plays a passive role; development occurs automatically
• Actively = Child plays an active role in its own development; constructs its own knowledge 
• Passive & active = Some processes develop automatically; other processes need an active role of the child

1. Maturation theory, Gesell: the same developmental patterns independent of environmental input
2. Dynamic system theory (Esther Thelen): a theoretical approach that applies to many areas of development which view the individual as interacting dynamically in a complex system in which all parts interact. 

scheme or system of ideas that are based on evidence and try to explain, describe and predict behaviour and development