Chapter Objectives

• Highlight the importance of theoretical frameworks and how they guide views on the study of child development
  
  
• Summarize the major influences behind changes in the study of child development
  
  
• Describe the evolution of traditional and contemporary theoretical perspectives on child development
  
  
• Explain the relationship between theories on child development and assessment and intervention practices
  
  
  

Chapter Outline

1. Importance of Theoretical Frameworks
   
   
2. Historical Perspective
   1. Traditional Models of Child Development: Nature versus Nurture
      1. Nativist Model
      2. Behavioral Model
   2. Beginning of Integration
      1. Interactionist Perspective
      2. Information Processing Theories
      3. Connectionist Models
   3. Toward a More Comprehensive Approach: Social-Constructivist Model
      1. Zone of Proximal Development
      2. Mediation
         
         
3. An Integrated Unified Model: Systems Perspective
   1. A Broad Ecological Approach
      
      
4. Conclusion