Introduction to Theories of Development

Learning Objectives

In this lesson, you will learn to:

• Define human development.
• Understand some of the important issues in developmental psychology.
• Identify the different types of theories.

The study of human development is a rich and varied subject. We all have personal experience with development, but it is sometimes difficult to understand how and why people grow, learn, and act as they do. For example, consider the following scenario:

Three-year-old Sarah has started trying to dress herself each morning. She regularly wears her shoes on the wrong feet, misses buttons, and puts shirts on inside-out. When her mother tries to help her, Sarah becomes angry and shouts, "NO! ME DO IT!

Why does Sarah behave this way? Is her behavior related to her age, family relationships, or individual temperament? Developmental psychologists strive to answer such questions. Developmental psychology seeks to understand, explain, and predict behaviors that occur throughout the lifespan. In order to understand human development, a number of different developmental theories have arisen to explain various aspects of human growth.

Next:

• What is Development?
• Issues in Developmental Psychology
• Types of Psychology Theories