PSY311H5 Chapter 1-5: Chapter 1-5 review full.doc
Document Summary
Social development: the field of social development includes descriptions of social behaviors, individual differences in social behavior, and changes in social behavior with age as well as explanations for these changes and differences. Social development: a brief history: the scientific study of social development began with darwin"s work in the 1800s. Subsequently, competing views were expressed in watson"s behaviorally oriented theory, freud"s biologically inspired theory, and gesell"s maturational theory. Although researchers have typically focused on individual children, they have increasingly recognized that other units such as dyads, triads, and social groups are also important. Some theorists view social development as a continuous process whereby change takes place smoothly and gradually. Others see development as a series of qualitatively different stages or steps. The more closely we examine development, the more we see ebbs and flows in the acquisition of social skills. Most developmental psychologists stress the complementary roles of situational factors and child differences.
