- Ethological Theories
- Evolutionary Theories
- The Bioecological Model

Types of Ecological Theories of Development

Ecological theories of development involves taking an evolutionary approach to a child's social development as well as looking at the impact  various environmental  levels have on development over time.

Haverford College in Pennsylvania

Theories of social development provide theoretical frameworks for understanding how individuals develop social and emotional skills, form attachments, and interact with their environments over time. The primary perspectives include psychoanalytic theories, learning theories, theories of social cognition, and ecological theories of development.

Theories of Social Development

Siegler, R., Saffran, J. R., Eisenberg, N., Deloache, J., &amp; Gershoff, E. (2017). How Children Develop (5th ed.). Worth Publishers, Inc.

How Children Develop Textbook

Ecological Theories of Development

Learning theories in social development focus on the impact external factors have in influencing social development. Researchers emphasize the importance of reinforcement and the active role children play in shaping their own social development.

Learning Theories in Social Development

The psychoanalytic approach focuses on the unconscious mind and internal conflict. Mainly described by Freud and Erikson, this approach is motivated by the need to satisfy basic drives.  This approach also emphasizes the importance of early childhood experiences, as they impact different aspects of development over time.

Theory of Psychoanalytic Approach

Social cognition refers to the ways in which individuals think about themselves and others. As a key intrapersonal topic in social psychology, it focuses on the mental processes involved in perceiving, interpreting, and remembering information about the social world.

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