Social Learning Theory
The study of child and adolescent development is complex and no single theory has been able to explain all of its components. However, good theories, grounded in careful research, help us to think about enduring themes in child and adolescent development. The focus of this Discussion is on various theories and the basic issues that help us organize our understanding of development. Ethics in research on children will also be considered.
Chapter 1 of the textbook( this is the reference for the book: Berk, L. E. (2021). Infant, children, and adolescents (9th ed.). Pearson.) provides an overview of many developmental theories. Choose one theory described between Mid-Century Theories through the Recent Theoretical Perspectives sections ( Albert Badura's social learning theory) that you feel describes child and adolescent development best. In explaining why you chose this theory, address the following points:
Briefly describe the focal point that your chosen theory places on child and adolescent development.
In describing your theory, briefly describe the stance your theory takes on development – does it consider development to be continuous or discontinuous? Explain your answer.
Briefly describe the stance your chosen theory takes on the relative influence of nature and nurture. Does it emphasize nature, nurture, or both nature and nurture? Explain your answer.
A theory’s continued existence depends on scientific verification - every theory must be tested using a fair set of research procedures agreed on by the scientific community (Berk, 2021, p.7). Research can create ethical issues and these issues may be amplified when conducting research with children. What two children’s basic research rights discussed in your textbook do you believe are most important to adhere to and why? (Protection from harm and Privacy
Developmental Theories, Basic Issues, and Ethics
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Social Learning Theory is particularly beneficial for understanding how the movement grows and evolves and predicting a child's preparedness to learn new skills (Bandura, 1969). According to this hypothesis, the interplay of many sub-systems within the person, task, and environment moves. Social learning theory further claims that no single sub-system is more essential than the others in this process. Therefore, when attempting to assist a kid in learning a new motor skill, adults must analyze and evaluate all components of the task, person, and environment (Bandura, 1969). Development, according to social learning theory, is a non-linear process. This indicates that movement does not occur continuously, constantly (Berk & Meyers, 2021). Rather, a minor but significant alteration in one sub-system might influence the entire system to shift, resulting in novel motor behavior. The use of social learning theory to development requires this phase shift or transition period.
Both nature and nurture are emphasized in this approach. This is because the child's development is steered by the combinatio...