Answer to Question #206194 in Psychology for Nhlanhla

Question

n the prescribed book, reference is made to five (5) psychologists with different theories on cognitive development. Discuss the main contribution each has made, using your own words. (15)

Answer 1

Cognitive theory is concerned with the development of a person's thought processes and looks at how these thought processes influence how we understand and interact with the world. 

Bandura's child development theory suggests that observation plays a critical role in learning, but this observation does not necessarily need to take the form of watching a live model.

Bowlby's attachment theory suggested that children are born with an innate need to form attachments. Such attachments aid in survival by ensuring that the child receives care and protection. Not only that, but these attachments are characterized by clear behavioral and motivational patterns.

The sociocultural theory also suggested that parents, caregivers, peers and the culture at large were responsible for developing higher-order functions. In Vygotsky's view, learning is an inherently social process. Through interacting with others, learning becomes integrated into an individual's understanding of the world.

Psychosexual theory suggested that the energy of the libido was focused on different erogenous zones at specific stages. Failure to progress through a stage can result in fixation at that point in development, which Freud believed could have an influence on adult behavior.