Pearson BTEC Level 3 Health and Social Care - Human Lifespan Development: Factors affecting human growth and development

Pearson BTEC Level 3 Health and Social Care - Human Lifespan Development: Factors affecting human growth and development

1. The nature debate

   • Nature refers to genetic inheritance and biological factors
     • Certain physical characteristics are biologically determined by genetic inheritance
       • Eye colour, straight/curly hair etc.
       • Bowlby's theory of attachment is a biological perspective of development (nature)
         • Explains the bond between mother (usually) and child as being an innate process
       • Chomsky's proposal that language is developed through the use of an innate language acquisition device comes from a biological perspective
     • Characteristics and differences not observed at birth but emerge later in life are referred to as maturation
   • Development as a result of genetic or inherited factors
     • Gesell's maturation theory
       • Was interested in children's biological maturation
         • In the 1940's - 1950's he developed a new methodology or normative approach to researching child development
       • Observation of large numbers of children to find the skills and abilities that most children had in each age group
         • Found that each child moved through the sequence at their own pace
         • Concluded that development was pre-determined and that the environment had little influence
           • If a child experiences delayed development then the problem is heredity rather than caused by environmental consequences
       • His findings were used to establish 'norms' or milestones for each developmental aspect
         • Helpful to educators and parents today to measure a child's development and recognise developmental delay
       • Critics of Gesell suggest maturation theory is not helpful in explaining individual or cultural differences or for children with learning difficulties

2. The nurture debate

   • Nurture refers to external influences on development, like the environment or social influences
   • Development as a result of environmental factors
     • Bandura's social learning theory
       • Based on observations of learning occurring through observing others
         • Based his theory on a famous experiment using a Bobo doll
           • He demonstrated that children learn and copy aggressive behaviour by observing adults behaving aggressively
           • Importance of modelling appropriate behaviours is recognised by many teachers and parents
       • Children can copy unwanted behaviours, e.g. hitting
       • Suggested there were four stages of behavioural learning
         • 1) Child notices the behaviour of another person, usually somebody close to them or someone they admire
           • 2) Child 'internalises' the action by remembering what they have observed
             • 3) May not copy it straight away, they will reproduce the behaviour when opportunity occurs
               • 4) Depending on positive or negative outcome the child will either repeat the behaviour or desist