Although there are many major theories of human development, your textbook organizes them by looking at the stand they take on what three basic issues? Briefly describe the opposing views taken on each basic issue

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

The three basic issues are: 1. Is the course of development continuous or discontinuous? 2. Does one course of development characterize all people, or are there many possible courses? 3. What are the roles of genetic and environmental factors—nature and nurture—in development?
- If development is continuous—a process of gradually augmenting the same types of skills that were there to begin with—then infants and children respond to the world in much the same way as adults do. The difference between the immature and mature being is simply one of amount or complexity. If it is discontinuous—a process in which new ways of understanding and responding to the world emerge at specific times—then infants and children have unique ways of thinking, feeling, and behaving, ones quite different from adults.
- Theories that accept the discontinuous perspective regard development as taking place in stages. Stage theorists assume that people everywhere follow the same sequence of development. Yet contemporary theorists regard the contexts that shape development as many-layered and complex. Different circumstances foster different capacities.
- Finally, the age-old nature–nurture controversy asks whether genetics or environmental factors are more important in shaping development. Although all theories grant roles to both nature and nurture, they vary in emphasis.