PED01 - The Child

and Adolescent
Learners and
Learning Principles
1ST Semester, A.Y. 2021-2022

Module 3.1
(Week 4-5)

Prepared by:

Markhill Veran Tiosan, LPT

Instructor

Name of Student: _____________________________________

Course/Section: ______________________________________
Date Accomplished: ___________________________________

Developmental Theories & Other Relevant Theories

1|Page Markhill Veran Tiosan, LPT
  Sigmund Freud’s Psychoanalytic Theory
 Jean Piaget’s Cognitive Development
 Erik Erikson’s Psychosocial Stages of Development
 Lawrence Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Development
Overview

Developmental theories present systematic ways of thinking about how

human beings grow from babies to adolescents to adults to elderly people, and the
various changes they undergo as they make this passage. Different developmental
theories describe different types of changes.

Objectives

 Define Freud’s Model of the Psyche, including id, ego, & superego
 Evaluate the concepts of developmental theories, pointing out its strengths
and weaknesses.
 Understand each concepts of developmental theories.

Discussion

READ
In general, developmental theories view development as progress from simple
to more complex understandings of the self and the world over time. Progress may
be continuous in nature, or occurring in stages, but the momentum is most always
forward toward greater, more complex understandings. For example, prior to
achieving "object permanency", babies do not understand that objects (toys, people)
continue to exist even when out of sight. Instead of looking for a toy now covered
with a blanket, they instead quickly lose interest in the toy as though it never existed.
As they grow, babies come to master the idea of object permanency, and thereafter
will begin looking for objects hidden from their view. According to developmental
theories, this sort of learning to see the world in increasingly complicated ways
continues to occur throughout the lifespan.
Psychoanalytic Theory
Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytic theory of personality argues that human
behavior is the result of the interactions among three component parts of the mind: the
id, ego, and superego. This theory, known as Freud’s structural theory of personality,
places great emphasis on the role of unconscious psychological conflicts in shaping
behavior and personality. Dynamic interactions among these fundamental parts of the
mind are thought to progress through five distinct psychosexual stages of development.
Over the last century, however, Freud’s ideas have since been met with criticism, in part
because of his singular focus on sexuality as the main driver of human personality
development.

2|Page Markhill Veran Tiosan, LPT

 According to Freud, our personality develops from the interactions among what
he proposed as the three fundamental structures of the human mind: the id, ego, and
superego. Conflicts among these three structures, and our efforts to find balance among
what each of them “desires,” determines how we behave and approach the world. What
balance we strike in any given situation determines how we will resolve the conflict
between two overarching behavioral tendencies: our biological aggressive and pleasure-
seeking drives vs. our socialized internal control over those drives.
The Id
The id, the most primitive of the three structures, is concerned with instant gratification of
basic physical needs and urges. It operates entirely unconsciously (outside of conscious
thought). For example, if your id walked past a stranger eating ice cream, it would most
likely take the ice cream for itself. It doesn’t know, or care, that it is rude to take
something belonging to someone else; it would care only that you wanted the ice cream.
The Superego
The superego is concerned with social rules and morals—similar to what many
people call their” conscience” or their “moral compass.” It develops as a child learns
what their culture considers right and wrong. If your superego walked past the same
stranger, it would not take their ice cream because it would know that that would be
rude. However, if both your id and your superego were involved, and your id was strong
enough to override your superego’s concern, you would still take the ice cream, but
afterward you would most likely feel guilt and shame over your actions.
The Ego
In contrast to the instinctual id and the moral superego, the ego is the rational,
pragmatic part of our personality. It is less primitive than the id and is partly conscious
and partly unconscious. It’s what Freud considered to be the “self,” and its job is to
balance the demands of the id and superego in the practical context of reality. So, if you
walked past the stranger with ice cream one more time, your ego would mediate the
conflict between your id (“I want that ice cream right now”) and superego (“It’s wrong to
take someone else’s ice cream”) and decide to go buy your own ice cream. While this
may mean you have to wait 10 more minutes, which would frustrate your id, your ego
decides to make that sacrifice as part of the compromise– satisfying your desire for ice
cream while also avoiding an unpleasant social situation and potential feelings of shame.
Freud believed that the nature of the conflicts among the id, ego, and superego
change over time as a person grows from child to adult. Specifically, he maintained that
these conflicts progress through a series of five basic stages, each with a different focus:
oral, anal, phallic, latency, and genital. He called his idea the psychosexual theory of
development, with each psychosexual stage directly related to a different physical center
of pleasure.

Stages of development:

Stage 1: Oral Stage

 Birth to 18 months

3|Page Markhill Veran Tiosan, LPT

  Main site of pleasure/gratification is the mouth
 Sucking, chewing, biting
Stage 2: Anal Stage
 Age 1-3
 Main site of pleasure/gratification is the anus
 Child is struggling to control bowel/bladder function (toilet
training)
 Key is the struggle for control
 If toilet training is difficult, child may become anally fixated and
may not pass beyond Anal Stage

oIn adults, this may manifest itself as Obsessive

Compulsive Personality Disorder
Stage 3: Phallic Stage
 Age 3-5
 Main site of pleasure/gratification is the genitals
 Penis envy
o girls want penis
 Fear of castration
o boys afraid of losing penis
 Increased genital masturbation
 Oedipal complex
o Child is in love with opposite sex parent
Stage 4: Latency Stage
 Age 5-13
 Formation of superego
 Oedipal complex resolved
 Sexual energy is focused on other activities such as playing
and learning
Stage 5: Genital Stage
 Age 13 to adulthood
 Individual develops capacity for true intimacy

Across these five stages, the child is presented with different conflicts between their biological
drives (id) and their social and moral conscience (supereg0) because their biological pleasure-seeking
urges focus on different areas of the body (what Freud called “erogenous zones”). The child’s ability
to resolve these internal conflicts determines their future ability to cope and function as an adult.
Failure to resolve a stage can lead one to become fixated in that stage, leading to unhealthy
personality traits; successful resolution of the stages leads to a healthy adult.

Cognitive Development
Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development suggests that children move
through four different stages of mental development. His theory focuses not only on
understanding how children acquire knowledge, but also on understanding the
nature of intelligence. Piaget believed that children take an active role in the learning
process, acting much like little scientists as they perform experiments, make
observations, and learn about the world. As kids interact with the world around them,
they continually add new knowledge, build upon existing knowledge, and adapt
previously held ideas to accommodate new information.

Stages of development:

4|Page Markhill Veran Tiosan, LPT

 Stage 1: Sensorimotor Stage
 Birth to age 2
 Infants begin to acquire knowledge through sensory
observation of their surrounding environment
 Infants begin to master their motor function through
exploration, being active, and by directly manipulating their
environment
 Infant gains sense of achievement via this mastery
 Object permanence is achieved
Stage 2: Preoperational Stage
 Age 2-7
 Child views him/herself as center of universe
 Therefore, child believes that they are responsible for
everything that occurs in their universe
 Children in this stage are egocentric and have animistic
thinking
 Child uses symbols and language more
Stage 3: Concrete Operational Stage
 Age 7-11
 Operational thought replaces egocentricity
 Child develops the ability to see things from another person’s
perspective
Stage 4: Formal Operations Stage
 Age 11 and up
 Individual develops abstract thought
 They are able to reason deductively and think conceptually

Psychosocial Stages of Development

Erik Erikson

Erik Erikson was an ego psychologist who developed one of the most popular and
influential theories of development. While his theory was impacted by psychoanalyst
Sigmund Freud's work, Erikson's theory centered on psychosocial development rather than
psychosexual development. Unlike Freud's theory of psychosexual stages, however,
Erikson's theory described the impact of social experience across the whole lifespan.
Erikson was interested in how social interaction and relationships played a role in the
development and growth of human beings.

Stages of development:

Stage 1: Trust vs. Mistrust

 Birth to age 1
 Infants develop trust that their wants/needs will be satisfied by
their parents
 If parents are not attentive to child’s wants/needs, infant will
learn to mistrust
Stage 2: Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt
 Age 1-3
 Child no longer wants to be told what to do by parents, tries to
assert his/her autonomy

5|Page Markhill Veran Tiosan, LPT

 o “NO”
 Child will learn to become autonomous if parents allow them a
sense of control over their life
 Child gains sense of individuality
 Child may be cooperative or stubborn
Stage 3: Initiative vs. Guilt
 Age 3-5
 Child initiates motor and intellectual activity
Stage 4: Industry vs. Inferiority
 Age 6 to 11 years
 Child enters school and begins learning
 Child works to acquire adult skills
 Child learns how to complete and master tasks
 If child struggles to acquire these adult skills they develop a
sense of inferiority; may predispose these individuals to
behavioral problems
Stage 5: Identity vs. Role Diffusion
 Age 11-21
 Group identity and preoccupation with appearances
 People at this stage develop their own morality and ethics and
deal with social expectations for behaviors
 This is the stage at which individuals struggle to develop their
identity
 Sexual experimentation common here

Stage 6: Intimacy vs. Isolation

 Age 21-40
 Early adulthood
 Individuals enter intimate relationships both sexually and as
friends
Stage 7: Generativity vs. Stagnation
 Age 40-65
 Where person comes to terms with their life in terms of their
accomplishments both professionally and personally; e.g. job
success, marriage, having children, development of altruism or
creativity
Stage 8: Integrity vs. Despair
 Over age 65
 Sense of satisfaction with one’s life vs. despair over an inability
to achieve your goals

Lawrence Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Development

Kohlberg’s theory of moral development states that we progress through three
levels of moral thinking that build on our cognitive development. Lawrence Kohlberg
expanded on the earlier work of cognitive theorist Jean Piaget to explain the moral
development of children. Kohlberg believed that moral development, like cognitive
development, follows a series of stages. He used the idea of moral dilemmas—
stories that present conflicting ideas about two moral values—to teach 10 to 16 year-
old boys about morality and values. The best known moral dilemma created by
Kohlberg is the “Heinz” dilemma, which discusses the idea of obeying the law versus
saving a life. Kohlberg emphasized that it is the way an individual reasons about a
dilemma that determines positive moral development.
6|Page Markhill Veran Tiosan, LPT
Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Development
Kohlberg identified three levels of moral reasoning: pre-conventional,
conventional, and post-conventional. Each level is associated with increasingly
complex stages of moral development.
Level 1: Preconventional
Throughout the preconventional level, a child’s sense of morality is externally
controlled. Children accept and believe the rules of authority figures, such as parents
and teachers. A child with pre-conventional morality has not yet adopted or
internalized society’s conventions regarding what is right or wrong, but instead
focuses largely on external consequences that certain actions may bring.
Stage 1: Obedience-and-Punishment Orientation
Stage 1 focuses on the child’s desire to obey rules and avoid being punished. For
example, an action is perceived as morally wrong because the perpetrator is
punished; the worse the punishment for the act is, the more “bad” the act is
perceived to be.
Stage 2: Instrumental Orientation
Stage 2 expresses the “what’s in it for me?” position, in which right behavior is
defined by whatever the individual believes to be in their best interest. Stage two
reasoning shows a limited interest in the needs of others, only to the point where it
might further the individual’s own interests. As a result, concern for others is not
based on loyalty or intrinsic respect, but rather a “you scratch my back, and I’ll
scratch yours” mentality. An example would be when a child is asked by his
parents to do a chore. The child asks “what’s in it for me?” and the parents offer
the child an incentive by giving him an allowance.

Level 2: Conventional
Throughout the conventional level, a child’s sense of morality is tied to personal and
societal relationships. Children continue to accept the rules of authority figures, but
this is now due to their belief that this is necessary to ensure positive relationships
and societal order. Adherence to rules and conventions is somewhat rigid during
these stages, and a rule’s appropriateness or fairness is seldom questioned.
Stage 3: Good Boy, Nice Girl Orientation
In stage 3, children want the approval of others and act in ways to avoid
disapproval. Emphasis is placed on good behavior and people being “nice” to
others.
Stage 4: Law-and-Order Orientation
In stage 4, the child blindly accepts rules and convention because of their
importance in maintaining a functioning society. Rules are seen as being the
same for everyone, and obeying rules by doing what one is “supposed” to do is
seen as valuable and important. Moral reasoning in stage four is beyond the need
for individual approval exhibited in stage three. If one person violates a law,
perhaps everyone would—thus there is an obligation and a duty to uphold laws

7|Page Markhill Veran Tiosan, LPT

 and rules. Most active members of society remain at stage four, where morality is
still predominantly dictated by an outside force.

Level 3: Postconventional
Throughout the postconventional level, a person’s sense of morality is defined in
terms of more abstract principles and values. People now believe that some laws are
unjust and should be changed or eliminated. This level is marked by a growing
realization that individuals are separate entities from society and that individuals may
disobey rules inconsistent with their own principles. Post-conventional moralists live
by their own ethical principles—principles that typically include such basic human
rights as life, liberty, and justice—and view rules as useful but changeable
mechanisms, rather than absolute dictates that must be obeyed without question.
Because post-conventional individuals elevate their own moral evaluation of a
situation over social conventions, their behavior, especially at stage six, can
sometimes be confused with that of those at the pre-conventional level. Some
theorists have speculated that many people may never reach this level of abstract
moral reasoning.
Stage 5: Social-Contract Orientation
In stage 5, the world is viewed as holding different opinions, rights, and values.
Such perspectives should be mutually respected as unique to each person or
community. Laws are regarded as social contracts rather than rigid edicts. Those
that do not promote the general welfare should be changed when necessary to
meet the greatest good for the greatest number of people. This is achieved
through majority decision and inevitable compromise. Democratic government is
theoretically based on stage five reasoning.
Stage 6: Universal-Ethical-Principal Orientation
In stage 6, moral reasoning is based on abstract reasoning using universal ethical
principles. Generally, the chosen principles are abstract rather than concrete and
focus on ideas such as equality, dignity, or respect. Laws are valid only insofar as
they are grounded in justice, and a commitment to justice carries with it an
obligation to disobey unjust laws. People choose the ethical principles they want
to follow, and if they violate those principles, they feel guilty. In this way, the
individual acts because it is morally right to do so (and not because he or she
wants to avoid punishment), it is in their best interest, it is expected, it is legal, or it
is previously agreed upon. Although Kohlberg insisted that stage six exists, he
found it difficult to identify individuals who consistently operated at that level.

Assessment

8|Page Markhill Veran Tiosan, LPT

A. Complete the table below about the developmental theories.

Theory/Theorist Stages Explanations of Critique the Theory

Adult Development
Sigmund Freud’s
Psychoanalytic
Theory

Jean Piaget’s
Cognitive
Development

Erik Erikson’s
Psychosocial
Stages of
Development

Lawrence
Kohlberg’s
Stages of Moral
Development

B. Answer Briefly! (5pts. each)

1. Do you believe that psychoanalysis can be a useful tool for interpreting political
and social phenomena and customs today? And especially for interpreting
gender issues and sexual orientations debate? And if yes, in what way?
2. Give an example of behavior that is influenced by the id, behavior that is
influenced by the ego, and behavior that is influenced by the superego .
3. According to Erikson’s Psychosocial Stages of development, in what
stage are you? Do you believe you are facing the challenge described by
Erikson? Why or Why not?
4. Which theory do you believe best explains development? Why?
5. As future educator, how developmental theories help teachers to cope
with the students’ behavior?

C. Give the strengths and weakness of each developmental theories.

9|Page Markhill Veran Tiosan, LPT

 Theory/Theorist Strengths Weaknesses

Sigmund Freud’s
Psychoanalytic Theory

Jean Piaget’s Cognitive

Development

Erik Erikson’s
Psychosocial Stages of
Development

Lawrence Kohlberg’s
Stages of Moral
Development

References

https://www.mentalhelp.net/self-help/developmental-theories/

https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-psychology/chapter/psychodynamic-perspectives-on-
personality/

https://www.verywellmind.com/piagets-stages-of-cognitive-development-2795457

https://courses.lumenlearning.com/teachereducationx92x1/chapter/kohlbergs-stages-of-moral-
development/

10 | P a g e Markhill Veran Tiosan, LPT