Developmental Research Nakiya Reese PSY 104 October 17, 2011 Professor Rebecca Wilson

Most theories fall within a board perceptive with each one focusing on a different part of development. The developmental theories offer different ways of thinking about human, growth, development, and learning. Many researchers use theories as a guide them in their observation and to generate new information, the theories are the platform for all research (Mossler, R.A. 2011). Theorists have researched and tested many theories on child development that have been discovered. This paper will show how three developmental theories gave insight on the similarities and differences of the developmental theories of child development. While there are many theoretical perspectives that try to explain the development of children; the theories provide an overall understanding as well as allows educated hypotheses about the different aspects of child development. Behavioral theories within child development allows the focus to be placed on how environmental interactions influences behavior, and in turn how these behaviors are reinforced and learned. Behaviorism accepts that learning happens through interactions that children have with their environment. The theory points out the study of measureable, observable behavior and it also, includes the way the environment controls a child’s behavior. Theorist John B, Watson and B.F. Skinner, theories are based off their belief that, internal thoughts and motivation cannot be used to explain behavior. They believed that only external observable causes human behavior. They feel that through observation behaviors development should be considered a reaction to rewards, punishment, stimuli, and reinforcement. These theories believe that punishment and consequences is a way to bring forth behavior changes and aid in further