Explanatory Theories On Social Development
There are several explanatory theories about social development. These theories explain to us how the social environment influences the development of the child on a cognitive, emotional and social level.
Since we are born, we are social beings destined to live in a social world, so we need other people to develop and evolve.
From baby, the child is making himself through interaction with other people in a continuous process of socialization. He is influenced by the presence and performance of others and, in turn, influences and determines the behavior of others towards him.
There are different explanatory theories about social development that explain how interaction with others influences the cognitive, emotional and personal development of the child. Among them we mention those developed by Lev Vigotsky, Erik Erikson and Urie Bronfenbrenner.
Explanatory theories on social development
Sociocultural theory of Lev Vygotsky
Lev Vigotsky was a Russian psychologist and a forerunner of social constructivism. His theory is based on sociocultural learning. Considers that the social environment is essential for the child’s learning. Therefore, learning is the integration of two factors, social and personal.
Vigotsky worked on various concepts in order to understand the social development and learning of the child. Next, we will see each of them.
Mental functions
For Vygotsky, there are two types of mental functions:
- Lower. They are the functions with which we are born; they are innate to us. They are biologically determined.
- Superiors. They are the mental functions that are acquired and developed through social interaction.
Psychological skills
In the cultural development of the child, mental functions develop and appear twice. First, they appear at the social level, and then at the individual level.
Attention, memory, and concept formulation first appear at the social level (interpsychological function) and gradually become an individual function (intrapsychological function). In such a way that all higher functions originate from interaction with other people.
Zone of proximal development
Vigotsky defined the zone of proximal development (ZPD) as “the distance between the real level of development, determined by the ability to independently solve a problem, and the level of potential development, determined through the resolution of a problem under the guidance of an adult or in collaboration with another more capable companion ”.
Therefore, the ZPD is the time when learning occurs. It allows the child to progressively develop his higher mental functions.
Psychological tools
For Vigotsky, psychological tools are all those objects that serve to externally order information (symbols, writing, works of art, drawings, language …), language being the most important tool, since it is the medium through which the child communicates with the social environment.
It can be said that psychological tools are the bridge between lower and higher mental functions. They mediate our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
Mediation
When we are born, we only have lower metal functions, since the higher ones have not yet developed. As the little one interacts with others, learning occurs. Thus, children learn through instrumental and social mediators.
Now, what we learn depends on the psychological tools we have and, in turn, these depend on the culture in which we live. Consequently, our way of thinking, feeling and acting are culturally mediated.
More explanatory theories on social development
Erik Erikson’s psychosocial theory
Like Vigostky, Erikson gives special importance to social and cultural aspects in the development of the personality. Erikson developed the psychosocial theory. In it he describes eight stages (conflicts) between childhood and old age. These stages are influenced by social interaction, and each one of them presents a new challenge (conflict between social needs and demands) that the person must resolve.
Once the conflict of each stage is resolved, it will lead to the development of new competencies. Each stage will have two possible outcomes:
- Successful completion of each stage leads to new competencies and thus a healthy personality and successful interactions with others.
- Failure at one stage can result in a reduced ability to complete the other stages, resulting in a less healthy personality and sense of personal identity.
Psychosocial stages
- Stage 1. Childhood. Trust versus mistrust (or-18 months).
- Stage 2. Early childhood. Autonomy in the face of shame and doubt (18 months -3 years).
- Stage 3. Age of play. Initiative against guilt (from 3 to 5).
- Stage 4. Adolescence. Industriousness versus inferiority (5 to 13 years).
- Stage 5. Youth. Identity versus role confusion (13 to 21 years, approximately).
- Stage 6. Maturity. Intimacy versus isolation (21 to 40 years, approximately).
- Stage 7. Adulthood. Generativity versus stagnation (40 to 60 years, approximately).
- Stage 8. Old age: Integrity in the face of despair (60 years, approximately, until death).
Ecological Theory of Urie Bronfenbrenner
Bronfenbrenne proposes an ecological perspective of the development of human behavior. It considers that development and learning are the product of the subject’s interaction with their environment. For this reason, the child’s environment and all the systems of which it is part influence their cognitive, moral and relational development.
The ecological environment posed by Bronfenbrenne is a set of systems with different levels. These levels are interconnected; each level contains the other and they depend on each other.
Systems of ecological theory
- Microsystem. It is the most internal and immediate environment where the individual develops (family, school, friends …).
- Mesosystem. It understands the interrelation of two environments or microsystems. In it, the developing person interacts and participates actively (family-school, family-friends …).
- Exosystem. They are environments that do not include the person in development directly. However, they can affect their environment and therefore their development. An example, in the case of a child, would be the workplace of his parents. The child does not participate in this environment, but it can influence its development in an implicit way (time availability, parental stress …).
- Macrosystem. They are the elements of the culture where the person develops. It is the set of values, religion, traditions, etc. This level influences how the other systems can express themselves.
- Cosmosystem. It has to do with the time dimension. Depending on the moment of life in which the person is, the facts of their environment will affect them in one way or another.
