Foundations of Psychology and Child Study

Scope and Limits of Corpus Formation

Formation of a shared corpus by psychologists: selection and hierarchy of criteria according to the public. Theoretical and methodological explanations advance in a clear direction.

Limits:

• Generally qualitative
• Primarily fit-adaptive systems assessed by the extent to which they describe and explain behavior

The Experimental Method in Psychology

Aims to discover the effects of one variable on another.

• Dependent variables: Observed behavior or effect.
• Independent variables: The treatment manipulated by the researcher.

Beginning with a scientifically solvable problem, a hypothesis is proposed and empirically verified (numerically). During the experiment, data collection is performed using measuring instruments.

Limitations:

• Difficult to generalize
• Epistemological constraints
• Ethical constraints

Early Figures in Child Psychology

Pestalozzi: Training Stage

Wrote a diary of a father following his son's progress.

Tiedemann's Observations

Cataloged behaviors, highlighting his child's most common motor sequences and motor transitions.

Wilhelm: Pioneer of Child Psychology

Considered the pioneer of child psychology.

Darwin's Developmental Insights

Had an interest in developmental psychology, influenced by his evolutionary theory. He described the early years of his son's life (rooting, audition in the neonatal period, first coordinated movements, cephalocaudal development, gaze).

Hall's Recapitulation Theory

Proposed that child psychological development repeats the stages of the evolution of humanity and great historical epochs ("Recapitulation Theory").

Golden Age in Child Study

Consolidation of child psychology.

• Large-scale longitudinal studies
• Comprehensive manuals
• Very complete and complex theories

Influence:

Arnold Gesell

Father of evolutionary psychology. His maturation theory emphasizes inheritance in development. Gesell established developmental scales showing typical behavior for each age.

Gesell's Key Principles:

• Principle of Directionality (cephalocaudal): Development from head to foot.
• Principle of Functional Asymmetry: The body is more skillful on one side than another.
• Principle of Self-Regulating Fluctuation: Systems fluctuate but self-regulate.

Henri Wallon

Developed his theory of evolutionary stages of development:

1. Impulsivity and Emotion (0-1 yr)
2. Sensorimotor and Projective (1-3 yrs)
3. Personalism (3-6 yrs)
4. Categorical (6-11 yrs)
5. Puberty and Adolescence (11+ yrs)