Originally published in 1990, this book looks at the history of
developmental psychology in order to locate and evaluate the role
played by biology in its most influential formulations. First
Charles Darwin's own writings on child development are examined. It
is shown that Darwin endorsed such ideas as the 'recapitulation' of
evolutionary ancestry in the developing child, even though this is
inconsistent with his natural selection theory. The first great
developmentalists - Hall, Baldwin, Freud - adopted and applied
these non-Darwinian evolutionist ideas. The next generation -
Vygotsky, Piaget, Werner - applied similar ideas in a variety of
ways. Alongside this evolutionism, but interconnected with it,
sensationist/empiricist forms of epistemology were directing
developmentalists (from Rousseau onwards) to see the child as
having to work himself out of sense-bound experience - to develop
further and further from the 'here-and-now'. Contemporary
developmental theory retains these influences: biological
approaches (ethological, psychobiological) remain pre-Darwinian in
spirit; lifespan theories remain attached to biology;
formal/cognitive approaches remain attached to sensationism.
'Social context' approaches are rather half-hearted, and it is only
the social-constructionist orientation which seems to offer a real
alternative to biology. Major conclusions are stated in chapter
ten, which includes a re-evaluation of Darwin's role.
General
Imprint: |
Routledge
|
Country of origin: |
United Kingdom |
Series: |
Psychology Library Editions: Child Development |
Release date: |
November 2019 |
First published: |
1990 |
Authors: |
John R. Morss
|
Dimensions: |
234 x 156mm (L x W) |
Format: |
Paperback
|
Pages: |
278 |
ISBN-13: |
978-1-138-03783-0 |
Categories: |
Books >
Social sciences >
Psychology >
Child & developmental psychology
|
LSN: |
1-138-03783-4 |
Barcode: |
9781138037830 |
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