Major Theories of Human Development — Summary of Chapter 2 from The Developing Person Through the Life Span
Major Theories of Human Development — Summary of Chapter 2 from The Developing Person Through the Life Span How do we explain human growth, personality, and behavior across the lifespan? Chapter 2 of Kathleen Stassen Berger’s The Developing Person Through the Life Span introduces students to the most influential developmental theories in psychology. This chapter breaks down how leading thinkers like Freud, Erikson, Piaget, Vygotsky, and Skinner interpreted the complex journey of human development. Watch the video above for an audio summary of each theory, or read below for a structured guide to the foundational ideas shaping developmental psychology. Psychodynamic Theory: Freud and Erikson Sigmund Freud proposed that development occurs through a series of psychosexual stages , where unconscious desires and conflicts shape personality. Each stage focuses on different erogenous zones and unresolved conflicts that influence adult behavior. Erik Erikson extended Freud’s ide...