"Contrasting Theories of Child Development: Continuous vs. Discontinuous Perspectives" (2024)

Due Date: Points:

Overview:

Throughout your coursework and professional career, it is extremely important that you write in your own words. You will often be tasked with reading psychological materials and then to incorporate the content into a paper or other type of written or oral presentation. At times, the material you are reading might be quite technical, and it may be challenging for you to present these ideas in your own words. This is your opportunity to practice this important skill.

Review the following websites to learn about summarizing:

• Purdue Owl: Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing

• Example of a Summary

Instructions:

For this assignment, you will:

• Read the passage (below) from an older edition of your textbook.

• Think about the main ideas contained in the passage.

• Make a list of four (4) main ideas contained in the passage.

• In your own words (no direct quoting), summarize the main ideas in paragraph

form with a minimum of four (4) complete sentences.

Textbook Passage:

“Continuous theories of development assume that development occurs in a smooth progression as skills develop and experiences are provided by caregivers and the environment. Continuous theories emphasize the importance of environment rather than heredity in determining development. A second perspective assumes that children progress through a set of predictable and invariant stages of development. All children are believed to acquire skills in the same sequence, although rates of progress differ from child to child. The abilities children gain in each subsequent stage are not simple “More of the same”; at each stage, children develop qualitatively different understandings, abilities, and beliefs. Skipping stages is rare or impossible, although at any given point the

PSY260 – Educational Psychology

Summarization Assignment PSY260–EducationalPsychology SummarizationAssignment

child may exhibit behaviors characteristic of more than one stage. The contrast to continuous theories, these discontinuous theories of development focus on inborn factors rather than environmental influences to explain change over time.”

Summarize this paragraph in your own words and include the following reference citation below your summary:

References

Slavin, R. E. (2021). Educational psychology (13th ed.). Pearson Education.

Be sure to read the criteria by which your work will be evaluated before you write and again after you write.

Evaluation Rubric for Summarization Assignment

CRITERIA

Deficient

Development Needed

Proficient Exemplary

0-32 points 33-43 points 44-49 points 50-55 points

Summary Content

Did not summarize. Only one main idea was included. Quoted excessively or used word substitutions excessively. Included an excessive amount of extra information not found in original source.

Demonstrated adequate understanding of passage material. Some main ideas were incorporated. Some quoting and/or used word substitution was present. Included some extra information not found in original source.

Demonstrated mastery of passage material. Incorporated most main ideas. A few word substitutions or extra information were included.

Demonstrated excellent mastery of passage essence. Incorporated all main ideas in own words. Quotes, word substitutions, and extra information were not included.

0 points 4-5 points

Scholarly Source Reference citation was absent.

— —

Reference citation was included and correct.

0-11 points 12-15 points 16-17 points 18-20 points

Structure and Flow

Flow is poor. Paragraphing is inappropriate. Transitions are minimal or absent. Significant redundancy is evident.

Flow is adequate. Paragraphs may be too long or too short. Transitions are minimal, and redundancy is evident.

Flow is good. Paragraphing is mostly appropriate. Transitions are present, and redundancies are minimal.

Flow is excellent. Paragraphing is clear, and transitions are smooth and consistent. Inappropriate redundancies are absent.

0-11 points 12-15 points 16-17 points 18-20 points

Grammar and Spelling

Errors impede professional presentation; guidelines not followed.

Numerous errors somewhat interfere with professional presentation.

Few errors that do not impede professional presentation.

Writing and format are clear, professional, and error-free.

### Main Ideas:

1. Continuous theories of development emphasize a smooth, progressive development influenced by the environment.
2. Discontinuous theories of development propose that children progress through set stages that are qualitatively different from each other.
3. According to discontinuous theories, all children develop skills in the same sequence, though the rate of progress varies.
4. Discontinuous theories focus on inborn factors rather than environmental influences to explain developmental changes.

### Summary:

Continuous theories of development suggest that growth happens gradually through environmental influences and caregiver support. In contrast, discontinuous theories argue that children go through distinct, predictable stages, each providing qualitatively different abilities and understandings. These stages occur in a specific order, but the rate of progress can vary among children. Discontinuous theories place greater emphasis on innate factors rather than environmental ones to explain development over time.

References:

Slavin, R. E. (2021). Educational psychology (13th ed.). Pearson Education.

### Evaluation Rubric for Summarization Assignment

**Summary Content**
– Demonstrated excellent mastery of passage essence. Incorporated all main ideas in own words. Quotes, word substitutions, and extra information were not included: **50-55 points**

**Scholarly Source**
– Reference citation was included and correct: **4-5 points**

**Structure and Flow**
– Flow is excellent. Paragraphing is clear, and transitions are smooth and consistent. Inappropriate redundancies are absent: **18-20 points**

**Grammar and Spelling**
– Writing and format are clear, professional, and error-free: **18-20 points**

Be sure to follow the provided rubric to ensure your summarization meets the criteria and remember to review your work for clarity and correctness. If you need further assistance, feel free to ask!

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"Contrasting Theories of Child Development: Continuous vs. Discontinuous Perspectives" (2024)

FAQs

"Contrasting Theories of Child Development: Continuous vs. Discontinuous Perspectives"? ›

There are two major theories about how people develop. On one hand, the continuity theory says that development is a gradual, continuous process. On the other hand, the discontinuity theory says that development occurs in a series of distinct stages.

What is the difference between continuous and discontinuous theories of development? ›

Continuous development sees our development as a cumulative process: Changes are gradual. On the other hand, discontinuous development sees our development as taking place in specific steps or stages: Changes are sudden.

Is Vygotsky's theory continuous or discontinuous? ›

An example of a theory that is often considered continuous is Lev Vygotsky's theory of sociocultural development.

What is the main difference between continuity theories of development and stage theories of development quizlet? ›

Stage development theories, which are largely influenced by biological processes, state that human growth or development occurs in distinct stages that are qualitatively different from each other. Continuity theories of development state that development occurs gradually and is pushed by one's experiences and learning.

How is development seen from the perspective of continuous development as compared to discontinuous development? ›

Exploring the continuity vs. discontinuity debate in developmental psychology, this overview examines how humans change throughout life. Continuous development is seen as a gradual progression, while discontinuous development occurs in distinct stages.

What is the difference between continuous and discontinuous behavior? ›

Continuous measurement involves collecting data on a behavior every time it occurs, while discontinuous measurement involves collecting data at specific intervals. Both methods have their place in therapy, and can be useful in identifying progress and making adjustments as needed.

What is the difference between continuous and discontinuous characteristics? ›

Continuous variation is where the different types of variations are distributed on a continuum. On the other hand, discontinuous variation is where the different types of variations are placed into discrete categories.

Is Skinner's theory continuous or discontinuous? ›

Continuous

Is Freud's theory continuous or discontinuous? ›

Freud viewed development as discontinuous; he believed that each of us must pass through a series of stages during childhood, and that if we lack proper nurturance and parenting during a stage, we may become stuck, or fixated, in that stage. Freud's stages are called the stages of psychosexual development.

Is Bronfenbrenner continuous or discontinuous? ›

Bronfenbrenner's theory: Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory highlights the multiple layers of environmental influences on development. It emphasizes the interactions between individuals and their environments. It is considered a continuous theory.

Is development continuous or discontinuous according to Piaget? ›

Piaget's theory of childhood development is discontinuous because it defines development in terms of stages. Discontinuous development, such as Piaget's model, happens in distinct stages. Piaget broke development down into four stages (sensorimotor, pre-operational, concrete operational, and formal operational).

What are the major differences between Erikson and Piaget's theories? ›

Answer and Explanation:

Piaget's theory discusses cognitive development, while Erikson's theory discusses psychosocial development. Piaget's theory argues that development is driven by biological maturation and experiences. Erikson's theory argues that development is driven by psychosocial conflicts.

What is the continuity theory of development? ›

Continuity Theory: The continuity theory of normal aging states that older adults will usually maintain the same activities, behaviors, personality traits, and relationships as they did in their earlier years of life.

What distinguishes continuous and discontinuous development? ›

Continuity refers to the view that development is a gradual, continuous process. Discontinuity refers to the view that development occurs in a series of distinct stages. A similar debate exists concerning nature versus nurture.

Is Erikson's theory of development continuous or discontinuous? ›

Erikson's theory of psychosocial development is a discontinuous theory, also known as a stage theory. In each stage of Erikson's theory, a person develops a mastery of a certain conflict of two ideas in their social life.

Is behaviorism continuous or discontinuous? ›

Answer and Explanation: Behaviorism is continuous. As long as the contingencies in the environment are changing, behavior continues to change. There are no qualitatively distinct stages in behaviorism.

What is the difference between continuous and discontinuous improvement? ›

While continuous improvement is essential for maintaining and enhancing performance, it is the discontinuous improvements that truly drive progress and innovation. Creativity, as a form of discontinuity, enables leaps into new possibilities, setting the stage for transformative changes.

What is the difference between continuous and discontinuous reinforcement? ›

Reinforcements may be used in concrete in more than one manner: continuous reinforcements are used in non-prepossessed reinforced concrete to improve the load-carrying capability of the structure by providing high tensile strength, while discontinuous reinforcements are added to improve the toughness needed to alter ...

What is the difference between continuity and discontinuity theory of language? ›

Continuity-based theories stress that language is so complex that it must have evolved from earlier pre-linguistic systems among pre-humans. Discontinuity-based theories stress that language is a unique human trait that appeared fairly suddenly in the transition from pre-hominids to early man.

What is the difference between the continuous theory of matter and the discontinuous theory of matter quizlet? ›

The continuous theory of matter states that matter comes in long, continuous sheets. The discontinuous theory, however, assumes that matter comes in little packets and the only reason matter looks continuous is that we cannot magnify it enough to see the little packs of matter.

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