Behavior Development Three Developmental Theories That Provide Essay

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Behavior Development

Three developmental theories that provide interesting research for those seeking knowledge concerning this particular field of study include the theory of nature vs. nurture, continuous vs. discontinuous development and critical and sensitive periods of development during those periods in life when either critical or sensitive development is taking place. Comparing and contrasting these three developmental theories should lead the researcher to a better understanding of not only the three theories, but a more complete and comprehensive understanding of the field as well.

For instance, a recent study determined that "genetic and environmental factors provides a potential explanation of the individual differences in responses to environmental influences" (Wermter, Laucht, Schimmelmann, Banaschweski, Sonuga-Barke, Rietschel, Becker, 2010, p. 200). Additionally, the study determined that children exposed to an environment stressor known to increase risk for a certain psychiatric disorder (e.g. high family adversity) are at a higher risk for that disorder if they carry particular gene variants which renders them more susceptible to that stressor" (p. 200). This study certainly does not blow a hole in the idea that nature or nurture is more or less stronger than the other, but is does allow for the contemplation that disorders can be affective based upon a combination of nature and nurture.

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It is not only in the area of disorders that nature vs. nurture is coming under increased scrutiny, nature vs. nurture is also being biologically challenged in regards to cancer growth. A recent cancer study showed provided an insight "into the molecular mechanisms regulating CSC's and the pivotal role of the tumour microenvironment in these processes" (Korkaya, Wicha, 2010, p. 419)

The continuous vs. discontinuous theory, is one that generates a plethora of debate and one that can be compared and contrasted at a myriad of levels. Some experts espouse the idea that behavior and learning is a continuous process, while others state that the discontinuous theory should prevail; in that each learning process takes place in a certain timeframe and a stage-by-stage process. One study that attempted to learn whether infants could differentiate between letters/numbers based on their environment found "that mappings between quantitative dimensions are not learned during infancy through acting on the environment, but derive from biologically predisposed links between the dimensions of number, spatial extent and time" (de Hevia, Spelke, 2013, p. 7). A finding such as this could help determine whether the continuous or discontinuous theory….....

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