Jonathan Tudge

Vygotsky, Piaget, and Bandura: Perspectives on the Relations between the Social World and Cognitive Development.

In this article we examine the theories of Vygotsky, Piaget, and Bandura as they deal with the relation between the social world and cognitive development. The prevailing belief is that these theories

O envolvimento paterno durante a gestação

O periodo de gestacao da companheira exige uma serie de adaptacoes por parte do pai, que precisa se preparar para os novos papeis que devera assumir frente ao bebe e a sua nova familia. Neste sentido, o presente trabalho teve por objetivo investigar como se da o envolvimento paterno durante o 3o trimestre de gestacao. Participaram deste estudo 35 pais que esperavam seu primeiro filho, com idades entre 21 e 40 anos. Os pais foram entrevistados individualmente e as suas respostas foram examinadas atraves de analise de conteudo. Os resultados indicaram que muitos pais estiveram envolvidos de diversas maneiras durante a gestacao de suas companheiras, mostrando-se emocionalmente conectados a gestante e ao bebe. No entanto, alguns pais ainda encontravam dificuldades quanto ao envolvimento com seu filho, parecendo nao percebe-lo como real e apresentando uma baixa ligacao emocional com a gestacao. Estes dados apontam para indicios de uma modificacao quanto a paternidade ja no periodo da gestacao, a qual se encontra cada vez menos restrita ao universo feminino.

Relations between the everyday activities of preschoolers and their teachers’ perceptions of their competence in the first years of school

Abstract This paper contributes to a growing literature that suggests that in order to understand the transition to school, one should employ an ecological approach. Such an approach involves simultaneous consideration of individual and contextual factors, studied over time. Much of the current literature on the transition focuses on the transition from the perspective of school, but we were interested in relations between what occurs prior to school and performance in school. We used Bronfenbrenner’s Process-Person-Context-Time (PPCT) ecological model to focus primarily on the relations between school-relevant activities of preschool-aged children and teachers’ subsequent perception of the children’s competence once they had entered school. At Time 1 we observed 20 3-year-olds’ engagement in everyday activities (Process) and their initiation of those activities (Person) over a 20-hour period covering the equivalent of an entire waking day. Children were drawn from two social classes (Context). The preschool observations were followed by 2 consecutive years of teacher reports of academic competence following entry into elementary school (Times 2 and 3). Middle-class preschoolers engaged in more school-relevant activities than did working-class children, and preschoolers who initiated and engaged in more conversations were subsequently perceived by their teachers as being more competent.

Comparisons in Human Development: Ecological Perspectives in Human Development: A Comparison of Gibson and Bronfenbrenner

In this chapter we provide a brief overview of ecological perspectives as they relate to human development, as the background to more extensive discussion of the perspectives taken by two theorists, James Gibson and Urie Bronfenbrenner. Despite their very different foci (Gibson being concerned primarily with perception, Bronfenbrenner with social contexts) and their different levels of analysis, they share basic assumptions and, we shall argue, their perspectives should be viewed as complementary. The assumptions that they share derive from their acceptance of an ecological perspective. What is an ecological perspective? It is a standpoint for conceptualizing the changing maturing person in relation to a changing environment — social, physical, and psychological. The ecological perspective is shared with other frameworks within which human development is considered, ranging from cultural psychology as represented by Shweder (1990), Rogoff (1990), and Valsiner (1989), through the co–constructionist perspective on development (Tudge, Putnam, & Valsiner, in press; Wozniak, 1993), and encompassing developmental psychobiology (Gottlieb, 1992, in press; Johnston, 1985). Although the ecological perspective, and the term ecology , originated (at least in modern day science) in biology, its use spans several disciplines, among which is developmental psychology. There, it is linked most notably to the work of James Gibson and Urie Bronfenbrenner. For both of these theorists an ecological perspective has unique meaning, yet fundamentally they share a belief in the necessity of viewing the individual and the environment as they relate to and define each other. They have built their theories upon this premise.

The impact of the west on post‐Soviet Russian education: change and resistance to change

In this paper we draw on Bronfenbrenners theory of human development in order to examine western influences upon Russian education. We argue that while some have embraced western ideas about education and schooling, reflecting both the influence of specific educational theorizing and that of broader globalizing trends, many teachers have continued to rely on traditional practices and values and have shown resistance to these changes. We examine some of the perceived educational gains and deficits that have accrued since the end of the Soviet period and conclude by considering tensions that are unlikely to be resolved in the immediate future.

Práticas educativas de pais e mães de crianças aos 18 meses de idade

The present study investigated eventual differences in educative practices of mothers and fathers of 18-month-old children. Thirty-four families of different socioeconomic levels who had only one child took part in the study. The mothers and fathers answered separately an interview on educative practices involving six daily situations of the child. The content analysis revealed a predominance of inductive practices reported both by mothers and fathers, followed by coercitive and non-interference practices. However, no significant differences were found between the practices mentioned by mothers and fathers, or between the different socioeconomic levels in none of the examined categories. The results are discussed taking into consideration the repercussions of the appearance of assertiveness and of the initial phase of language development of the children on parental educative practices.

Theory, Method, and Analysis in Research on the Relations between Peer Collaboration and Cognitive Development.

Abstract It is important to make explicit the theoretical framework within which research is conducted because ones choice of theory constrains the choice of what to study and which methods to use for doing research. From a perspective informed by the writings of T. Kuhn (1962), S. C. Pepper (1942), and L. T. Winegar (1997), the author assessed the extent to which each of the articles in this special issue related theory to methods and to analysis. The author identified limitations in each of the articles, caused primarily by the use of methods or analyses that did not seem well suited to the theory of choice. However, each of the articles also had great strengths, and, taken together, they further our understanding of the complexity of the relationships between peer collaboration and cognitive development. They also provide some stimulating and productive ways of studying the collaborative processes themselves.

Sentimentos maternos frente ao desenvolvimento da criança aos 12 meses: convivendo com as novas aquisições infantis

Aos 12 meses a crianca apresenta novas aquisicoes de linguagem e locomocao que a permitem realizar movimentos de afastamento e reaproximacao do cuidador. Assim, a mae ocupa papel fundamental, pois deve proporcionar oportunidades para descobertas e favorecer exploracoes. Este estudo investigou o desenvolvimento da crianca aos 12 mesese os sentimentos maternos em relacao a esse momento. Participaram 28 mulheres, de nivel socioeconomico variado, comidades entre 20 e 37 anos, cujos filhos tinham 12 meses. Foi realizada uma entrevista semi-estruturada sobre a experienciada maternidade e o desenvolvimento da crianca. A analise de conteudo revelou a riqueza das novas aquisicoes e seu impacto nos sentimentos maternos. As maes relataram sentimentos ambivalentes de gratificacao e realizacao, mas tambem de maiordemanda e dedicacao. Dada a importância desse periodo, torna-se fundamental que a mae seja capaz de adaptar-se as novas aquisicoes infantis e que esteja disponivel para partilhar de suas experiencias.

A construção de uma metodologia observacional para o estudo de crianças em situação de rua: criando um manual de codificação de atividades cotidianas

Este estudo teve por objetivo descrever uma metodologia criada para a observacao de criancas em situacao de rua em seu ambiente natural. Questoes sobre o desenvolvimento dessas criancas, sobre a utilizacao e significado do espaco da rua e sobre os aspectos metodologicos foram relevantes para a realizacao deste tipo de estudo. Os resultados encontram-se condensados em um manual criado especialmente para a codificacao das atividades cotidianas apresentadas pelas criancas em situacao de rua. A discussao enfatiza a importância da realizacao de estudos observacionais exploratorios e descritivos para avaliar o processo de criacao de metodologias especificas para entender e analisar o desenvolvimento humano em situacoes de risco. A aplicabilidade deste metodo e discutida como conhecimento produzido pela Psicologia do Desenvolvimento.

Conceptions of US and Brazilian early childhood care and education: A historical and comparative analysis:

Childrens first years of life are fundamental for healthy development. Appropriate care and education in the early years are far more useful than dealing with later problems, and in both the United States and Brazil scholars and public-policy makers have argued that the goal should be an integrated system of care and education. Using a cultural—historical framework to understand early childhood policies in the United States and Brazil, we examine how notions of care and education have changed over time. We show that although the two societies have the same goal, the approaches to realizing that goal have been, for historical reasons, quite different. Moreover, despite a rapid growth in the numbers of children attending preschool institutions, integrated systems have not been accomplished. Our analysis also shows how the legacy of a dichotomous approach in both societies has impeded the integration of care and education into a single system.