RIZAL MEMORIAL COLLEGES, INC.

Lopez Jaena & F. Torres Streets, Barangay 8-A Poblacion District

Davao City, Philippines
PRC 103 Developmental Psychology

DEVELOPMENTAL
THEORIES OF
INFANCY
Presenters:
ABLAS, SAMLEY
GALVEZ, IAN CEZAR
SASEDOR, GINA VEE
TUMAMA, SITTIE
 ICE BREAKER!!!

“THUMB TALK”
 INTRODUCTION

DEFINITION OF INFANCY:
Infancy is the period from birth to two years old, a critical
stage marked by rapid physical, emotional, cognitive, and
social development. It is considered the foundation phase of
human development where the brain, body, and senses
undergo dramatic changes.
 INTRODUCTION

OBJECTIVE:
To gain a comprehensive understanding of the
developmental stages of infancy in order to provide age-
appropriate and responsive care that supports healthy
growth.
FREUD’S
PSYCHOANALYTIC
THEORY
PSYCHOSEXUAL STAGE OF INFANCY:
ORAL STAGE (BIRTH TO 18 MONTHS)

🔹 Oral Stage Overview:

Erogenous Zone: The mouth
Main Activity: Sucking, biting, feeding, and
exploring objects with the mouth
Developmental Focus: Gratification of oral
needs and building trust
 PSYCHOSEXUAL STAGE OF INFANCY:
ORAL STAGE (BIRTH TO 18 MONTHS)

🔹 Psychological Outcomes:
Positive resolution: Development of trust
and comfort; sets the foundation for healthy
relationships.
Negative outcome (fixation): Traits such as
passivity, gullibility, or oral-dependent
habits may develop.
PSYCHOSEXUAL STAGE OF INFANCY:
ORAL STAGE (BIRTH TO 18 MONTHS)

The oral stage underscores the

emotional and physical nurturing
of the infant.
For Freud, the early interactions
between infant and caregiver play
a crucial role in shaping future
personality traits and emotional
well-being.
ERIKSON’S PSYCHOSOCIAL
THEORY OF DEVELOPMENT
INTRODUCTION
Erik Erikson, a German-American developmental psychologist and
psychoanalyst, proposed a comprehensive theory of psychosocial
development that outlines eight stages individuals go through over the
course of their lifespan. Each stage presents a unique psychological
conflict that plays a critical role in the growth of personality and
psychological skills. Erikson's theory emphasizes the impact of social
experience across the whole life span, differing from Freud’s theory which
focused primarily on early childhood.
OVERVIEW OF THE THEORY

Erikson’s psychosocial theory is centered on the development of the

ego identity, which is the conscious sense of self that we develop
through social interaction. According to Erikson, at each stage of life,
individuals face a conflict that serves as a turning point in
development. Successful resolution of each conflict results in the
acquisition of a basic virtue essential for healthy personality
development and well-being. Unsuccessful resolution may lead to
difficulties in future stages.
THE EIGHT STAGES OF PSYCHOSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

Stage Age Range Conflict Positive Outcome (Virtue) Negative

Outcome

1. Trust vs. Mistrust Infancy (0–1 year) Trusting caregivers and the
world Hope Fear, insecurity

2. Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt Early Childhood (1–3 years)

Developing independence Will Shame, doubt

3. Initiative vs. Guilt Preschool (3–6 years) Asserting control and

power through play and social interaction Purpose Guilt, overcontrol

4. Industry vs. Inferiority School Age (6–12 years) Mastering skills and
meeting social expectations Competence Inferiority, failure
THE EIGHT STAGES OF PSYCHOSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

5. Identity vs. Role Confusion Adolescence (12–18 years) Developing

a personal identity Fidelity Role confusion, weak sense of self

6. Intimacy vs. Isolation Young Adulthood (18–40 years) Forming

close relationships Love Loneliness, isolation

7. Generativity vs. Stagnation Middle Adulthood (40–65 years)

Contributing to society and helping the next generation Care
Stagnation, self-absorption

8. Ego Integrity vs. Despair Late Adulthood (65+ years) Reflecting on

life with satisfaction or regret Wisdom Despair, bitterness
KEY CONCEPTS AND APPLICATIONS

Lifespan Development: Erikson emphasized that personality

develops across the entire life span, not just during childhood.

Social and Cultural Influence: Each stage is influenced heavily by the

individual’s social and cultural environment.

Sequential Progression: The resolution of each stage builds the

foundation for the next. For example, a child who develops trust is
more likely to explore autonomy and take initiative.

Educational and Clinical Use: The theory is widely used in education,

counseling, and social work to assess development and address life-
stage crises.
PIAGET’S
COGNITIVE
DEVELOPMENTAL
THEORY
JEAN PIAGET
a Swiss psychologist who proposed that
children are active learners who
construct knowledge from their
environment through interaction and
experience.
His theory outlines four stages of
cognitive development
Cognitive development is the growth and
evolution of mental abilities, such as thinking,
reasoning, and understanding, as a person learns
and experiences the world.
COGNITIVE STAGE OF INFANCY:
SENSORIMOTOR STAGE (BIRTH TO 2 YEARS)

Sensorimotor Stage Overview:

Infants learn through sensory experiences (seeing, hearing,

touching) and motor actions (grasping, crawling, sucking).

They move from reflexive behavior to goal-directed activity and

begin to understand cause and effect.
🔹 Key Sub-Stages of Sensorimotor Development:
Sub-Stage Age Range Description

Inborn reflexes such as sucking and grasping

1. Reflexive Schemes 0–1 month
dominate behavior.
Infant repeats actions centered on their body
2. Primary Circular Reactions 1–4 months
(e.g., sucking thumb).
Infant repeats actions that produce effects in
3. Secondary Circular Reactions 4–8 months the environment (e.g., shaking a toy to hear
sound).
Intentional behavior begins; the infant
4. Coordination of Secondary
8–12 months combines actions to achieve goals (e.g., moving
Schemes
an object to reach another).

Infants explore new possibilities with objects

5. Tertiary Circular Reactions 12–18 months
(e.g., dropping a spoon from different heights).

Development of symbolic thought and early

6. Mental Representation 18–24 months problem-solving through internal images or
words.
 Key Concepts in Infancy:
Object Permanence
Understanding that objects continue to exist even when out
of sight.
Begins to develop around 8–12 months.
It marks a major milestone in cognitive development and
indicates memory and mental representation.

Goal-Directed Behavior
Around 8–12 months, infants show clear intention in their
actions, like moving an obstacle to reach a toy.
Object Permanence
Cause-and-Effect Understanding
Babies learn that their actions can produce outcomes (e.g.,
kicking a mobile makes it move).

Imitation and Memory

Near the end of this stage, infants can imitate actions they
saw earlier, this is called deferred imitation, showing growth
in memory and symbolic thinking.
Role of the Caregiver:
Providing a stimulating environment filled with safe objects to
explore.
Talking, playing, and responding to the baby’s actions
supports cognitive growth.
Encouraging exploration, curiosity, and interaction boosts
development.
PIAGET’S COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENTAL THEORY

Piaget’s Sensorimotor Stage describes how infants learn

through doing—by touching, seeing, hearing, moving, and
experimenting.

During this stage, infants:

Move from reflexes to intentional actions
Learn that their actions have consequences
Develop object permanence
Begin to form mental representations
PIAGET’S COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENTAL THEORY

This stage lays the foundation for thinking, reasoning, and

understanding in later life.

He viewed infancy not as passive, but as a powerful period of

exploration and discovery.
PIAGET’S COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENTAL THEORY

PEEKABOO!
INFANCY
ACCORDING TO
BOWLBY’S
ATTACHMENT
THEORY
JOHN BOWLBY
a British psychologist, developed
Attachment Theory to explain how the
emotional bonds formed in early
childhood.
He emphasized that a child’s
relationship with their primary
caregiver, usually the mother, is crucial
for healthy emotional development.
ATTACHMENT IN INFANCY (BIRTH TO 2 YEARS)

Key Concept: Attachment

Defined as a deep, enduring emotional bond that connects
one person to another across time and space.

In infancy, attachment is most clearly seen in how babies seek

comfort, security, and proximity to their caregivers.
 4 Phases of Attachment Development

Phase Age Range Description

Infants show innate signals (crying, grasping)

1. Pre-Attachment Birth to 6 weeks to draw others close but do not yet show
preference for specific caregivers.

Infants begin to recognize and prefer

2. Attachment-in-the-
6 weeks to 6–8 months familiar caregivers. They begin building trust
Making
through consistent responses.

Attachment becomes fully formed. Babies

6–8 months to 18–24 show separation anxiety when their
3. Clear-Cut Attachment
months caregiver leaves and seek them for comfort
when distressed.
Toddlers begin to understand that parents
4. Formation of Reciprocal come and go. They start forming more
18–24 months and beyond
Relationships mutual relationships and rely less on
physical closeness.
Attachment Behaviors in Infancy:
Crying, clinging, following with eyes or crawling
Smiling and vocalizing to primary caregiver
Becoming anxious or upset when caregiver leaves
(separation anxiety)
Seeking comfort when frightened or in pain (safe haven
behavior)
Internal Working Model (IWM):
Bowlby proposed that infants form a mental blueprint of
relationships based on their attachment experience.
A securely attached infant learns:
“I am lovable, and others are reliable.”
An insecurely attached infant may learn:
“I am unworthy, and others can’t be trusted.”
4 Key Characteristics of Attachment:

Proximity Maintenance

Safe Haven

Secure Base

Separation Distress
Types of Attachment (identified later by Mary
Ainsworth’s research, but based on Bowlby’s work):

1. Secure Attachment – Baby feels safe; uses caregiver

as a secure base to explore.
2. Insecure-Avoidant – Baby avoids closeness; may
ignore caregiver.
3. Insecure-Resistant (Ambivalent) – Baby is clingy but
hard to soothe.
4. Disorganized – Baby shows confused or fearful
behavior; often linked to trauma or neglect.
Caregiver’s Role in Infancy:
Sensitivity and responsiveness are key.
Caregivers who consistently respond to an infant’s
needs promote secure attachment.
Lack of consistent, loving care may lead to insecure
or disorganized attachment patterns.

Bowlby’s Attachment Theory highlights that infancy is the

foundation for emotional development. A secure attachment
bond in the first two years of life shapes a child’s confidence,
relationships, and emotional resilience for years to come.
 BANDURA'S SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY

• Bandura’s Social Learning Theory highlighted that,

learning happens through observation
•Focuses on how behavior is influenced by
watching others
•Includes attention, retention, reproduction, and
motivation
 INFANCY AND OBSERVATION

Even during the first few months, infants begin to observe the
people around them.

They pay special attention to faces, tone of voice, and movements.

Observation helps them learn how people express emotions and

interact socially.

「 Babies observe facial expressions, gestures, and

voices」
 MODELING IN INFANCY

• Parents or caregivers are the baby’s main role models

Babies mirror what they see: gentle behavior, tone of voice,

reactions
 ATTENTION AND REINFORCEMENT

Babies focus on people they are emotionally attached to

When they get positive reactions (smiles, claps, cuddles), they repeat behaviors

Key Concepts Applied to Infants

: Attention, Retention, Reproduction, Motivation

Concept Example

ATTENTION Baby watches Mom clap

RETENTION Baby remembers the clapping motion

REPRODUCTION Baby tries to claps their own hands

Baby is praised, so repeats again

MOTIVATION
 Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory

• is a psychological framework that explains how a

child's development is influenced by different layers of
their surrounding environment. Developed by Urie
Bronfenbrenner, it emphasizes the interaction between
the child and their multiple environments, from
immediate surroundings to broader societal
influences.
 THE FIVE ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS
[Link]
Definition: The immediate environment the child
directly interacts with.
Examples:
Family
School
Friends
Teachers
Daycare
Key Point: This is the most direct and influential layer
in a child’s life.
 THE FIVE ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS
2. Mesosystem
Definition: The connections and interactions
between elements in the microsystem.
Examples:
Parent-teacher conferences
A child’s experience at home affecting school
performance
Interaction between peers and family
Key Point: Focuses on how relationships in the
microsystem influence each other.
 THE FIVE ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS
3. Exosystem
Definition: External environments that indirectly
influence the child.
Examples:
Parent’s workplace
Mass media
Local government
Extended family
Key Point: The child doesn’t directly interact with
these systems, but they still affect development.
 THE FIVE ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS
4. Macrosystem
Definition: The broader cultural and societal
context.
Examples:
Cultural beliefs and values
Laws and policies
Economic conditions
Political climate
Key Point: Shapes all the other systems through
ideology and norms.
 THE FIVE ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS
5. Chronosystem
Definition: The dimension of time, including life
transitions and historical events.
Examples:
Parental divorce
Moving to a new city
Technological advancement
War or pandemic
Key Point: Reflects how changes over time affect
a child's environment and development.
THANK YOU
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