Choose three of the prominent developmental theories that have had a hand in shaping the discipline of Developmental Psychology from the list below. Using the “Theory Comparison Worksheet” Download “Theory Comparison Worksheet”(ATTACHED), address some aspects of each major dimension identified on the worksheet for the three theories you selected.

W1 Assignment 1: Exploring Theoretical Foundations

PURPOSE: Understanding the theoretical and empirical origins of developmental psychology helps the student to comprehend how the discipline has changed over time and why certain key concepts and milestones are the focus of modern developmental theory and treatment.

INSTRUCTIONS: Choose three of the prominent developmental theories that have had a hand in shaping the discipline of Developmental Psychology from the list below. Using the “Theory Comparison Worksheet” Download “Theory Comparison Worksheet”(ATTACHED), address some aspects of each major dimension identified on the worksheet for the three theories you selected. Then, using the space at the bottom of the worksheet provided, comment in 2-3 sentences, on which of the three theories you feel most broadly meets the needs of a Lifespan Developmental Theory.

Choose from the following list of developmental theories:

**Freud’s Psychosexual Theory
**Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory
**Behaviorism and Social Learning Theory
**Piaget’s Cognitive-Developmental Theory
**Ethology and Evolutionary Developmental Psychology
**Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory