Exploring Cognitive Theories: A Reflective Essay on Child Development

This self-reflective essay explores the author's childhood experiences (ages 4-12) through the lens of prominent cognitive development theories, including Vygotsky's Sociocultural Theory, Erikson's Psychosocial Stages, and Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Theory. The author analyzes their social interactions, problem-solving skills, and personal growth in relation to these theories, highlighting the influence of mentors, social environment, and personal experiences on their development. The essay reflects on the impact of these theories in understanding the complexities of childhood development and its lasting effects on adulthood, emphasizing the importance of considering various dimensions of growth for a comprehensive understanding of human behavior. Desklib provides a platform for students to access similar solved assignments and study resources.

Reflective Essay

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION.........................................................................................................................3
Self-Reflection.............................................................................................................................3
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES............................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
The comprehensive study of an anthropological development is noteworthy and epochal
for the explication of the distinguished behaviors of humans, specifically at their growing years.
The ways in which a child performs, respond and contemplate, has been studied through the
application of multiple intellectual theories that have proven to be an aid in regards to the
thorough understanding of their reactions (Beausoleil, 2022). These postulates can act as a
framework that can provide with useful insights for the elucidations of the motivation drivers and
helps in the insinuations of a human growth. This self-reflective essay will thereby highlight the
changes that were experienced by me in my growing years (4-12 years), through the applications
of the well-known and most significant cognitive theories.
MAIN BODY
Self-Reflection.
The real-life application of Vygotsky's Sociocultural Theory in regards to my social
development can be taken into account for the enumeration of the level of interaction I had in my
childhood with the social circle. Vygotsky's sociocultural hypothesis sees human improvement
as a socially interceded process in which kids gain their social qualities, convictions, and critical
thinking systems through cooperative discoursed with additional educated citizenry. The
cognitive development of a human being is quite imperative to understand, as it varies across
different culture, and a per my case, my social interaction was to be honest quite extrovert. I used
to reciprocate viably towards my parents, relative and friend’s conceptions and viewpoints
(Campbell, 2022). The elementary mental functions of a human reflexes in accordance to the
sensory abilities such as the scope of Attention, Sensation, Perception and the Memory. The
problem-solving strategies of mine, form the very start has been intimidating. The persuasive
ability of mine to remember stuff significantly has helped in the development of my sensory
abilities over time. As indicated by Vygotsky (1978), much significant advancing by the
youngster happens through friendly communication with a skilful coach. The coach might show
ways of behaving or potentially give verbal guidelines to the kid. Vygotsky alludes to this as
helpful or cooperative discourse. I was great with the explication part of the activities or the
directions that were given by my mentor then assimilates the data, utilizing it to direct or control
my own presentation. As I became more competent during my 10-12 years bracket, my father

started giving me minor, yet significant responsibilities to stand out and work in an independent
manner. To acquire a comprehension of Vygotsky's speculations on mental turn of events, one
should grasp two of the primary standards of Vygotsky's work: the More Knowledgeable Other
(MKO) and the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). The MKO can be referred to as my
mentor or the one who was more knowledgeable than me and helped in the completion of varied
life related tasks. In my times, I did not have to opportunity to get the help of the electronic
tutor’s help, which in today’s generation has become the epitome of success because of the
provision of facilitation of modernised educational settings that helps the student in the learning
process. The ZPD, on the other hand is related to the second most imperative principle of the
proximal development of a child that infers focus upon what a child can learn and achieve, being
independent, as compared to under the guidance of an expert (Hargreaves, 2022).
Figure 1 ZPD and Scaffolding.
I still remember that I was not able to solve a jigsaw puzzle all by myself and would use to take a
lot of time until my father get himself indulged and helped me out through the provision of

accurate instructions towards how to solve it. This encouraged the competency skill in me
thereby. The commands provided by my mentor and my parents helped in the internalization of
the ‘how to part’ of the varied tasks for tackling them down in a persuasive manner.
Another important theory on the child development can be understood through the
imparting the real-life application of Erikson's Psychosocial Stages in regards to my personal
life. The centre of this postulate is in terms of the psychosocial growth of a human being. There
are varied stages in the childhood course of a human, that helps in the narration of their overall
development (Lee, Jacobs and Mann, 2022).
Figure 2 Erikson's Psychosocial Stages
The stages that have to be taken consideration by me in this essay is the childhood years of 4 to
12, which predominately comes under to stages 3 and 4.
Stage 1 – Trust vs Mistrust (This generally lasts from the infancy to about 18 months)
Stage 2 – Autonomy vs Shame and Doubt (The age over here is from the toddler years of 18
months to about 3 years)
Stage 3 – Initiative vs Guilt (Preschool years to around 3 to 5 years of the age)
Stage 4 – Industry vs Inferiority (Middle school years from 6 to 12)

In my preschool years, the initiation of the conception of guilt, power and control started to
begin. Practically speaking, this seems to be the excited craving to endeavor new undertakings,
join or think of exercises with companions, and utilize new abilities in play. I started to discover
that I can apply control over myself and the world. The critical advantage of being drive is that
the Kids who foster imagination are anxious to attempt new exercises and encounters without
unnecessary apprehension about disappointment (Paradiso-Testa, 2022).
Figure 3 Preschool Psychosocial development
They realize what they can and have zero control over. At the point when they in all actuality do
commit errors, they don't feel regretful; they comprehend that they simply have to attempt once
more. By giving things a shot their own and investigating their own capacities, they can foster
desire and bearing. At this stage, play and creative mind took on a significant job in my life.
Being given the opportunity and support to play assisted me with having an energized outlook on
practicing some command over the thing I was doing. Now, in regards to the other dimension of
the stage, i.e., guilt, which infer towards the disgrace over neglecting to follow through with a
responsibility effectively, inciting bothering in grown-ups, or potentially in any case feeling
humiliated over endeavoring something. The stage 4 of the Erikson’s theory focuses over the
dimension of ‘how can I be significantly good”. The basic virtue of this stage is the focus over
the enhancement in the competence level of an individual (Rule and et. al., 2022). I used to focus
over the skills that helped in mastering over the developmental tasks that would help me stand

out in the crowd. School and social cooperation assume a significant part during this season of a
kid's life.
Figure 4 Middle school Psychosocial development
My social world extended extensively as I entered school and gain new companionships with my
relative peers. Through friendly connections, I started to foster a deep satisfaction in my
significant achievements and capacities.
An additional stimulating theory that I would like to taken into account is in regards to
the real-life application of Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Theory. It considers a youngster’s
improvement as a mind-boggling arrangement of connections impacted by various levels of the
general climate, from quick settings of family and school to wide social qualities, regulations,
and customs. To concentrate on a teenager's improvement then, at that point, one should look not
just at the kid and the swift climate, yet in addition at the connection of the bigger environment
too. The microsystem is the most influential level of the biological framework’s hypothesis. The
deliberative 5 ecological systems postulated by Bronfenbrenner can help me in the depiction of
their significant effect upon my growth cycle. The interconnection of the environment portrays
the interdependence of the reaction on one another. If I compare and contrast this theory with me
personal experiences, according to the microsystem, as mentioned in the theory, the direct
contact of mine with my parents, siblings and the mentors, pointedly influenced me in regards to

the beliefs and the viewpoints I had for varied spheres of my life (Tolen, 2022). The kind of
relationship I had with my immediate connections, determined the effect they have had upon me,
be it negative or positive. Also, my parents were always affectionate and supported during my
childhood course which boosted my level of self-confidence thereby. The mesosystem of the
postulate encompasses the form of interactions a child has with the microsystem. This is where
an individual’s microsystems don't work freely, yet are interconnected and affirms influence
upon each other. As indicated by this theory, in the event that the kid's folks and educators get
along and have a decent relationship, this ought to emphatically affect the youngster's turn of
events, contrasted with adverse consequences on improvement in the event that the educators and
guardians don't get along. And as far as I remember, I had a cordial and a loving relationship
with my mentors and parents.
Figure 5 Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Theory’s systems

The exosystem is a part of the natural framework’s hypothesis created by Urie Bronfenbrenner
during the 1970s. Instances of exosystems incorporate the area, parent's work environments,
parent's companions and the broad communications. These are conditions in which the kid isn't
involved, and are outer to their experience, however regardless influences them in any case. The
parent might get back home and have an irritability with the youngster because of something
which occurred in the working environment, bringing about an adverse consequence on
improvement. I did experience these sceneries in my childhood course but if I try and see now, I
understand the reactions of my parents and comprehend towards the attitude which can be
developed because of the agitated work load (Yeh and et. al., 2022). The Ecological Systems
Theory in this manner gives a comprehensive methodology which is comprehensive of the
multitude of frameworks kids and their family are engaged with, precisely mirroring the
powerful idea of genuine family connections. Likewise, A comprehension of these youngsters'
biology can help with reinforcing social work administration conveyance for these kids.
CONCLUSION
An inference can thereby be made that it is imperative to enunciate the experiences of a
child over the course of his/her childhood for a determinative understanding of the complex
nature of a grown-up adult. The varied dimensions of growth, in regards to the social, emotional
and physical changes can be explicated for the significant recognition of the initiations that can
help in the relative evolution and development of an adult. The developmental theories can
provide a framework in regards to the understanding of the basic influences that a child faces in
their childhood course and contemplate towards the scenarios in detail. This self-reflective essay
can thereby help in the explanation of different magnitudes that are involved in the trail of a
child’s development.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Beausoleil, A.M., 2022. Reflective Practice and Design. In Business Design Thinking and Doing
(pp. 117-133). Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.
Campbell, R., 2022. Revisiting Emotionally Involved: The Impact of Researching Rape. Twenty
Years (and Thousands of Stories) Later. In Rape (pp. 12-27). Routledge.
Hargreaves, A., 2022. High school change: a reflective essay on three decades of frustration,
struggle and progress. Journal of Educational Administration, (ahead-of-print).
Lee, C.C., Jacobs, L. and Mann, J.C., 2022. Writing with Dignity Among Youth in Urban
Communities: Using Mentor Texts as a Reflective Tool for Transformation. Urban
Education, p.00420859221081765.
Paradiso-Testa, M., 2022. A Reflective Essay of a Conceptual Model for Self-Directed Learning
for the Adult Learner. In Self-Directed Learning and the Academic Evolution From
Pedagogy to Andragogy (pp. 163-172). IGI Global.
Rule, A.R., and et. al., 2022. Using Reflective Writing to Explore Resident Resilience during
Global Health Electives. The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.
Tolen, R., 2022. Developmental Approaches for Supporting Students in the Application Essay
Writing Process. In Handbook of Research on Advising and Developing the Pre-Health
Professional Student (pp. 249-268). IGI Global.
Yeh, H.C., and et. al., 2022. Developing college students’ critical thinking through reflective
writing. Higher Education Research & Development, pp.1-16.