Theories of student development, including those by Chickerings and Perry, are part of broader psychological and sociological frameworks that aim to understand growth throughout one's life. These theories consider various factors including cognitive progress, psychosocial interactions, and the impact of society and culture.
Pioneering Theories of Development
The question touches on various theories of student development, particularly Chickerings's theory of identity development and Perry's theory of cognitive development. These are part of broader psychological and sociological theories that seek to understand how people grow and develop throughout their lives.
Psychological and Sociological Theories of Self-Development
Significant contributions to these theories have been made by various scholars. For instance, Charles Cooley's "the looking glass self" concept explores how individuals develop a sense of self based on their perceptions of how others view them. Similarly, George Mead contributed to the understanding of the societal influences on self-development. Expanding on cognitive development, Lawrence Kohlberg focused on stages of moral development, influenced by Jean Piaget's work on cognitive development stages. Carol Gilligan later added the dimension of gender differences to Kohlberg's approach.
Cognitive and Psychosocial Theories of Development
Jean Piaget proposed a cognitive theory of development based on distinct stages of thinking and reasoning capability as children grow up, while Erik Erikson suggested that personality develops throughout the entire lifespan and is influenced by social interactions—an idea forming the basis of his psychosocial theory of development. These developmental theories discuss whether growth is continuous or discontinuous, the variation in developmental courses, and the impact of nature versus nurture.
Sociocultural Theory of Development
From a different vantage point, Lev Vygotsky's sociocultural theory of development emphasizes the fundamental role of culture and social interactions in the formation of thought and language, while also recognizing the historical context's importance in individual development.