Development Psychology: “Paradigmas”

Development Psychology: "Paradigmas"

In this third paradigm, the two paradigms mentioned above are combined, giving a new one called contextual-diallectic proposed by Riegel.

The most relevant of this paradigm are the most immediate situational changes together with the individual and cultural changes produced in the long term, taking into account both quantitative and qualitative changes.

From this point of view, learning and development maintain a dialectical relationship. In this model we consider the subject as an active being (as in the organicist) highlighting the importance of the socio-cultural context in the development of the subject.

Other factors such as biological, social, cultural and historical interact to create development giving it a multidirectional character.

Therefore, authors such as Darwin and Vygotsky collect this model in their own theories, with the aim of exposing a concrete reality in thought from some elements, a structure and their movement, being the only scientific method to understand the dialectical relationshipproducing a constant conflict. This generates a fight, movement and change towards a new reality.

To understand all this concept we will focus on the theories of the most important authors, highlighting more relevant Urie Bronfenbrenner and Vygotsky, among others.

Another prominent author in his country is the Russian Vygotsky, a great reference for this paradigm, which will focus on the dialectical methodology.

His analysis of human nature is inspired by Marxist theory. The author appreciates the importance of educational concepts very determined. “In its theory it points some differences between the sign and the tool, which is related to the change of external agents, however the sign is everything contained, generating a change in the mental activity itself. 

It has the purpose of introducing us the new concept of psychic processes, altering the way of thinking about the determination of historical-cultural changes and conditions. He understands the development of the child as a complex dialectical process of social nature and full of irregularities.”(Carlos Martín Bravo, 1991, Piaget- Vygotsky, two convergent authors?, University of Valladolid).

Before Urie, “children’s psychologists studied children, sociologists to families, anthropologists to society, economists the economic framework and political scientists. 

As a result of the extent of the author of the concept of human development ecology, these environments are considered parts of the course of life, from childhood to adulthood. He is recognized as one of the world’s leading academics in development psychology, childhood raising and human ecology."