Kai Smith

MUED 273

February 21, 2017

Developmental Theories: Reading Response

Jerome Bruners Stages of Representation Theory

For Bruners theory of Representation, there are 3 different stages that students must go through to

truly understand the concept. Unlike Piagets theories where the theories are heavily dependent on the

students age, Bruners theory is more similar to a process. In Bruners first stage, Enactive Stage, learning

begins with a tangible action. This action then sets the motion for students to begin to understand a concept.

In Bruners second stage, Iconic Stage, students begin to store away the information that they have learned

from the Enactive stage into the form of pictures and images. Lastly, in Bruners last stage, Symbolic Stage,

the students begin to categorize even further and begin to store away the images from the Iconic Stage into

the forms of symbols and abstractions.

Lawrence Kohlbergs Stages of Moral Development

In Kohlbergs Stages of Moral Development, Kohlbergs main goal was to find out how people

came up with moral decisions and how a persons moral decision making process changes over time.

Kohlberg created a system with 3 different levels of moral development (Pre-Conventional, Conventional,

and Post-Conventional) each with 2 stages under it. So under Pre-Conventional, Stage 1 is where a persons

reasoning is shaped by whether or not they will get punished as a result of their decision. In Stage 2,

children begin to understand that other people have other view points and will begin to make decisions for

their own benefit. In the next level, Conventional morality, stage 3 is where people begin to express good

behaviors so that others will think that they are good people. In stage 4, peoples moral decisions will be

made to maintain the societal order. A person in the Post-Conventional Level will see that laws in a society

are good for a majority of the time but will see that the law may not benefit a particular person. Lastly, in

stage 6, a person will have their own idea of morals regardless of what the societys laws say.

Howard Gardners Theory of Multiple Intelligences

According to Howard Gardners Multiple Intelligences theory, there are 8 different areas that a

person could learn from. While it is possible to equally balance all 8 intelligence areas, people usually tend

to specialize in one area. This would explain why some people are better at some topics and not others. The

8 intelligence areas are logical-mathematical, linguistic, musical, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal,

intrapersonal, and naturalistic. Those with higher logical0mathematical intelligences have an easier time

understanding logical and numerical concepts. People with a higher linguistic intelligence understand the

sounds and meanings of words and tend to make good writers. Those with a higher musical intelligence can

hear and understand rhythms, pitches, harmony, and melody and tend to make good musicians and

conductors. People with a high spatial intelligence are more likely to be able to see the visual world clearly.

Persons with bodily-kinesthetic intelligence have much control over the body and how it moves.

Interpersonal intelligence helps a person know how to react to other peoples moods, desires, or actions.

Intrapersonal intelligence is used by everyone and is the skill to understand the difference between ones

feelings and desires. Lastly, naturalistic intelligence deals with ones ability to connect with nature.