The Importance of Theory and Research in Child Development
JoLinda Freeman
PSY104 Child and Adolescent Development
Instructor Mark Kavanaugh
April 4, 2015

The Importance of Theory and Research in Child Development In order for us to understand how a child develops we must conduct research on theories that we believe and others believe to be true. When we do understand the development of children we will be able to understand the skills and behaviors of children. This will help us to understand why they will not eat certain foods or how children of different ages react differently to certain things.
In the early 20th century many theories were put forward to help explain why and how children develop. A theorist who played a
16) The key points to Piaget's theory of cognitive development are the four stages of his theory. The first stage is the sensorimotor stage, which occurs from the time the child is born up to the age of two. In this stage the idea that infants “think” by influencing the world around them is considered. The second stage is the preoperational stage, which occurs from the age of two to the age of seven. This is characterized stage by the impression that children use symbols to represent their discoveries. In the third stage, the concrete operational stage, transpires when the child is seven up to eleven years old. This stage is categorized by the idea that children’s reasoning becomes focused and logical. In the final stage, the formal operational stage, children from ages eleven to adulthood are described by the indication that children develop the ability to think in abstract ways. (Boundless, 2015)
The value of continued learning is important for an individual to learn and grow. The way we think and act is constantly evolving and this happens from new understandings, new knowledge and new skills. We should incorporate both personal experience and scholarly research grounded in theory in order to learn new things and help others learn them as well. Most research starts with an idea and is developed from there.

References
Boundless. “Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development.” Boundless Psychology. Boundless, 27