Arnold Gesell

Arnold Gessel (21 June 1880- 29 May, 1961) was borin in Alma, Wisconsin. He wanted to be a teacher, so he worked as a highschool teacher briefly. He then studied at the University of Wisconsin- Madison. He studied psychology and received a Bachelor of Philosophy degree.

Backround
Gesell first wanted to be a teacher, then he was determined to be a doctor. He studied at the University of Wisconsin Medical School. Later he served as a professor at Yale University while studying medicine. He was eventually given a full professorship at Yale. He also served as the school psychologist for the Connecticute State Board of Education and helped to develop classes to help children with disabilities succeed. He also wrote a couple books and invented a one-way mirror. wiiiiiiii

Theory of Maturation
Changes in child growth and development from infancy- adolescence. He describes the developmental patterns in childhood that ephasize physical and mental growth that he saw as determined primarily by heredity.

Gradients of Growth:

1. Motor characteristics: Bodily activity, eyes and hands

2. Personal Hygiene: Eating, sleeping, bathing + dressing, healther + somatic complaints, and tensional outlets

3. Emotional Expression: Affective attitudes, crying, assertion and anger

4. Fears and Dreams

5. Self and Sex

6. Interpersonal Relations: Mother -> Child, Child -> Child, and groupings in play

7. Play and Pastimes: General interactions, reading, music, radio and movies

8. School Life: Adjustment to school, classroom demeanor, reading, writing and math

9. Ethical Sense: Blaming + alibiing; Response to direction, punishment and praise; Response to reason; Sense of good + bad; Truth and property

10. Philosophic Outlook: Time, space, language + thought, war, death and deity.

He concluded that mental and physical development in infants, children and adolescents are comparible.

Interesting Facts

 * He did research on young animals and young children
 * He served 37 years as a director of the Yale Clinic of Child Development
 * His middle name is Lucius

Resources
(2011, March 21). Arnold gesell development of child's hand [Web Video]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ByBRqMNTcNQ

Henniger, M. L. (2011, March 17). Arnold gesell's persepective on learning and development. Retrieved from http://www.education.com/reference/article/arnold-gesell-child-learning-development-theory/

Wikipedia. (2013, September 3). Arnold gesell. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arnold_Gesell

"Gesell, Arnold Lucius." Complete Dictionary of Scientific Biography. 2008. Retrieved October 21, 2013 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-2830901630.html