Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory: An Introduction

Davidson Films

Albert Bandura’s work has become basic to an understanding of how social forces influence individuals, small groups, and large groups. From his early Bobo doll experiments up through his work with phobias and self-efficacy, Bandura has given researchers a sense of how people actively shape their own lives and those of others. Utilizing archival materials and newer visuals, this program introduces students to the vocabulary and innovative methods of this influential thinker. Dr. Bandura’s narration imbues the video with his compelling presentation style and intellectual authority. Viewable/printable educational resources are available online. A part of the series Giants of Psychology. (38 minutes)

John Dewey: An Introduction to His Life and Work

Davidson Films

Although John Dewey lived in a markedly different era, many of his concerns are still highly relevant to life today. This program introduces students to his philosophy and his critical studies of education, the arts, and the implications of democracy for the lives of individuals and their communities. Contemporary examples of the influence of his work include film sequences of noted educator Deborah Meier’s Mission Hill School in Roxbury, Massachusetts; commentary by literature authority Louise Rosenblatt on Dewey’s theories of democratic behavior; and philosopher Larry Hickman’s comments on the ways technology changes how one experiences the world. Viewable/printable educational resources are available online. A part of the series Giants of Psychology. (40 minutes)

Vygotsky's Developmental Theory: An Introduction

Davidson Films

The work of Lev Vygotsky is cited as the theory and practice of constructivist education. This program reconsiders the life, vocabulary, and concepts of Vygotsky, illustrating four basic concepts integral to his work: children construct knowledge, learning can lead development, development cannot be separated from its social context, and language plays a central role in cognitive development. Elena Bodrova brings an easy familiarity to these concepts, while Deborah Leong’s commentary and lively classroom examples will enable students, teachers in training, and classroom teachers to incorporate these concepts into their understanding of child development. Viewable/printable educational resources are available online. A part of the series Giants of Psychology. (28 minutes)

John Bowlby: Attachment Theory Across Generations

Davidson Films

John Bowlby’s Attachment Theory shows how relational patterns set early in life affect emotional bonds later in life. This program’s focus is on attachment theory as it explains many aspects of personality development from childhood through adulthood, with a special emphasis on issues related to attachment in later life as people seek to establish new ties and cope with separations and losses. Therapeutic applications of the theory as developed by Dr. Bowlby and others are illustrated, along with more recent insights that have come by way of the field of neuroscience. Viewable/printable educational resources are available online. A part of the series Giants of Psychology. (35 minutes)

William James: The Psychology of Possibility

Davidson Films

William James, more than anyone else, was responsible for introducing the wide range of topics that now make up the broad field of psychology. This program presents some of James’s most important formulations, including his discussions of habit, consciousness, will, and religious experience, as well as what he referred to as the fringe of experience: the hunches, inexpressible feelings, and haunting memories that influence thoughts and actions. An interview with a young recovering alcoholic and an account of James’s own struggle with suicidal depression make this video an emotionally moving experience as well as an instructional one for students. Viewable/printable educational resources are available online. A part of the series Giants of Psychology. (40 minutes)

Mary Ainsworth: Attachment and the Growth of Love

Davidson Films

Mary Ainsworth’s Strange Situation procedure is now basic to understandings of infant-parent interactions and, thus, later emotional development. This program details the developmental course of attachment behaviors and the different patterns that are captured by the controlled observational techniques of the Strange Situation. Using archival footage (including the Harlow primate studies) and newer film sequences, the video also gives students a sense of how psychological research is conducted and used in therapeutic situations. Viewable/printable educational resources are available online. A part of the series Giants of Psychology. (38 minutes)

Piaget’s Developmental Theory: An Overview

Davidson Films

The work of Jean Piaget has become the foundation of developmental psychology and the basis for changes in educational practice. In this program, David Elkind—author of The Hurried Child and Miseducation and a student of Piaget—explores the roots of Piaget’s work and outlines important vocabulary and concepts that structure much of the study of child development. Using both archival film of Dr. Piaget and newer sequences of Dr. Elkind conducting interviews with children of varied ages, the video can serve equally as an introduction or a review of Piaget’s developmental theory, its scope, and its content. Viewable/printable educational resources are available online. A part of the series Giants of Psychology. (25 minutes)

Erik H. Erikson: A Life’s Work

Davidson Films

Using archival materials and newer footage, this program introduces students to the rich wisdom of Erik H. Erikson. Best known for his identification of the eight stages of the life cycle, Erikson spent a lifetime observing and studying the way in which the interplay of genetics, cultural influences, and unique experiences produces individual human lives. The video combines biographical information about Erikson with his theoretical proposals to give viewers an understanding of the relationship between the life experience of a theorist and the work that he produced. Narrated by Erikson’s colleague Margaret Brenman-Gibson and Ruthie Mickles. Viewable/printable educational resources are available online. A part of the series Giants of Psychology. (38 minutes)

Maria Montessori: Her Life and Legacy

Davidson Films

Born more than 25 years before Piaget or Vygotsky, Maria Montessori understood the constructivistic nature of all learning. Montessori’s conception of the changing roles the classroom environment and teacher should play for students of various ages is presented in this program through carefully shot film of toddler, preschool, elementary school, and secondary school classes at work in accredited Montessori schools. Students will also learn about Dr. Montessori’s own dramatic life through archival visuals and will be challenged to consider what they think are the components of exemplary educational practice. Viewable/printable educational resources are available online. A part of the series Giants of Psychology. (35 minutes)