Transcript Developmental Psychology Sarah Bolin

Developmental
Psychology
Sarah Bolin
Period One
Life Span Approach
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Takes the view that development is not a process
with a clear ending but a process that continues
from birth to death.
Within this approach developmental psychology is
the study of the changes that occur in peoples
abilities and behaviors as they age.
When someone is a child psychologist they focus
on a particular earlier portion of the typical life
span that they choose.
The view that the development occurs over a life
span was successfully shown by Erik Erikson.
Research Methods
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The method of research the psychologist will use depends on
the question that a psychologist is asking.
Some study normative development, the typical sequence of
development change for a group of people, using the crosssectional method.
Cross-sectional method- seeks to compare groups of people
of various ages on similar tasks.
Another research method is the longitudinal method,
following a small group of people over a long portion of their
lives and assessing the changes that occur.
Developmental Issues
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A commonly debated subject is the idea of nature vs. nurture.
Maturationists believe in the nature side emphasizing the role
of genetically programmed growth and development on the
body and nervous system.
Environmentalists take the opposite side, emphasizing the
nurture side. This can be found in Locke’s Tabula Rasa idea,
saying that all development is the result of learning.
Between the two is interactionism, both combine and interact
to produce mature behavior and though.
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Another debated subject is the idea of whether
development is continuous or discontinuousgradual or stage-oriented.
Critical period refers to a time when skill or ability
must develop. If a certain skill does not develop at
that time it probably will not develop at all.
Another thing that impacts development is culture.
Developmental Theories
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The theories can be divided into two different sections. Those
that conceptualize development as a single stage and those
that view it as occurring in discrete stages.
Stages- patterns of behavior that occur in a fixed sequence
Cognitive structures- sets of mental abilities
Amount of overlap is determined by relative degrees of
domain generality v. domain specificity.
Domain generality- idea that development occurs
simultaneously across multiple areas.
Domain specificity- development can occur within one
specific cognitive area.
Physical Development
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Starts at conception with the zygote (fertilized
egg) going through three distinct development
stages.
Stage one-germinal stage-zygote undergoes cell
division into 64 cells and plants itself on the
uterine wall, lasts about two weeks
Stage two- embryonic stage- organ formation,
lasts up to the three month mark
Stage three-fetal stage- sexual differentiation
occurs and movement begins to develop
Neonate reflexes
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A neonate is a newborn baby.
Sucking reflex- triggered by placing something in
the babies mouth
Palmar reflex- automatic grabbing reflex
Babinski reflex- toes spreading out when the
bottom of the foot is touched
Moro reflex-splaying out of limbs when a loud
noise is heard
Orientating reflex- orient themselves to sudden
changes in their surroundings
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Physical development occurs through childhood
and adolescence.
Specific markers achieved during chilhood are the
development of motor skills, both gross and fine.
Puberty is another landmark of physical
development.
Growth of height, weight, and secondary sex
characteristics characterize this stage.
Adulthood is marked by decrease in physical
ability.
Cognitive Development
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Cognitive development refers to the development
of learning, memory, reasoning, problem-solving,
and related skills.
Piaget said children go through a series of
developmental stages in a fixed order and that
they can only go through one stage at a time.
There are four of Piaget’s stages.
Four stages: first two
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Sensorimotor- occurs during the first two years,
develops reflexive reaction and circular reaction,
repeated behaviors by which the infant
manipulates the environment
Preoperational- occurs between two and seven,
begins with development of language,
egocentrism (seeing the world from one’s own
point of view), artificialism (believing all things are
human made), animism (believing that all things
are living)
Second stages
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Concrete operational- occurs from seven to
twelve, develop conservation skills (
understanding that a change in the form of
an object does not produce a change in the
whole object)
Formal operational- begins at twelve,
children become capable of understanding
abstractions and symbolic relationships
Social Development
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Social development is the development of the
ability to interact with others and with the social
structures in which we live.
Erik Erikson attempted to capture social
development through his eight stages of
psychosocial development. This is useful for its
description of the developmental process and
because it is the first theory to assert that
development is a life span process.
Stages of social development
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Trust vs. Mistrust- deciding whether the world is friendly of hostile
Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt- child must develop a sense of
control
Initiative vs. Guilt- must take initiative and learn to assert
themselves without overstepping their bounds
Industry vs. Inferiority- gains a sense of accomplishment and pride
in their work
Identity vs. Role Confusion- children question the type of person
they are
Intimacy vs. Isolation- attempt to form loving, lasting relationships
Generativity vs. Stagnation- be productive in both career and home
and to contribute to the next generation
Integrity vs. Despair- learn to come to terms with ones own life
Moral Development
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Most influential theory of moral development was
advanced by Kohlberg, there are three levels.
Level one- ages seven to ten, the level of
preconventional morality (two stage system of
moral judgment)
Level two- ages ten to sixteen, stage of
conventional morality (internalizing of societies
rules and morals)
Level three- sixteen onward, level of
postconventional morality (internal set of values
that may conflict with social values)
Sex Roles
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Psychosexual development is the development of ones own
sexuality.
An influential theory of psychosexual development was
Freud’s four stages.
Stage one- Oral stage, primary source of pleasure for the
infant comes from sucking
Stage two- anal stage, child derives pleasure from the
process of elimination
Stage three- phallic stage, child discovers that genital
stimulation is pleasurable
Stage four- genital stage, establishment and maintenance of
standard heterosexual relationships