1: Basic issues in the study of development Flashcards
What is developmental psychology?
The description, explanation and prediction of age related changes in behaviour, emotions and social relationships.
What are the other disciplines developmental psychology draws upon?
Genetics, biology, neuroscience, anthropology, sociology, education.
What is the nature debate?
Hereditary causes of behaviour based on the genetic makeup which influences growth and development throughout life.
What is the nurture debate?
Environmental causes of behaviour such as parents, schooling, siblings, friends, school and nutrition.
Development is the interaction between what?
The interaction between heredity and environment.
What is behaviour genetics?
The study of genetic contributions to behaviour or traits.
What is epigenetics?
The idea that experience can turn on/off genes.
What are critical periods? Give an example.
Experiences required for developments to take place and are irreversible. E.g. imprinting.
What are sensitive periods? Give an example.
Experiences that most optimal at a certain time. E.g. language development.
What is the difference between critical and sensitive periods?
Critical periods are necessary whereas sensitive periods can occur at other times.
What are the two main explanations for critical and sensitive periods?
- Brain maturation and plasticity.
2. Our brains become increasingly specialised.
Describe Becket et al. (2006) study of Romanian adoptees (method and results) and what the findings indicated.
Method:
Romanian adoptees adopted before and after 6 months old. Then compared their IQ’s with UK adoptees.
Results:
Persistent effects of deprivation were seen in Romanian adoptees, which older adoptees more significantly affected.
Outcome was most optimal if adoptees were adopted before age 6 months.
Indications:
Evidence for a developmental sensitive period for IQ.
What are the four basic goals for understanding development? (Hint: PIED)
Predict
Influence
Explain
Describe
What are the three experimental designs used to explore developmental change? (Hint: CLS)
Cross-sectional designs
Longitudinal designs
Sequential (cohort) designs
Describe Fenson et al. (1994) cross-sectional study (method and results)
Method:
Asked parents of toddlers to describe longest sentence used by child.
N = 1,130
Aged 16-30 months old
Results: Rapid growth in number of words in sentences at age: 20 months 24 months 30 months
What are the advantages of cross-sectional designs?
Quick and economical.
Demonstrate age differences and indicate developmental trend.
What are the disadvantages of cross-sectional designs?
Age trends may reflect extraneous differences between cohorts, rather than developmental change.
No data in the development of each individual (sequential data), therefore, provides no information about determinants of change.
What research method overcomes the disadvantages of cross-sectional designs? Why?
Longitudinal studies.
Allow some measurement of individual change of stability.
Allows exploration of the dynamic nature of change.
What are the 5 goals of longitudinal research?
- Consider change in individuals.
- Compare change and differences between individuals.
- Consider factors that drive change.
- Investigate causes of change in individuals.
- Investigate causes of change between individuals.
Describe Wood et al. (2012) longitudinal study (method and results).
Method:
Link between symptoms of psychopathology and absenteeism over time, using an autoregressive, cross-lagged model.
Grades 1 - 12 (6/7 yrs old - 16/17 yrs old)
Teachers report symptoms of psychopathology (conduct problems, anxiety, depression) and attendance records.
Results:
All autoregressive pathways were significant (stability).
Reciprocal relationships between absenteeism and psychopathology in childhood and adolescence (cross-legged pathways).
Clearest for psychopathology predicting absenteeism.
And also for absenteeism predicting psychopathology in adolescence.
What are the advantages of longitudinal designs?
Explores individual changes over time.
Explores patterns of continuity and discontinuity.
Uses same cohorts.
What are the disadvantages of longitudinal designs?
Costly and time consuming. Require large data sets. Multiple (repeated) testing. Attrition (dropouts) Equivalence of methods over time. Changing questions. Cohort effects.
What research method overcomes the disadvantages of longitudinal and cross-sectional research? Why?
Sequential (cohort) designs. Combines cross-sectional and longitudinal designs to examine age related change across multiple cohorts.
What are the three main reasons microgenetic measures are used in sequential (cohort) research?
- Examines changes as they occur.
- Has small samples with dense data collection.
- Provides valuable information about changes as they occur.
What are the advantages of sequential designs?
Discriminates between true development trends and simple cohort effects.
Indicates whether developmental change experienced by one cohort is similar or not to change experienced by other cohorts.
Less costly and time consuming than longitudinal research.
What are the disadvantages of sequential designs?
Still more costly and time consuming than cross-sectional approach.
Attrition (dropouts) and biases.
What are the four main challenges for developmental research?
- Developing measures that are valid and reliable.
- Using representative samples.
- Accurate methods of reporting (e.g. covert observations).
- Using objective measurements.
What are the four methodologies used for objective measurement in developmental psychology?
1. Observational studies. E.g. video recording. 2. Eye movement technology. 3. Imaging fMRI for blood flow and neural activity) 4. EEG and ERP
Describe one advantage and one disadvantage of observational studies.
Data rich.
Time consuming.
Describe one disadvantage of fMRI technology in developmental psychology research.
Difficult to work with children younger than 5-6 yrs old.
Describe 2 advantages and 1 disadvantage of using EEG and ERP in developmental psychology research.
Advantages
All measured brain activity vs. event related activity.
Good temporal resolution and neural response.
Disadvantage
Difficulties with localisation.
What is a theory of development?
A scheme or system of ideas based on evidence. It attempts to describe, explain and predict behaviour and development.