1 - Introduction to Child Development Flashcards
What are 2 theories about how cognitive abilities develop?
Continuous and discontinuous
What is continuous theory?
Children constantly develop cognitive abilities in a linear fashion (i.e. information processing theory)
What is discontinuous theory?
Children have “stages” of cognitive development that develop in a stepped fashion (i.e. Piaget)
What is nativism?
Genes = person, entirely nature. Used in eugenics movements
What is empiricism?
Environment = person, behaviourist principles
Active child theory
Children influence their own development (i.e. choosing to do things)
Parent raises concern that their 2-year-old is slower at learning speech than their peers, psychologist asks if the parents were talkative babies. Which approach is the psychologist using?
Nature vs nurture (specifically nature)
Naturalistic observation
Observation in child’s natural environment
Structured observation
Lab setting
Experiment definition
Assess relationship between 2+ variables by manipulating one variable and measuring impact on other variable
Pros of observation
Provide insight into behaviour in natural context
Cons of observation
May behave differently if they know they’re being watched
Pros of experiments
Allows for evaluation of specific variables
Con of experiments
May not be applicable to world
3 types of dependent variables (for children)
- Sampling behaviour
- Self-report
- Physiological measures
What is a correlational study?
Evaluate relations between 2+ variables that exist NATURALLY
Correlational coefficient
r, represents direction and strength of a relation between 2 variables (i.e. +1 = strong positive, 0 = no relation)
Issues with correlations
Confounding (third) variable creating the relationship
Longitudinal design
Measure same individual at different ages
Cross-sectional design
Measure different individuals all at a certain age
Pros of longitudinal
Same individuals –> variables unique to that individual remains consistent across measurements
Longitudinal disadvantages
Practice effect, selective attrition, cohort effect
Advantages of cross-sectional
Efficient use of time/money/ large sample cancels out individual differences
Disadvantages of cross-sectional
Cohort effect, Lack of continuity in sample
Longitudinal-sequential design
Different groups of kids are tested longitudinally at different ages
Advantage to Longitudinal-sequential design
Less prone to selective attrition and cohort effects
