6a: Developmental psychology

Question 1

What is nature vs nurture?

Answer 1

Nature = ‘Pre-wiring’, influenced by genetic inheritance and other biological factors

Nurture = Influence of EXTERNAL factors after birth on an individual (life experiences, learning)

Question 2

Define temperament

Answer 2

Consistent individual differences in behaviour that are biologically based and are independent of learning, system of values and attitudes.

E.g. someone can have an artistic/musical temperament

Question 3

Define reciprocal socialisation

Answer 3

The bidirectional way in which both the parents and children socalise each other in a reciprocal way.

e.g. parent teaches child how to speak. Child grows up to teach parents ‘slang’ words

Builds SCAFFOLDING = parental behaviour that serves to support children’s efforts, allowing them to be more skillful than they would be if they relied on only their own abilities

Question 4

What are the key stages in the process of attachment?

Answer 4

0-3 months = preferes humans
3-8 months = smiles to primary caregivers
8-12 months = selectively approaches main caregiver as secure base

Before 12 months babies have separation anxiety and fear of strangers.

After 12 months you can reliably measure attachment

Question 5

How do you assess attachment?

Answer 5

Strange situation test

Secure = explores room freely, happy when mother returns

Insecure avoidant = Little exploration and little emotional response to mother (avoids)

Resistant insecure = Little exploration, great separation anxiety and ambivalent response to mother upon her return

Disorganised insecure = Little exploration and confused response to mother

Question 6

Explain the stages of Piaget’s model of cognitive development

Answer 6

Piaget’s Stage Model proposed that children’s thinking changes QUALITATIVELY with age

Schemas = organised patterns of thoughts/actions. As we develop we acquire new and more complex schemas

1. Sensorimotor stage (0-2yrs)
   - Infants understand their world through primary sensor experience + physical interactions
   - Object permanence = understanding that object exists even when you can’t see it
   - Gradual increase in using words
   - Learning is trial & error based
2. Pre-operational (2-7yrs)
   The world is represented symbolically through words and mental images
   - No understanding of basic mental operations or rules
   - Rapid language development
   - Understanding of the past and future
   - No understanding of Principle of Conservation: properties of objects stay the same even though their outward appearance may change
   - Irreversibility: cannot mentally reverse actions
   - Animism: attributing lifelike qualities to physical objects and natural events
   - Egocentrism: difficulty in viewing the world from someone else’s perspective
3. Concrete operational (7-12yrs)
   Children can perform basic mental operations concerning problems that involve tangible (“concrete”) objects and situations
   - Understand the concept of reversibility
   - Display less egocentrism
   - Easily solve conservation problems
   - Trouble with hypothetical and abstract reasoning
4. Formal operational (12-18yrs)
   Abstract thought emerges
   Adolescent begins to think more about moral, philosophical, ethical, social and political issues that require theoretical and abstract reasoning.
   Begin to use deductive logic, or reasoning from a general principle to specific information.