Chapter 10 - Research Methods In Developmental Psychology Flashcards
Nature vs nurture
Is there a genetic predisposition, or is it managed by environments
-children are anxious—> go to environment to relieve it
-do people choose to go into sports or music bc there’s predisposition to like that sport, or because the environment creates a competency
Gene environment interactions
Gene and environment are working together
-having low MAO gene, and history of maltreatment, together increase antisocial behaviours
Gene expression
We may have a gene that acts dormant until environment triggers it to be exposed
-dormant gene—> weed use—> schizophrenia
-dormant gene—> trauma—> anxiety
Bidirectional influences on developments
The parents control the child, but the child’s reaction influences the parent
-development is a two way street
-baby cries during the night—> parents sleep deprived—> cannot properly give the baby what it needs—> baby cries more
Common research designs in developmental psychology
Cross sectional and longitudinal design
Cross sectional design
Different people in different age groups
-compare them on very different hypothesis
-memory test—> see how memory changes over time, does the younger have the best? Older have the worst?
Pro: relatively fast, cost effective, only need to run once
Cohort effect is less likely
In cross sections
Longitudinal design
Study groups over long periods of time
-one group, give the test multiple times throughout their lives (teens, 30, 40, 50)
Pro: sort out cohort effects, shows developmental effects in order of occurrence
Cons: attrition (people drop out), costly, time consuming
Cohort effects have a strong effect on
Cross sectional designs
Post Hoc Fallacy
Correlation does not equal causation
-A happens before B, then say A must have caused B
-just because they happened in that order, doesn’t mean A caused B to happen
Developmental myths
Infant determinism and childhood fragility
Infant determinism
Things that happen to us when were young are more significant to our development than when were older
Earlier life experiences are more significant than
-devalues things that happen later in life
Childhood fragility
Children are fragile creatures that should be protected at all costs
-should never be hurt, scared or make mistakes
Why is childhood fragility wrong?
Children are extremely resilient
-long term stress from traumatic stress is much less likely
Example of longitudinal study
Scottish school children measured throughout their lives
-specific measurement
What way does post hoc fallacy contribute to myth of infant determinism
Earlier event is causing something that happens later, the idea that it was traumatic in my early life affects me in my later life
Prenatal development follows development of
Zygote
Zygote=prenatal (before birth)
Germinal stage
When zygote divides, and grows into blastocyste
1/2 to 2 weeks
Blastocysts
Group of undifferentiated cells -
1/2 to 2 weeks
Embryonic stage
Blastocysts is now considered an embryo
-cells differentiate—> specialized functions
Week 2 to week 8
-limbs, facial, brain all begins to form
Fecal stage
Embryo is considered a fetus
-heart beating, bulking
9 week to birth
-longest stage
Brain development begins
Eight weeks
-doesn’t end until 24 ish years
Proliferation
Neurons develop very quickly, and used at rapid rate
-two hundred fifty cells per minute
-brain stem (survival) first to develop
Cell migration
Allows all cells to begin to form
-different brain structures
