Child Development - Lecture One

Question 1

Developmental psychology

Answer 1

The scientific study of age-related changes in behaviour, thinking, emotion, and personality. - don’t disregard physical but are more focused on psychological

Question 2

Continuity and Change question

Have an idea, don’t memorise

Answer 2

To what extent is development characterised by continuous change, and to what extent does it involve discontinuities that result in the emergence of new forms and processes of change?

Question 3

Source of development question

Answer 3

Is development guided primarily by the genetic programme locked in to the body’s cells, or is the external environment the driving force that produces change?

Question 4

What makes individuals different from each other?

Answer 4

Genetics, biology, experiences, how we were raised, education

Question 5

Self-report

Answer 5

If you want to know how development is proceeding, just ask. Asking parents to answer questions can be a problem due to memory, social desirability where the parents aren’t being fully honest,

Question 6

Experimental methods

Answer 6

Induce some kind of change and measure the results

Question 7

Clinical interview methods

Answer 7

Ask questions based on what you said

Question 8

Mirror test

Answer 8

Self-awareness test where you stick something on the child’s forehead or nose without them noticing then put them in front of a mirror and see how they react (whether they know it’s them or not)

Question 9

Longitudinal design

Answer 9

Takes the same group of people and look at them repeatably overtime; takes ages and is expensive

Question 10

Cross-sectional design

Answer 10

Get different kids at different ages and notice the difference.