defining developmental psych- lecture 1

Question 1

Developmental definition

Answer 1

suggests ‘‘growth’’, ‘‘progress’’, ‘‘positive change’’. but typical changes (e.g. Hair turning grey, Fading of reflexes) are also development so when we talk about development we really mean changes.

Question 2

developmental psych

Answer 2

The scientific study of psychological changes across the lifespan (7 stages of man). Involves building testable theories based on systematic observation.

Question 3

Why is some research biased?

Answer 3

Based on narrow group of people. Lots of the research conducted in 40s and 50s, on white males. Europe and US. Very little research in Africa and Asia. Ethnocentric (cultural bias)

Question 4

How useful is developmental psych?

Answer 4

Useful in other fields:
▪ Educational psychology
▪ Child psychopathology
▪ Childhood studies
▪ Cyberpsychology

Question 5

Nature vs nurture

Answer 5

Key debate in developmental psych. ‘‘Nature” means innate biological factors (namely genetics), while “nurture” can refer to upbringing or life experience more generally.

Question 6

Nature

Answer 6

Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712 -
1778).
at birth child is ‘‘noble savage’’.
heritable traits.
Developmental ‘universals’ or
‘milestones’.
genes affect development.
introduced concepts of maturation
and stages.

Question 7

Nurture

Answer 7

John Locke
Tabula rasa (blank slate)
all children have same potential
environment driving force in development.
Cross-cultural variation in
development ‘milestones’.

Question 8

Continuity vs Discontinuity

Answer 8

Continuity: continuous development, overlapping, growth is subtle (e.g. a smooth slope)
Discontinuity: discontinuous development. idea of milestones, everyone is determined to go through milestones at same time as each other (e.g. talk at same age)

Question 9

Research designs in developmental psych

Answer 9

Longitudinal, Cross cultural

Question 10

Longitudinal

Answer 10

Study the same children at different time points.
Pros: allows study patterns across development. allows comparison between early and later events and behaviours
Cons: High drop-out rate and long time scale, experimenter effect and practice effect. Cohort effect – can prevent generalisation.

Question 11

Cross cultural

Answer 11

Study groups children of different ages at the same time
Pros: more efficient than long
Cons: cannot examine individual diffs,
cannot examine change over time.