Developmental Psych Flashcards
Summarise the premise of the Harlow Monkey experiments
It was a study on the mother-infant bond in monkeys; investigating the effects of total social isolation for varying periods of time by using inanimate surrogate mothers. Monkeys spent more time w their cloth “prop” mother than the wire mother.
What was the findings from the Harlow Monkey Experiment?
The duration of iso & age of iso affected the severity of the behavioural disruption. Monkeys isolated for the first year of their infancy were unresponsive to reco
very.
What did the Goldfarb 1945 Study conclude about psych deprivation in orphaned infants?
When institutional effects go on for 3+ yrs, the effects = longlasting, irreversible. The later the eventual adoption, the lower the IQ attained.
How did Goldfarb 1945 describe the characteristics of children who spent more than 3 yrs in an institution?
lower cognitive ability, lower social-emotional ability
What were the findings from the English/Romanian Adoption study?
Considerable catch-up for physical + cognitive measures by 4 years, especially those adopted >6 months. A linear association of impairment w duration of institutional care.
- link <=> head circumference + cognitive ability in context of severely malnourished Romanian babies
What was concluded from the English/Romanian orphanage studies?
- children who spent initial period of life in deprived orphanage environ suffered cognitive + social emotional deficits
- effects can be overridden by a more stimulating/enriched environ
- degree to which deficits = overcome due to duration spent in deprived environ
- also due to indivd diff/ resilience
What do studies link the effects of maternal post-natal depression to?
behaviour problems, cognitive delays, health problems, disturbed early interactions
What happens at 13yo for children w/ post-N depressed mothers
For those children w mothers who had no depression when they were 5, they had ^ cortisol levels -> linked to anxiety
What happens at 21yo for children w/ post-N depressed mothers
more reactivity to stressful situations, greater risk of Anxiety + Depression
Why are SES kids affected in their developmental stages?
parents had to work (at times multiple jobs), were stressed, limited time to play/read/interact w children, higher rates of addiction
What was Heckman 2006’s economic argument for preschool investment?
It had long-term benefits, was more effective + were cheaper than rehab, prison, and job training.
Essentially, investing in school = investing in the next gen of society
What were the goals of the Head Start programs introduced in 1964?
for SES/ Disadv children;
- improve mental/physical health
- enhance cognitive skills
- foster social/emotional development
What was the components of the Head Start programs introduced in 1964?
- early childhood edu
- health screening/referral
- nutrition edu/ hot meals
- social services
- parental involvement
What were the key findings of the effects of preschool programs?
No lasting IQ gains but significantly fewer referrals for special Ed programs- children coped better w school -> ^ likelihood of finishing highschool
What were some of the features of the Abecedarian project? (Ramey + Ramey 2004)
it began early in infancy, with an individualised emphasis on language.
They randomly assigned infants from low SES families to intervention conditions and control conditions.
Results from the Abecedarian project suggest?
The timeliness of the intervention can aid the child in different subsets of learning; e.g. 4 yo= language, social interactions, 12/15/21 yo= IQ, reading, and maths.
Results indicated that the academic successes lasted into early adulthood. They were > effective if intervention began >3 yo (early). Emphasis on language = better results.
Name the 2 primary kinds of research methodology in Dev Psych
Basic research (reverse engineering) & Applied research (interventions).
What kind of Q guide basic research?
What are the neurocognitive mechanisms underlying the development of self-regulation? AKA what has produced this child in this manner
What kind of Q guides basic research?
What are the neurocognitive mechanisms underlying the development of self-regulation? AKA what has produced this child in this manner
What kind of Q guides applied research?
Understanding these mechanisms, how do we best help/intervene with children at risk for self-regulation problems?
What is “observer effects”?
the possibility that the act of observing may affect the properties of what is observed. e.g. is the observe a mother/teacher/researcher?
what is selective attrition?
kids who drop out halfway through a longitudinal study, creating imbalance <=> conditions
