Developmental Psychology Flashcards
Why study developmental psychology?
- to understand what children are capable of
- to inform social policy
Areas of development
- perceptual development
- cognitive development
- action development
- moral/social/emotional development
Periods of development
- prenatal = conception until birth
- infancy = 0-18 months, pre-verbal
- preschool =18 months- 4 years, rapid learning
- school age = young (5-7) and old(8-12)
- adolescence = 13-20
- adulthood = young (20-30), middle (30-60) and old (60-death)
perspectives on developmental psychology
- comparative/evolutionary = how evolution/innate concepts shape behaviour
- cross cultural
- neuroscience = changes in the brain structure
- behaviourist = ignores mental processes
- psychoanalytic
- cognitive science = interdisciplinary approach
How to study development
- observation = rich data but correlational
- experiments
- longitudinal studies (same Ps over time)
- cross-sectional studies (different Ps at one time)
microgenetic method of measuring change
examines changes as they occur (using repeated measures) to identify underlying genetic mechanisms
Foetus development
- fertilization = sperm + egg = zygote
- implantation = day 6- 2 weeks to implant then becomes embryo
- embryonic period = 4-8 weeks
- foetal period = 9 weeks - birth
foetal brain structure development
weeks after conception:
3 = neural tube starts to form
4 = brain regions now distinct
5 = cerebral vesicles present
10 = major CNS structures visible
24 = programmes cell death (apoptosis)
what is plasticity?
an organism’s ability to respond and adjust to changes in the environment
preferential looking method (how babies see)
present 2 stimuli and record which the baby prefers to look at
habituation method (what babies see)
habituate baby to same image, show new image and see if the baby dishabituates, measure looking times
Hearing in infants
babies can hear in utero and demonstrate preference for familiar voices
they attend to speech that is more likely to be relevant to them e.g., language patterns of their own culture
intermodal perception
integrating of two or more senses
reflexes - emergence of action in infants
- patellar reflex = knee jerk
- rooting reflex = move towards objects touching them
- grasp reflex
- stepping reflex = occurs when babies are lowered onto a surface
- Moro reflex = arms move out to sides when baby is unsupported
visual flow fields - emergence of walking
visual patterns of motion help us judge speed and direction of movement
illusionary visual flow fields can knock infants down
maturational development (motor development)
motor development depends on brain development so motor deprivation doesn’t lead to impairment - babies begin to walk/move when they are cognitively ready
perceptual-motor development
development of the ability to guide voluntary action on the basis of perceived stimuli e.g., react to something, perceive your reaction, adjust performance
empiricist = trail and error lead to correct integration
nativist = move with purpose it is other developmental changes that improve performance
connection - imitation and bonds
infants have been shown to imitate facial expressions
infants form specific bonds by 7 months
Neglect and social deprivation of infants
children in neglectful institutions in Bucharest
Social deprivation reduces infant’s exploration, locomotion and motor action
React with fear or anger to any person but if the person remained, they would become clingy
Rocking back and forth, and biting themselves was observed = self-soothing?
Zeanah et al, 2003 - Bucharest early intervention project
- randomised controlled trial of foster care for 136 children (half fostered, half remained in institutions)
-age entering foster care ranged from 6-31 months
FOUND: foster care intervention was broadly effective in enhancing a child’s development in brain activity, attachment, language and cognition