Developmental Psychology in South Africa Today

Question 1

Risk factor:

Answer 1

A characteristic of a group of people that is associated with an increased probability of negative outcomes

Question 2

Problems and Issues in SA:

Answer 2

• Poverty
• Violence
• HIV and AIDS
• Education

Question 3

Resilience

Answer 3

the process of, capacity for, or outcome of successful adaptation despite challenging or threatening circumstances

Question 4

What differentiates resilient children from those who develop psychological problems?

Answer 4

• Number of risk factors
• Protective factors
• Later experiences

Question 5

Number of risk factors

Answer 5

The accumulation of multiple risk factors tends to have far more negative effects than any one risk factor alone

Question 6

Protective factors

Answer 6

Characteristics of children or their environment that enhance good outcomes under conditions of risk or adversity

Question 7

Later experiences effect on resilience

Answer 7

• Links do exist between childhood and adulthood, but adverse early experiences do not inevitably cause irreversible damage
• Negative childhood experiences often trigger a chain of events that may result in psychological problems in adulthood
• But if the child’s circumstances improve, the course of his/her life may also change for the better

Question 8

Conclusions

Answer 8

The effects of particular experiences on children depend not just on the experience itself, but on the context in which it occurs.

Question 9

How can developmental psychology make a contribution?

Answer 9

• Policy development
• Education: what works well?
• Democratisation
• Understanding resilience
• HIV/AIDS prevention
• Violence prevention