Introduction to Developmental Psychology Flashcards
What is developmental psychology?
The study of how behaviour changes over the life span and how we become the people we are
How is change demonstrated?
- physical maturation
- cognitive development
- social experiences
What are three areas of study in developmental psychology?
- physical development e.g. body changes, motor skills
- cognitive e.g. perception, language, memory
- psychosocial e.g. personality, emotions, gender
What is a change?
Systematic changes are orderly patterned and relatively enduring - developmental milestones e.g. crawling to walking
What are continuities?
Refer to the ways in which we remain the same or consistent over time e.g. attachment from infancy to adulthood; personality
What happens at conception?
A sperm cell fertilises an egg where the genes from mother and father combine producing a zygote.
What is the germinal stage of pregnancy?
Between days 5-9 after fertilisation where the zygote divides and doubles becoming a blastocyst.
What is the second stage of prenatal physical development in pregnancy?
The blastocyst becomes an embryo as different cells begin to assume different functions. Occurs from the second to eighth week of development as the limbs, facial features and major organs of the body begin to take shape
What is the third stage of prenatal physical development in pregnancy?
After the major organs are established and the heart begins to beat, the embryo becomes a foetus. At this stage, the child fleshes out what is already there
When does brain development first occur in babies?
The brain begins to develop 18 days after fertilisation and continues well into adulthood. Between 18th day of pregnancy and the end of the 6th month, neurons develop at astronomical rate (proliferation). In the 4th month, migration of cell begins to occur
Survival instincts in infant motor development
Babies are born with large sets of automatic motor behaviours which are triggered by specific types of stimulation e.g. sucking reflects
What are the factors influencing motor development?
- physical maturation - allows children to acquire necessary strength and coordination
- weight of child - heavier babies tend to achieve milestones slower than lighter babies as they need to build up more muscle to hold themselves up
- cultural and parenting practices
What are teratogens?
External factors that can damage the process of development such as radiation, infections, chemicals, drugs and alcohol
What is the empirical support for sensitive periods?
- neurological development found to occur in the first three years with extensive myelination of nervous system
- Studies of Romanian orphans - children unable to catch up in language development
What are some conceptual challenges in developmental psychology?
Early experiences certainty do matter however, humans are complex beings and have great capacity for resilience
What are the four major theories of development?
- Psychoanalytic theory
- Cognitive development theory
- Social cognitive theory
- Ethological theory
What is the nature vs nurture debate?
Revolves around whether certain developmental outcomes are due to genetics (nature) or environmental factors (nurture)
What is maturation?
The unfolding of genetically programmed behaviour patters by the environment
e.g. swaddle/wrap babies which influences babys’ development of postural system
What is nature VIA nurture?
Nature can impact the type of environment children experience whereby children with certain genetic dispositions often seek out and create their own environments. Nurture provides children the opportunity to express their genetic tendencies
What is the phenomenon of gene expression?
Environmental experiences actually turn on and off throughout life. e.g. children with genes predisposing them to anxiety may never become anxious unless a highly stressful event triggers the gene to become active.
What are the three major ways that cognitive development theories differ?
- some propose stage-like changes others are more continuous changes in understanding
- domain-general account (changes in cognitive skills affect most/all areas of cognitive function) vs domain-specific (cognitive skills develop independently and at different rates)
- differ in views of the main sources of learning e.g. some emphasise physical experience, emphasise social interaction, biological maturation
