Introduction to developmental psychology

Question 1

What are two things developmental psychology involves?

Answer 1

Observing and measuring children’s behaviour
Observing changes in human behaviour over time

Question 2

Developmental psychology often has to distinguish or explain interactions and influences between multiple aspects of development. What are these aspects of development?

Answer 2

Genetic influences
Physical development
Emotional development
Social development
Cognitive and communicative development

Question 3

The study of developmental psychology aims to do what two things?

Answer 3

1. Describe (what develops) - structure
2. Explain (how develops) - process

Question 4

What are three different physical developments we measure?

Answer 4

1. Reflexes and sensory input
2. Brain development
3. Motor skills

Question 5

In terms of emotional development, what does developmental psychology investigate?
P____ and r____ emotions
Forming a t____ relationship with your c____
U____ the self
Childhood d____

Answer 5

Processing and regulating emotions
Forming a trusting relationship with your caregiver
Understanding the self
Childhood disorders

Question 6

To begin with in life, who do we rely on to regulate our emotions for us?

Answer 6

Our parents

Question 7

In terms of social development, what does developmental psychology investigate?
- The influence of p____ and f____ (s____-c____ context)
- P____, f____ and i____ relationships
- G____ roles
- Establishing an i____ in a____

Answer 7

The influences of parenting and family (socio-cultural context)
The importance of play
Peers, friendships and intimate relationships
Gender roles
Establishing an identity in adolescence

Question 8

In terms of cognitive development, what does developmental psychology investigate?
How we p____ and u____ the world
F____ = learning to u____ and o____ the w____
I____ = s____ c____ development and m____ understanding
C____ = l____
I____ = r____ and p____ solving

Answer 8

How we process and understand the world
Formative: learning to understand and organise the world
Interpretative: social cognitive development and moral understanding
Communicative (language)
Intelligence: reasoning and problem solving

Question 9

For a developmental psychology theory to be useful it needs to be able to do what?

Answer 9

1. Predict change
2. Explain how the change has occurred

Question 10

What are eight major themes in developmental psychology research?
1. Nature ____ nurture
2. Nature ____ nurture
3. G____-e____ correlations and i____
4. I____ differences
5. The a____ child
6. C____ vs d____
7. C____ periods
8. The s____ context

Answer 10

1. Nature vs. nurture
2. Nature AND nurture
3. Gene-environment correlations and interplay
4. Individual differences
5. The active child
6. Continuity vs discontinuity
7. Critical (sensitive) periods
8. The sociocultural context

Question 11

What are four potential reasons for there being substantial variation in children of the same age?

Answer 11

1. Genetic differences
2. Differences in treatment
3. Different reactions to experiences
4. Different choice of environments

Question 12

What is meant by “The active child”?
Children s____ their own b____
B____ relationships exist between c____ and their e____

Answer 12

Children shape their own behaviour
Bidirectional relationships exist between child and their environment

Question 13

What are the five methodologies in developmental psychology?
1. I____
2. Q____
3. O____
4. H____ s____
5. L____ t____ and t____

Answer 13

1. Interviews
2. Questionnaires
3. Observations
4. Hypothetical scenarios
5. Lab tests and tasks

Question 14

What are two applications of developmental psychology?
1. P____ a____
2. I____ i____

Answer 14

1. Practical applications
2. Interdisciplinary implications