PSYCH 1115-Week 7 Flashcards
What is developmental psychology?
Studies the life cycle from conception to death and looks at how we change physically, cognitively, and socially.
Does our personality change or stay the same?
3 issues of developmental psychology:
1. nature vs nurture
- continuity (Researchers who emphasize experience and learning typically see development as a slow, continuous shaping process) vs. stages (Those who emphasize biological maturation tend to see development as a sequence of genetically predisposed stages or steps)
- stability vs. change (Stability provides our identity, like our temperment is unchanging really– Change gives us our hope for a brighter future, allowing us to adapt and grow from experience.)
What are the 3 stages of Prenatal Development?
What is a Teratogen?
substances such as viruses and chemicals that can damage the developing embryo or fetus
ex. thalidomide (prescribed for morning sickness in the 70’s)
ex Alcohol
What is meant by habituation?
decreasing responsiveness with repeated stimulation. As infants gain familiarity with repeated exposure to a stimulus, their interest wanes and they look away sooner. (p. 171)
What is meant by maturation?
changes that occur primarily because of the passage of time
But in developmental psychology it refers to biologically-driven growth and development enabling orderly (predictably sequential) changes in behaviour
ex: babies will lift heads, then sit up then crawl, then walk
Which part of the brains grow more rapidly in children?
The frontal lobe & the association areas
There are 2x the synapses at ages 2-3 than adulthood, due to synaptic pruning (‘overshoot’ of synapses - gets rid of connections that aren’t used that much and strengthens connections that are really used)
We also have childhood amnesia(not remembering our baby memories)
Father of modern developmental psychology?
Jean Piaget (1896-1980)
- We learn and develop ‘schemas’ as ways of interpreting and organizing information
- We have ‘assimilation’ and ‘accomodation‘(changes our schemas based on new info to incorporate new info)
4 stages:
- Sensorimotor Stage: birth to 2 yrs of age. ‘Object permanence’ occurs
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Preoperational Stage: at this stage, child does not understand the conservation of liquids and numbers (‘concept of conservation’), when the shapes change. They can’t do ‘mental operations’ in order to calculate that even though a shape has changed, the volume is still the same.
Children at this stage are also ‘egocentric’ - can’t perceive things from another’s point of view. In order to lean this perspective, children need to develop ‘Theory of Mind’ - Concrete Operational Stage: 7-11 yrs old. Children can perform ‘mental operations’ now.
- Formal Operational Stage: 12 - adulthood. Abstract logic and reasoning. Solving problems. “People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones” – young adults would understand this as a comment on hyprocrisy. Or x=3y and x-2y=4, then what is x? Also can discuss some philosophical issues and explore religious issues.
So, Piaget believed in NATURE vs. NURTURE (development is a combo of these two, that children grow by maturation as well as learning by interacting/playing in their environment), but only STAGES, not Continuity (did not believe it’s a continuous, progressie change occurred but rather leaps from one stage to the next stage of development)
Children with ASD have these 3 common difficulties:
- Difficulty establishing mutual social interactions (may not read someone’s facial expressions correctly). They lack ‘joint attention’ behaviours whereby I would catch the eye of the person I’m talking to, in order to point at something else and talk about it. This is one of the key, earlier diagnostic indicators of ASD because it’s a special kind of eye contact (communication + eye contact)
- Using language and play symbolically. They lack ‘imitation’ behaviours. Normal child will look at the doctor with wide eyes and interest and imitate whatever activity the doctor is displaying immediately afterwards. A child with ASD will seem playful and interested but will not imitate the simply activity after the doctor. They will not want to ‘relate’ to the other person on a deeper level, to do the same thing as you. Lack that innate impulse.
- Displaying flexibility with routines, interests, and behaviour
PROS:
* Attention to detail
* Deep focus
* Novel approaches
Attachment in children:
- Studies from Harlow & Harlow: the monkeys tested with either food or physical warmth (fake cage-like bodies set up for tested monkeys) preferred the fake monkey with warmth and a blanket. No comfort or warmth? Monkeys would go into a ‘pit of despair’. Meaning they need body contact more than just food.
- Babies until 8 mos of age don’t mind being passed from stranger to stranger, but then after 8 mos of age, they develop ‘stranger anxiety’ (at the same time as Piaget’s ‘Object Permanence’) and they get a fear of strange people and places and look for their parents. Might by an evolutionary aspect as kids walking off by themselves would be in danger.
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Ainsworth developed a method to measure this attachment (‘The Stranger Situation’) – very similar to Erikson’s psychosocial stage of ‘Trust vs. Mistrust’
1. SECURE Attachment: distressed when mom leaves, avoidant of stranger, relieved at mom’s return.
2. AVOIDANT Attachment (insecure): not distressed when mom leaves, happy with a stranger, little interest when mom returns
3. ANXIOUS-AMBIVALENT (insecure): distressed when mom leaves, avoids stranger, resists mom when returns.
Erikson’s Stages of Psychosocial Development:
- Develops trust in the world.
- Develops autonomy in the world. See themselves in control.
- Develop a sense of initiating activities themselves.
- Develop confidence in skills, social interactions.
Erikson developed these 8 stages of development, as he was inspired by Freud’s psychosexual development, but he included how people are influenced by their social interactions from childhood into adulthood. Freud focused mainly on childhood development (Orenstein, 2022).
This bio-psychosocial development includes:
STAGE 1-4 - From birth until puberty (teenager), there are four stages that include the child developing trust, independence in doing tasks, initiating and completing tasks and competently applying themselves to these tasks.
STAGE 5 -Once in puberty and now a teenager, the teen develops and experiments with their identity. They are influenced by their parents, friends, societal expectations and their personal goals. If a single identity is not formed, they develop confusion on who they are.
STAGE 6- Between ages 20 - 40 years (young adulthood), adults form closer friendships and intimate relationships. If this is not achieved, them young adults may isolated and not properly form long-lasting relationships.
STAGE 7- Between ages 40 - 60 years (middle adulthood), adults are relating more with parenting, coaching, and contributing to society. If they do not develop this stage, they may feel stagnated with their life.
STAGE 8 - Between ages 60+ years (late adulthood), adults reflect on their accomplishments in life and if this is not achieved, they may feel disdainful (Orenstein, 2022).
Parenting Styles:
Parenting Styles are related to later traits!
Prefontal Cortex & Teenagers
- Increases and then decreases in adulthood (synaptic pruning)
- more risk taking
- has a hard time seeing someone elses perspective
- Developing Morals: ‘moral reasoning’
Kohlberg’s Levels of Moral Reasoning:
- Preconventional Morality: (up to 9yrs) - you’ll get in trouble if you dont follow the rules. Could get a treat if you do follow the rules. Punishments + Benefits.
- Conventional Morality: (early teens) - follow the rules because we will all get along better if we do the right thing. Cares for society, but is for social approval or to maintain social order. How do the rules affect society and what value will the rules bring society?
- Postconventional Morality: (later teens + adulthood) – sometimes rules need to be set aside to pursue higher principles. Laws can be broken if social welfare is at stake.
SUMMARY of Piaget, Erikson, & Kohlberg—>
Moral Action: requres empathy and self-discipline
‘The Marshmallow Test’!
The ability to pass this task (delay gratification) as a child correlates with future academic success & social success.
What is Identity Crisis?
One of Erikson’s stages:
- Identity achievement vs. role confusion is one of Erikson’s crises he believes we all go through
- During adolescence, people contemplate their roles in society
- Adolescents may try out different ‘selves’
- Ultimately, need to come to enough of a resolution so that the path you embark on in adulthood is one that you have consciously chosen.
