W2 Theoretical Perspectives

Question 1

What is Continuity vs Discontinuity

Answer 1

Continuity are changes along a spectrum, quantitative, Discontinuity is discrete, qualitative changes

Question 2

What is Universality and Context Specificity

Answer 2

Universal: Is development similar from
person to person and from
culture to culture?

Context Specific:
Do developmental pathways
vary considerably depending on
the social context?

Question 3

What is Domain Specificity and Domain Generality

Answer 3

Domain Specificity: a swiss army knife of specific tools

Domain generality: A single general purpose tool

Question 4

What was Freud’s view of development?

Answer 4

Psychosexual. Sexual instincts motivate behaviour.

Question 5

Explain Freud’s views based on N-N, A-P, C-D, U-CS?

Answer 5

More nature. (Biology drives development, but family influences too).

Passive (We are affected by forces beyond our control)

Discontinuous. (Psychosexual stages, distinct)

Universal

Question 6

What was Erikson’s view of development?

Answer 6

Less emphasis on sex, more on social influences.

More on rational side.

Question 7

Explain Erikson’s views based on N-N, A-P, C-D, U-CS?

Answer 7

Nature and nurture equal.

Active.

Discontinuous.

Universal, (though stages expressed differently in different cultures.)

Question 8

What is the main tenant of Behaviourism?

Answer 8

Psychological science should be based

on objective observations of behaviour rather than unobservable

Question 9

What is Operant conditioning?

Answer 9

A form of learning in which behaviours (operants) become more
or less probable depending on the consequences they produce.

Question 10

What is Social cognitive theory?

Answer 10

Emphasis on the critical role that the active cognitive
processing of social information plays in human learning,
motivation, and self-regulation.

Example: Bobo Doll experiment (Hit doll)

Question 11

Explain Watson/Skinner’s views based on N-N, A-P, C-D, U-CS?

Answer 11

Mostly nurture.

Passive (Shaped by environment).

Continuous.

Context Specific. (Depends on individual experiences)

Question 12

Explain Bandura’s views based on N-N, A-P, C-D, U-CS?

Answer 12

More nurture.

Active.

Continuous.

Context Specific.

Question 13

What was Maslow’s theory of development?

Answer 13

Emphasises the inherent ‘goodness’ in people

Hierarchy of needs. Self actualization.

“To oversimplify the matter, it is as if Freud supplied us the sick half
of psychology and we must now fill it out with the health half.”

Question 14

Explain Maslow’s views based on N-N, A-P, C-D, U-CS?

Answer 14

Nature equal to nurture.

Active.

Continuous.

Context specific.

Question 15

What was Piaget’s theory of development?

Answer 15

Constructivist
• Child is not a blank slate, but does not come “preloaded” with innate
knowledge either
• Child actively “constructs” increasingly complex knowledge and
abilities out of simpler components (e.g., reflexes)

Stage-Based
• Children travel through a series of stages as they develop new
knowledge and abilities
• Each stage forms the foundation for the next stage
• Development is about “leveling-up”
• Involves qualitative changes (e.g., the emergence of new abilities)

Question 16

What was Vygotsky’s theory of development?

Answer 16

Sociocultural Theory
• Children are entrenched in different sociocultural
contexts
• Cognitive development is advanced through social
interaction with more skilled individuals
• Social constructivism: humans actively create their
own understandings of the world through social
interactions and cultural tools (e.g., language)
• Disagreed with notion of universal stages

Question 17

What is the Information Processing theory of development?

Answer 17

Computer metaphor of mind
• Hardware (brain) and software (knowledge, thought
processes, logic)
• Development involves changes in capacity and
speed
• “Hardware” improves in capacity and speed with age
• “Software” improves with experience (e.g., new
knowledge, better strategies)
• Focus on:
• Attention
• Memory
• Decision-making
• Language

Question 18

Explain Piaget’s views based on N-N, A-P, C-D, U-CS?

Answer 18

More nature.
Active.
Discontinuous.
Universal.

Question 19

Explain Vygotsky’s views based on N-N, A-P, C-D, U-CS?

Answer 19

More nurture.
Active.
Continuous.
Context Specific.

Question 20

Explain Information Processing theory based on N-N, A-P, C-D, U-CS?

Answer 20

Nature and nature equally
Active.
Continuous.
Context Specific.

Question 21

What is Gottlieb’s theory of development?

Answer 21

Systems Theories.

Epigenetic psychobiological systems perspective:
biological and environmental forces interact as part of a
larger system that shapes development.

Cultural evolution: changes in a species
stemming from learning and experience
passed on across generations.

Question 22

Explain Gottlieb’s theory based on N-N, A-P, C-D, U-CS?

Answer 22

Nature and Nurture equally.

Active.

Both.

Context specific

Question 23

What are the Pros/Cons of system theories?

Answer 23

Strengths
\+ Broader, more comprehensive view of
development
\+ Focus on transactions between individual
and environment
Limitations
- Partially formulated and tested
- Difficult to establish coherent theories (Is
each life span unique?)

Question 24

What are the Pros/Cons of Cognitive Theories?

Answer 24

Strengths
\+ Testable, well research, and generally
supported by evidence
\+ Contribute to education and parenting
practices
\+ Vygotsky highlighted importance of social
interaction and culture
Limitations
- Too little consideration of
motivation/emotion
- Piaget underestimated abilities at different
ages, overemphasized stage-like progression

Question 25

What are the Pros/Cons of Humanistic Theories?

Answer 25

Strengths
\+ Focused on psychological wellness as more
than simply absence of disease
\+ Focus on positive dimensions
\+ Foundation for positive psychology
Limitations
- Initial theories and concepts too broad and
hard to measure
- Universality of hierarchy questioned

Question 26

What are the Pros/Cons of Social cognitive Theories?

Answer 26

Strengths
\+ Testable
\+ Simple mechanisms
\+ Principles apply across life span
\+ Practical applications
Limitations
- Inadequate accounts of developmental
change
- Insufficient emphasis on genetics and
maturation

Question 27

What are the Pros/Cons of Freudian Theories?

Answer 27

ion to unconscious processes
\+ Emphasised importance of early experience
for later development
\+ Highlighted role of emotions and conflict in
personality development
Limitations
- Vague, difficult to test
- Overemphasis on sexuality

Question 28

What are the Pros/Cons of Erikson Theories?

Answer 28

Strengths
\+ Wider view of development
\+ Considers both nature and nurture
Limitations
- Vague, difficult to test
- More descriptive than explanatory