Week 1

Question 1

What is lifespan developmental psychology

Answer 1

Field of study that identifies and explains:
Stability
Continuity
Change and
Growth in an individual from conception to death

Question 2

What was developmental psychology traditionally focussed on?

Answer 2

Traditionally focused on childhood period but as research expands, it involves changes throughout adult hood as well right up until old-age and death

Question 3

What is the three different domains of development

Answer 3

Physical cognitive and social-emotional

These all interact.

Question 4

What is physical development?

Answer 4

Changes that occur in the body and it’s systems over time

Eg. Hormonal changes during puberty

Question 5

What is cognitive development?

Answer 5

Changes that occur in aspects like intelligence, problem solving, memory and learning

Eg. A gauge development in infancy

Question 6

What is social-emotional development?

Answer 6

Changes that occur in personal characteristics and social interactions

Eg. Having different ways of interacting

Question 7

When is a child considered an infant?

Answer 7

0-2 years of age

Question 8

When is a child considered a toddler?

Answer 8

2-3 years

Question 9

What is considered adolescence?

Answer 9

12-20 years

Question 10

What is young adulthood?

Answer 10

20-40 years

Question 11

Middle adulthood?

Answer 11

40-65 years

Question 12

Individuals may mature at different rates but what do significant deviations mean?

Answer 12

Means evaluation is needed by specialists. May need help and early intervention is best

Question 13

What methods are used to collect data in developmental psychology?

Answer 13

Observations (important in young children)
Interviews (moral development, not actual behaviour)
Standardised tests
Surveys
Single case studies
Data mining (data sets are already collected, may want to look for something in particular)

Question 14

What research designs are used in developmental psychology?

Answer 14

Cross sectional: one time, different ages
Longitudinal: follow same people
Sequential/cross-lagged: follow some people from one year to the next
Micro genetic: pick something very detailed and study in depth as it’s occurring

Question 15

Consent with children?

Answer 15

You can ask for verbal consent rather than written consent.

Even if the parents say yes and then the child says no, you have to respect it

Question 16

Why is lifespan developmental psychology important?

Answer 16

Gives us realistic expectations for children and adolescents

Helps to advocate for those that may need more help as it allows us to recognise the wide range of normal behaviours and significant departures from these

Question 17

What is nature?

Answer 17

Inherited characteristics and unfolding of genetic information through maturation brings about change

Question 18

What is nurture?

Answer 18

Environmental influences affecting behaviour relating to the physical and social environments

Question 19

What is the interactionist view of nature v. nurture?

Answer 19

Behaviour and development are shaped by both genetic and environmental influences along a continuum

Question 20

What is the issue with seeing development as purely genetic?

Answer 20

It reduces the perceived importance of any intervention which is wrong.

Decreases helping point of view

Question 21

Issues with the nature view?

Answer 21

Reading is 80% inherited

‘You’re either going to be good or bad, what’s the point’

Gives a fatalistic point of view

Question 22

What cultural factors influence development?

Answer 22

Race (physical characteristics - young AA go through puberty earlier)
Ethnicity
Culture (living in individualistic vs. collectivist cultures)
SES (opportunity)
Gender (stereotyping)

Question 23

Explain the pen selection study with collectivist vs. individualistic cultures

Answer 23

Array of pens, one different in colour to the rest. This pen was chosen by 77% of American children (individualistic) but only 31% of Asian students (collectivist)

Question 24

What is the normative-descriptive approach to lifespan development?

Answer 24

Describes normal behaviour/ability/characteristics at different ages

Used less now but provided valuable information - sees development as predetermined by genetic endowment
Environment was seen to support maturation but not have a strong influence

Question 25

What did the normative-descriptive approach provide?

Answer 25

Provided a baseline so you know when someone may need help

Question 26

What are the cognitive developmental theories of lifespan developmental?

Answer 26

Piagets cognitive theory: stage theory, child as an active learner, across all domains of learning Neo-piagetian approaches - newer but based on above Information-processing theory: learning, memory etc as different modules and what child is doing within these, doesn’t influence other abilities

Question 27

What is the Freudian psychoanalytic theory?

Answer 27

Personality is determined by 3 parts: the id, ego and superego Critically shaped through a series of 5 psychosexual developmental

Question 28

What is the id? (Freudian psychoanalytic)

Answer 28

Present at birth, unconscious, impulsivity, tried to satisfy biological needs

Question 29

What is the ego? (Freudian psychoanalytic)

Answer 29

Rational, conscious, problem solving There when you start to go beyond satisfying what you need biologically

Question 30

What is the super ego? (Freudian psychoanalytic)

Answer 30

Moral and ethical component | Controls the ego and id

Question 31

Explain defence mechanisms (Freudian psychoanalytic)

Answer 31

Unconscious distortions of reality that keep conflicts from the egos conscious awareness Repressing things that you are ashamed of Can fail to remember things if they are too distressing

Question 32

What are the 5 psychosexual Freudian stages?

Answer 32

``` Oral (B-1) Anal (1-3) Phallic (3-6) Latency (6-12) Genital (12-A) ```

Question 33

What is the oral stage? (Freudian)

Answer 33

Feeding and weaning are central | If you wean too quickly, you can end up with problems that involve the mouth such as overeating

Question 34

What is the anal stage (Freudian)

Answer 34

Elimination and toilet training is central Learning to be in control of own toileting, if there is problems they become controlling and anal

Question 35

What is the phallic stage (Freudian)

Answer 35

Gender role and moral development is central | Desire opposite sex parent so become more like same sex parent to become more desirable- how you get your gender roles

Question 36

What is the latency stage? (Freudian)

Answer 36

Physical and intellectual activities are the focus

Question 37

What is the genital stage (Freudian)

Answer 37

Onset of puberty, mature sexual relationships develop

Question 38

What is Eriksons psychosocial theory?

Answer 38

Neofreudian stage theory Development occurs throughout successful solution of a series of crises leading to a healthy personality

Question 39

What are the behavioural learning theories of lifespan development?

Answer 39

Classical conditioning (early reflexes and responses help infant to interact with the world) Learning theory (behaviours and emotions can be conditioned) Operant conditioning (reward and punishment)

Question 40

What is ethological theory?

Answer 40

Began in zoology To see how response patterns in childhood lead to particular response patterns in adulthood - emphasis on evolutionary signify or survival function of early responses

Question 41

Explain bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory

Answer 41

The child develops with a complex system interrelated contexts Interactive, overlapping, contextual levels that simultaneously influence development We need to think about more than just a child’s immediate context and how their developmental is influenced by the outside world

Question 42

What are the levels in Bronfenbrenners model?

Answer 42

Microsystems: person has face to face contact with influential others Mesosystems: relationships between Microsystems eg. Home and school Exosystem: settings where don’t participate but significant decisions are made affecting those who interact directly with the parent eg. Place of employment Macro system: blueprints for defining and organising institutional life of society eg. Politics Chronosystem: changes in a persons setting overtime

Question 43

What is Vygotskys sociocultural theory?

Answer 43

Cognitive development is the result of social interactions: children learn and solve problems through guided participation with others Zone of proximal development: when you’re irk with someone more advanced, you get better Scaffolding: assistance offered by others to help the child access abilities to move up to the next level of knowledge Does not deny the role of biology but focused on culture

Question 44

What is dynamic systems theory of development?

Answer 44

Child is a part of a dynamic and integrated system; mind, body, physical and social environment Changes in one part of this system leads to a disruption. This promotes the need for more complex behaviours