Weeks 1 - 3

Question 1

Charles Darwin developed baby biographies as one of the first methods for studying children. His proposed theory of evolution still influences research in modern child development… what areas is that?

Answer 1

1. attachment
2. innate fears
3. sex differences
4. aggression&altruism
5. Learning

Question 2

Give 4 critiques of Piagets theory.

Answer 2

1. stages are not as age related as previously thought.
2. underestimates the childs abilities.
3. the contribution of the social environment is ignored by Piaget theory.
4. no details on the process by which cognitive change comes about or what might trigger them.

Question 3

Methods of studying children development: what is a longitudinal design? Give advantages and disadvantages?

Answer 3

Observe kids for whole life each being seen at the same intervals e.g., 5years, 10years, 15years etc.
Adv. - control for extraneous/confounding variables e.g., family life, gender
Dis. - takes a long time & withdrawal of kids.

Question 4

Methods of studying children development: What/how are diaries used?

Answer 4

Child research began here, relying on observation e.g., Piaget.
Parents as the researcher observing own child. Parents were asked to observe their child for specific behaviours.

Question 5

The development of memory: what are the 3 basic processes?

Answer 5

1. Associating events with one another.
2. Recognising objects (we encode features of objects to recognise them e.g. features of a dog).
3. Recalling facts

Question 6

The development of memory: What strategies are used with memory?

Answer 6

Rehearsal & selective attention

Question 7

What did Binet do?

Answer 7

Studied children’s intelligence & he developed standardised tests. Commissioned to identify students who needed educational help. Concept of mental age.

Question 8

Was there any evidence of Bowlbys maternal deprivation hypothesis?

Answer 8

Harlows monkeys (1960s) - cage and food mother.

Question 9

What ‘idea’ did Piaget create?

Answer 9

Behaviourist

Question 10

What age do infants develop object permanence?

Answer 10

8 months.

Question 11

What are 4 small changes that occur in a child?

Answer 11

1. working memory capacity
2. processing speed.
3. knowledge of useful strategies
4. context of knowlegde.

Question 12

What are Piaget’s 4 stages of discontinuities & what ages do they occur?

Answer 12

1. Sensorimotor stage; 0-2 years.
2. Preoperational thought; 2-7 years.
3. Concrete operational thoughts; 7-11/12 years.
4. Formal operations; 11-12+years

Question 13

What are Piaget’s sources of continuity?

Answer 13

Assimilation
Acommodation
Equilibration

Question 14

What are the 2 key principles on how development/change happens?

Answer 14

1. Zone of proximal development

2. More knowledgeable other

Question 15

What are the 2 types of twin studies?

Answer 15

Monozygotic and dizygotic.

Question 16

What are the 4 aspects of people/society that developmental psychology can influence?

Answer 16

1. Cognitive
2. Social/cultural differences
3. Neuropsychological & Physiological
4. Personality & individual differences.

Question 17

What can understanding childhood &development have an impact on?

Answer 17

Social policy, Education, Law & clinical psychology.

Question 18

What did Jean Piaget theorise?

Answer 18

The child is born with structures ready to absorb knowledge (Piaget’s stage of theories of cognitive development).

Question 19

What did Lev Vygotsky theorise?

Answer 19

The child develops understanding through their interaction of the world. Vygotskys socio-cultural theory of cognitive development).

Question 20

What do the socio-culural theories believe re development in children?

Answer 20

Verbal interaction & asisstance can help children to develop skills. Cognitive development takes place through the interaction between the child & other people e.g., parents, siblings etc.

Question 21

What does areas of development come under the umbrella of cognitive development?

Answer 21

Attention, perception, memory, reasoning, language, problem solving and intelligence.

Question 22

What does Bowlbys maternal deprivation hypothesis explain?

Answer 22

Social, linguistic & cognitive impairment in orphanages due to lack of emotional warmth said they failed to thrive emotionally.

Question 23

What does the information processing theory focus on?

Answer 23

The cognitive processes needed for thinking. Used computer sims to identify the steps needed during thinking to get to a goal.

Question 24

What does the information processing theory identify?

Answer 24

Goals needed to perform a task. Contextual knowledge around task. obstacles to completing the task. strategies to reach the desired outcome.

Question 25

What is a cross-sectional design? Give advantages and disadvantages.

Answer 25

Examining kids behaviours who are different ages e.g., look @ emotional dev. of 3,6,9 year olds doing the same task.
Adv. lots of info, lots of participants.
Dis. How representative is the sample? Can we really compare the different groups?

Question 26

What is acommodation in context of Piaget’s sources of continuity?

Answer 26

Improve current understanding in repsonse to new experiences.

Question 27

What is assimilation in context of Piaget’s sources of continuity?

Answer 27

Incorporate new info into concepts already understood.

Question 28

What is content knowledge?

Answer 28

Expanding knowledge makes it easier integrate new information with existing understanding.

Question 29

What is developmental psychology?

Answer 29

The study of people before they are born until they die.

Question 30

What is equilibration in context of Piaget’s sources of continuity?

Answer 30

Process of balancing accommodation & assimilation to create a stable understanding.

Question 31

What is object permanence?

Answer 31

The knowledge that something exists even if it is out of view.

Question 32

What philosophy is Piaget’s theory described as?

Answer 32

Constructivist

Question 33

What is the general consensus about whether parental behaviour influences childrens behaviour?

Answer 33

Generally, it is accepted that there is an interaction between genes & environment & both play an undetermined percentage.

Question 34

What is the process of continuity?

Answer 34

Change is gradual. Children become more skilfull in thinking, talking or acting much the same was as they get older.

Question 35

What is the process of discontinuity?

Answer 35

Change is abrupt. Set of changes that produce different behaviour in different age-specific life periods called stages.

Question 36

What is the Stanford-Binet test? & what does it test for?

Answer 36

Intelligence Quotient (IQ).

1. Fluid reasoning
2. Knowledge
3. Quantitative reasoning
4. Visual-spatial processing
5. Working memory.

Question 37

What is Zone of proximal development?

Answer 37

The distance between actual developmental level (independent capabilities) & potential development (capabilities under guidance).
ZPD is not a property of the child.
Describes current level of development & form of instruction required to achieve maximum performance.

Question 38

What processes did Piaget say development involves?

Answer 38

Process of continuity and process of discontinuity.

Question 39

What was Piaget interested in?

Answer 39

The errors children make.

Question 40

When is the critical period for attachment?

Answer 40

Birth - 3 years.

Question 41

Who introduced behaviourism?

Answer 41

Ivan Pavlov (Pavlovs dogs). All behaviour is learned (nurture).