Unit IX: Developmental Psychology

Developmental Psychology is a scientific approach, which aims to explain how children and adults change over time. Includes the study of these types of development: Biological Social Emotional Cognitive Moral

Important Vocabulary: development- the act or process of developing; growth; progress stage theory- most theorists break it down development into specific, progressive stages. You must pass through one stage before you can get to the next modeling- providing an example or model of a behavior shaping- to direct, adjust, or adapt ones behavior schema- a cognitive framework or concept that helps organize and interpret information.

Review Questions:

Resources: http://psychology.about.com/od/developm entstudyguide/p/devterms.html http://allpsych.com/tests/psychology/perso nality.html

1. What are some of the essential things we can learn from the study of developmental psychology? 2. T/F Developmental psychology only focuses on development during early childhood. 3. T/F Developmental psychology explores all areas of development.

Jean Piaget He believed in the important differences

between the thinking of adults and children. Theory of Cognitive Development. In this theory, Piaget introduced the stages that a child passes through on his or her way to the development of formal though processes. Key Feature

Sigmund Freud
Psychoanalytical psychologist. Stages of Psychosexual Development. Unsuccessful completion of a stage means that a child becomes fixated on that particular erogenous zone. Description Focus on oral pleasures (sucking). Focus on eliminating and retaining feces. Pleasure zone switches to genitals. Child develops Oedipus/Electra Complex. Sexual urges remain repressed. Sexual urges are again awakened, focus of pleasure is the genitals.

Cognitive Stage of Development: Sensorimotor (0-2 years) Preoperational (2-7 years) Concrete Operational (7-11 years) Formal Operational (11+ years)

Object permanence Egocentrism Conservation

Psychosexual Stage of Development: Oral (birth -18 mos) Anal (18 mos - 3 years) Phallic (3 - 6 years)

Abstract reasoning

Latency (6- puberty) Genital (puberty +)

Review Questions: 1. What are the four major stages of Piagets theory of cognitive development? 2. T/F: Freud's theory of psychosexual development has six stages that occur in the same order for all children. Resources: http://www.simplypsychology.org/devel opmental-psychology.html http://allpsych.com/psychology101/devel opment.html

Albert Bandura
Behavioral psychologist Bobo Doll Experiment Social Learning Theory stressed the importance of observational learning, imitation and modeling:

Erik Erikson
Psychoanalytic psychologist 8 Stages of Psychosocial Development Age Name of Stage Trust vs. Mistrust Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt Initiative vs. Guilt Description Dependability of caregivers Gain personal control Assert their control through play and social interactions Develop sense of pride in abilities Explore independence and develop sense of self Develop close, committed relationships Contribution to the world Reflecting back on life

1. People can learn through observation. 2. Mental stages are important to learning. 3. Learning does not necessarily lead to a change in behavior. Review Questions: 1. According to Erik Erikson, what major conflict is faced by adolescents? 2. What are the major differences between Freuds theory of development and Eriksons theory? 3. T/F: Erikson is to sexual development as Freud is to social development. 4. T/F: The initial struggle between autonomy and shame and doubt occurs around the ages of one and three according to Erikson.

Birth - 1 year Early Childhood Preschool

School Age (5 11) Adolescence

Industry vs. Inferiority Identity vs. Confusion

Early Adulthood

Intimacy vs. Isolation

Adulthood

Resources: http://psychology.about.com/od/developmentstudyg uide/p/devintro.htm

Old Age

Generativity vs. Stagnation Integrity vs. Despair

Lawrence Kohlberg
Stages of Moral Development

Mary Ainsworth
Devised an assessment technique called the Strange Situation Classification (SSC) in order to investigate how attachments might vary between children. Identified three main types of attachments: 1. Secure attachment- (70% of infants) feel confident that the attachment figure will be available to meet their needs. 2. Insecure avoidant- (15% of infants) are very independent of the attachment figure both physically and emotionally 3. Insecure ambivalent/ resistant- (15% of infants) exhibit clingy and dependent behavior, but will be rejecting of the attachment figure when they engage in interaction. Review Questions: 1. T/F: Individuals who are focused on the punishment or rewards of their behavior are considered by Kohlberg to be in the preconventional level of morality. 2. The majority of infants in Ainsworths study showed what kind of attachment?

Level Preconventional (birth- 9 years)

Stage Description 1 Morality is defined as obeying rules and avoiding punishment 2 That which satisfies the childs needs is seen as moral 3 Morality is seen as Conventional achieving (9- adolescence) expectations set by parents 4 Moral law is fulfilling obligations and following expectations Upholding the Postconventional 5 values of your (adulthood) group or culture 6 What is right and wrong is dependent upon the circumstances surrounding an action Resources: http://allpsych.com/psychology101/moral_dev elopment.html http://www.simplypsychology.org/maryainsworth.html

Motor Development:
2 months able to lift head up on his own 3 months can roll over 4 months can sit propped up without falling over 6 months is able to sit up without support 7 months begins to stand while holding on to things for support 9 months can begin to walk, still using support 10 months is able to momentarily stand on her own without support 11 months can stand alone with more confidence 12 months begin walking alone without support 14 months can walk backward without support 17 months can walk up steps with little or no support 18 months able to manipulate objects with feet while walking, such as kicking a ball

Lev Vygotsky
Stressed the fundamental role of social interaction in development of cognition Socio-cultural approach to cognitive development Every child has Elementary Mental Functions: 1. Attention 2. Sensation 3. Perception 4. Memory Develop Higher Mental Functions with the help of a More Knowledgeable Other (MKO)someone with better understanding/higher ability level Zone of Proximal Developmentskills too difficult for a child to master on his/her own, but can be done with guidance and encouragement from a knowledgeable person Review Questions: 1. How does Vygotskys theory of cognitive development differ from Piagets? 2. T/F: Children should begin to walk alone around age one. 3. What are the four Elementary Mental Functions?

Resources: http://allpsych.com/psychology101/dev elopment.html http://www.simplypsychology.org/vygo tsky.html

Prenatal Development & Birth

The Germinal Stage (zygotic period)- the first two weeks of development from the time of conception through the development of the cluster of cells known as the embryo. The Embryonic Period- fertilization to the beginning of the third month. The human being begins to develop very distinctly. Cells begin to take on specific functions and structures in a process called differentiation. The Fetal Period- the third to the ninth month of pregnancy. The fetus is now looking more humanlike and grows to resemble a baby more every day. The growth of the body begins to speed up.

Problems with Prenatal Development

Genetic Problems:

Down Syndrome - flattened facial features, heart defects, and mental retardation. The risk of having a child with Down syndrome increases with maternal age. Sex-Chromosome Problems - includes conditions such as Klinefelter's syndrome (an extra X-chromsome) and Turner syndrome (a single X-chromosome).

Environmental Problems: Harmful environmental elements that can affect the fetus are known as teratogens.

Maternal Drug Use - Smoking is linked to low birth weight, which can result in a weakened immune system, poor respiration, and neurological impairment. Alcohol use can lead to fetal alcohol syndrome, which is linked to heart defects, body malformations, and mental retardation. The use of illicit psychoactive drugs is also linked to low birth weight and neurological impairment. Maternal Disease - There are a number of maternal diseases that can negatively impact the fetus, including herpes, rubella, and AIDS. Resources: http://psychology.about.com/od/earlychild-development/a/problems-withprenatal-development.htm http://psychology.about.com/od/develo pmentalpsychology/a/prenataldevelop. htm

Review Questions: 1. What is a teratogen? 2. What are the three stages of prenatal development? 3. T/F Differentiation of cells occurs during the germinal period?