Developmental PsychologyDevelopmental Psychology

DevelopmentDevelopment

• Developmental psychologyDevelopmental psychologyo Studies maturation of human behavior over Studies maturation of human behavior over

timetimeo Recent shift from adolescent studies to Recent shift from adolescent studies to

lifespan researchlifespan research

• MaturationMaturationo Individual growth/development biologically Individual growth/development biologically

basedbasedo What is the interaction between hereditary What is the interaction between hereditary

and environment?and environment?

DevelopmentDevelopment

• InfancyInfancyo Newborns have simple adaptive reflexesNewborns have simple adaptive reflexes

• Rooting reflexRooting reflex• Tonic neck reflexTonic neck reflex• Palmar grasp reflexPalmar grasp reflex• Plantar reflexPlantar reflex

o Motor reflexes develop during later Motor reflexes develop during later critical periodscritical periods

• Smiling, turning head, rolling over, crawling, Smiling, turning head, rolling over, crawling, walkingwalking

PiagetPiaget

• AssimilationAssimilationo Occurs when new experiences are Occurs when new experiences are

incorporated into existing schemaincorporated into existing schema

• AccommodationAccommodationo Occurs by changing existing schemas to Occurs by changing existing schemas to

accommodate new information accommodate new information o Can be a more difficult processCan be a more difficult process

PiagetPiaget

• Stages of Cognitive DevelopmentStages of Cognitive Developmento Cognitive schemas Cognitive schemas

o Emphasized how children’s mental Emphasized how children’s mental abilities progress qualitatively on a abilities progress qualitatively on a fixed sequence of stagesfixed sequence of stages

o At each stage of development, children At each stage of development, children use a distinct type of thought to guide use a distinct type of thought to guide thinking thinking

PiagetPiaget

• Sensorimotor Stage (0 - 2 years)Sensorimotor Stage (0 - 2 years) o Earliest stageEarliest stageo Child is completely egocentricChild is completely egocentrico No sense that objects are separate from No sense that objects are separate from

themselvesthemselveso Learning occurs through use of hands and Learning occurs through use of hands and

mouthmoutho Object permanence?Object permanence?

• The understanding an object continues to The understanding an object continues to exist even when you can't see it or touch it exist even when you can't see it or touch it

PiagetPiaget

• Preoperational (2-7 years) Preoperational (2-7 years) o Conserving number, length, amount, Conserving number, length, amount,

weight, and volume is difficult weight, and volume is difficult o Perceptual impression chosen over logicPerceptual impression chosen over logico Putting self in another person’s place is Putting self in another person’s place is

difficult difficult o Contradicting themselves is not a Contradicting themselves is not a

problemproblemo Language acquisition and symbolic Language acquisition and symbolic

thinkingthinking

PiagetPiaget

• Concrete Operational (7-11 years) Concrete Operational (7-11 years) o Thinking can be reversed and a sequence Thinking can be reversed and a sequence

of changes can be held in the mindof changes can be held in the mind

o Awareness of other people’s viewpointsAwareness of other people’s viewpoints‘‘

o Appearance of systematic and logical Appearance of systematic and logical reasoning reasoning

PiagetPiaget

• Formal Operational (12+ years) Formal Operational (12+ years) o Ability to recombine groups into fewer or Ability to recombine groups into fewer or

broader categories developsbroader categories developso Defining concepts using other abstract Defining concepts using other abstract

concepts is possible concepts is possible o Can use analogies to understand concepts Can use analogies to understand concepts o Independent, abstract thinking Independent, abstract thinking o Can think about thinkingCan think about thinking

DevelopmentDevelopment

• Critical periodsCritical periodso Genetically pre-determined maturation Genetically pre-determined maturation

phasesphases

o Periods of extremely high sensitivity to Periods of extremely high sensitivity to stimuli from environment that shape stimuli from environment that shape future developmentfuture development

o Victor of Aveyron/L'Enfant Sauvage (1799) Victor of Aveyron/L'Enfant Sauvage (1799)

o Calrson et al. (1987) visual deprivation in Calrson et al. (1987) visual deprivation in monkeysmonkeys

DevelopmentDevelopment

• ImprintingImprintingo Duckling studies (Lorenz)Duckling studies (Lorenz)

• Hatching appears to be a critical period for Hatching appears to be a critical period for ducklingsducklings

• 11stst large moving object they see becomes large moving object they see becomes imprinted as the motherimprinted as the mother

o Early animal imprinting with humans = Early animal imprinting with humans = good petsgood pets

o Harlow’s rhesus monkeys Harlow’s rhesus monkeys

DevelopmentDevelopment

• Parenting stylesParenting styleso AuthoritativeAuthoritativeo AuthoritarianAuthoritariano PermissivePermissiveo UninvolvedUninvolved

• Preconventional moralityPreconventional moralityo Follow moral rules to avoid punishment or obtain Follow moral rules to avoid punishment or obtain

rewardsrewards

• Conventional moralityConventional moralityo Define what is right by the standards learned from Define what is right by the standards learned from

othersotherso Internal belief in the moral rules learnedInternal belief in the moral rules learned

• Postconventional moralityPostconventional moralityo Use of self-defined moral principles that may not match Use of self-defined moral principles that may not match

conventional moral beliefsconventional moral beliefso Morals defined by one’s culture may be viewed as a Morals defined by one’s culture may be viewed as a

social social

contract and potentially falliblecontract and potentially fallible

Kohlberg’s Levels of Moral Kohlberg’s Levels of Moral DevelopmentDevelopment

Kohlberg’s Moral DevelopmentKohlberg’s Moral Development Theory Theory

Erikson’s Psychosocial Stages of Erikson’s Psychosocial Stages of DevelopmentDevelopment

MethodologyMethodology

• Cross-sectional designsCross-sectional designso Studying separate groups at the same timeStudying separate groups at the same timeo Sample of 8Sample of 8thth, 10, 10thth, and 12, and 12thth graders graderso Be aware of potential confoundsBe aware of potential confounds

• Longitudinal designsLongitudinal designs o Studying the same individuals/group over timeStudying the same individuals/group over timeo Sample of 8Sample of 8thth graders tested again in 10 graders tested again in 10thth and and

1212thth grade gradeo Be aware of attritionBe aware of attrition

DisordersDisorders

• AutismAutismo Extreme social withdrawal + impaired Extreme social withdrawal + impaired

verbal/nonverbal communication skillsverbal/nonverbal communication skills

o Physical condition linked to abnormal Physical condition linked to abnormal chemistry in brainchemistry in brain

o Asperger syndromeAsperger syndrome• Milder form of autismMilder form of autism• Delayed motor development milestonesDelayed motor development milestones• Intense preoccupation w/narrow area of interest Intense preoccupation w/narrow area of interest

(phone books)(phone books)

Death and GriefDeath and Grief

• 5 Stages of Grief (Kubler-Ross, 1977) 5 Stages of Grief (Kubler-Ross, 1977) o DenialDenialo Bargaining/rationalizationBargaining/rationalizationo AngerAngero Grief/sadnessGrief/sadnesso AcceptanceAcceptance