Development Psychology Chapter 1

Introduction to Chapter 1: The Science of Development

• The science of human development aims to understand how and why people of all ages change over time.

Assessment

• Presentation: 15%
• Group Assignment: 15%
• Individual Assignment: 15%
• Mid-term Exam: 20%
• Final Exam: 40%
• Total: 100%
• Continuous Assessment: 20%
• Final Assessment: 20% (x 40)
• Students need to pass each assessment with at least 20%

References

• Santrock, J. W. (2021). Life-span development (18th ed.). McGraw-Hill.
• Santrock, J. W. (2022). Essentials of life-span development. McGraw-Hill Education.
• Papalia, D. E., & Martorell, G. (2021). Experience human development. McGraw-Hill Education.
• Gillibrand, R., Lam, V., & O'Donnell, V. L. (2016). Developmental psychology. Pearson Education Limited.

Defining Development

• Human development examines the processes that shape people throughout their lives.
• It encompasses how individuals change over time, accounting for their experiences and differences.

Understanding How and Why

• The scientific method involves steps used for investigating and understanding phenomena.
• Basic scientific method steps:
  • Observation, posing a question, developing a hypothesis, gathering data, testing the hypothesis and drawing conclusions, reporting the results.
  • Alternative explanations also need to be considered.

The Nature-Nurture Debate

• Nature refers to the genetic traits inherited at birth.
• Nurture accounts for how the environment affects traits.
  • Factors such as maternal health, diet, family, school, and society influence a person's development.

Critical/Sensitive Periods

• A critical or sensitive period is a time when certain experiences play a significant role in later development.
• These crucial events can have long-lasting impacts on different aspects of life.

The Life-Span Perspective

• Human development is multidirectional.

• Some theorists identify developmental stages (e.g., Freud, Erikson, Piaget), others view it as a continuous process, progressing constantly.

• Historical context shapes development (cohorts.) Demographic data illustrates how names change over time.

• Socioeconomic status factors include income, wealth, employment, education, and place of residence.

• Culture significantly impacts behavior, passing down traditions and values across generations.

• Ethnicity is a shared heritage, language, culture and region of origin.

Development Is Multidisciplinary

• The study of development integrates various disciplines such as genetics and neuroscience

Development Is Plastic

• Human traits adapt to circumstances, but underlying identities remain relatively consistent.
• Mirror neurons display interconnected brain activity, showing how observation can impact behavior.

Theories of Human Development

• Developmental theories are systematic statements of principles to understand and explain human change.

Psychoanalytic Theory

• Focuses on the unconscious desires and motives that shape behavior, often stemming from childhood experiences.
• Sigmund Freud is known for pioneering this theory.

Erickson's Stages

• Created eight developmental stages marked by unique challenges or "crises."
• Erik Erikson built upon Freud's theory, but also added adult stages in his theory.

Behaviorism

• Focuses on observable behaviors and how they are learned through conditioning processes.
• Two main types of conditioning exist: classical and operant.
• Classical Conditioning (Ivan Pavlov): Associating a neutral stimulus with significant stimulus.
• Operant Conditioning (B.F. Skinner): Linking actions with consequences. Responses are strengthened if followed by rewards (desired results) and weakened if followed by undesirable consequences

Social Learning Theory

• An extension of behaviorism, emphasizing the influence of others on learning behaviors by observing and modeling.
• Albert Bandura developed this theory.

Cognitive Theory

• Emphasizes how thoughts and expectations impact behavior and how mental abilities develop over time.
• Jean Piaget contributed significantly to this approach.

Piaget and Cognitive Development

• Piaget’s theory details different cognitive stages, with each stage marked by different cognitive abilities.
• Assimilation* - Interpreting new experiences in light of existing understanding.
• Accommodation* - Modifying existing understanding to fit new experiences.

Systems Theory and the Ecological Approach

• Systems theory describes how interactions within a person and their environments affect development.

• Bronfenbrenner's ecological model emphasizes factors like immediate surroundings (microsystems), broader connections, larger contexts, and social impact influencing development.

  • Bronfenbrenner's system has five levels: microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, macrosystem, and chronosystem.

Using the Scientific Method

• Observation: Accurately noting and recording behaviors objectively. This can involve controlled laboratory settings or natural settings.

• Experiments: Identifying independent variables (those manipulated), dependent variables (those measured), experimental groups (receiving treatments), and control groups (not receiving treatments).

• Surveys: Gathering data through interviews, questionnaires, etc. Survey data can be influenced by wording and ordering of questions or poor design.

Studying Development Over the Lifespan

• Cross-sectional research: Comparing different age groups at one point in time to understand developmental differences.

• Longitudinal research: Studying the same individuals over a period of time to observe changes and continuity in development.

• Cross-sequential research: Combines cross-sectional and longitudinal approaches for a broader view of development.

Cautions from Science

• Correlation is not causation. While changes may appear to be connected, they may not be.

Ethics in Research

• Guidelines for ethical research practices in studies involving human subjects.
  • Informed consent: Participants should understand the nature of the study and any risks involved before participation.
  • Confidentiality: Maintaining privacy regarding participant data.
  • Debriefing: After the subject participates in a study researchers should fully explain the goals and methods of study to participants.
  • Deception: Sometimes participants are not told of researchers’ goals. Researchers need to make sure this practice does not harm participants.

Explore the first chapter of Development Psychology, focusing on the science of human development. This quiz assesses your understanding of how people change over time across different ages. Review key concepts from essential texts like Santrock and Papalia to prepare for your assessments.