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What is the primary focus of developmental psychology?
What is the primary focus of developmental psychology?
According to Freud, which phase of life is considered most critical for personality development?
According to Freud, which phase of life is considered most critical for personality development?
Which of the following is NOT a key question asked by developmental psychologists?
Which of the following is NOT a key question asked by developmental psychologists?
What is the correct order of prenatal development stages?
What is the correct order of prenatal development stages?
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Which of the following is a known teratogen?
Which of the following is a known teratogen?
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What is Synaptogenesis?
What is Synaptogenesis?
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Which maternal factor is NOT known to influence prenatal development?
Which maternal factor is NOT known to influence prenatal development?
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At what stage does the nervous system begin developing during pregnancy?
At what stage does the nervous system begin developing during pregnancy?
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What is synaptic pruning?
What is synaptic pruning?
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Which of the following areas is considered a critical period for brain development?
Which of the following areas is considered a critical period for brain development?
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In Piaget's theory, which stage follows the Preoperational stage?
In Piaget's theory, which stage follows the Preoperational stage?
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What does the concept of object permanence entail?
What does the concept of object permanence entail?
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What did Harlow's attachment studies demonstrate about infant monkeys?
What did Harlow's attachment studies demonstrate about infant monkeys?
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What does Bowlby's Attachment Theory suggest about children's relationships?
What does Bowlby's Attachment Theory suggest about children's relationships?
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Which attachment style is characterized by a child being upset when the caregiver leaves but happy upon their return?
Which attachment style is characterized by a child being upset when the caregiver leaves but happy upon their return?
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What is a key criticism of Piaget's Cognitive Development Theory?
What is a key criticism of Piaget's Cognitive Development Theory?
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What physiological response is NOT associated with the activation of the sympathetic nervous system during fear?
What physiological response is NOT associated with the activation of the sympathetic nervous system during fear?
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How does the amygdala influence the fear response?
How does the amygdala influence the fear response?
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Which of the following is a short-term effect of catastrophic events?
Which of the following is a short-term effect of catastrophic events?
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What is a potential consequence of chronic exposure to cortisol?
What is a potential consequence of chronic exposure to cortisol?
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Patient S.M. is unable to feel fear due to damage in which part of the brain?
Patient S.M. is unable to feel fear due to damage in which part of the brain?
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Which of the following best describes a psychophysiological illness?
Which of the following best describes a psychophysiological illness?
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What characterizes chronic daily difficulties as stressors?
What characterizes chronic daily difficulties as stressors?
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Which of the following effects is related to chronic stress on the hippocampus?
Which of the following effects is related to chronic stress on the hippocampus?
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What is the first stage of the 5-Stage Model of Helping?
What is the first stage of the 5-Stage Model of Helping?
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Which factor was shown to influence obedience rates in Milgram’s Experiment?
Which factor was shown to influence obedience rates in Milgram’s Experiment?
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What defines 'autonomy' in the context of decision-making?
What defines 'autonomy' in the context of decision-making?
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What is the main difference between prejudice and discrimination?
What is the main difference between prejudice and discrimination?
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Implicit prejudice is described as which of the following?
Implicit prejudice is described as which of the following?
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Which condition is necessary for reducing prejudice through intergroup contact?
Which condition is necessary for reducing prejudice through intergroup contact?
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What is described as the 'Just-World Fallacy'?
What is described as the 'Just-World Fallacy'?
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According to Paul Ekman, what are considered basic emotions?
According to Paul Ekman, what are considered basic emotions?
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What does the self-serving bias imply about how we attribute our successes and failures?
What does the self-serving bias imply about how we attribute our successes and failures?
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What is the Fundamental Attribution Error?
What is the Fundamental Attribution Error?
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Which type of conformity occurs when we believe the group is correct?
Which type of conformity occurs when we believe the group is correct?
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What does the Bystander Effect illustrate about group size and individual responsibility?
What does the Bystander Effect illustrate about group size and individual responsibility?
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When does increased conformity typically occur?
When does increased conformity typically occur?
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In the context of Groupthink, what does suppression of dissent lead to?
In the context of Groupthink, what does suppression of dissent lead to?
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What is an example of a positive illusion?
What is an example of a positive illusion?
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How does the actor-observer bias affect our interpretations of behavior?
How does the actor-observer bias affect our interpretations of behavior?
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What behavior is characteristic of Ambivalent Attachment in children?
What behavior is characteristic of Ambivalent Attachment in children?
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According to Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Development, which stage is characterized by morality based on social norms?
According to Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Development, which stage is characterized by morality based on social norms?
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Haidt’s criticism of Kohlberg’s Theory emphasized what aspect of moral judgments?
Haidt’s criticism of Kohlberg’s Theory emphasized what aspect of moral judgments?
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According to research by Bloom and Wynn, what innate sense do infants display regarding morality?
According to research by Bloom and Wynn, what innate sense do infants display regarding morality?
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What does the concept of Nature vs. Nurture in development suggest?
What does the concept of Nature vs. Nurture in development suggest?
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What is a central focus of Social Psychology?
What is a central focus of Social Psychology?
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Which question is commonly asked by social psychologists regarding group dynamics?
Which question is commonly asked by social psychologists regarding group dynamics?
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Which statement best describes the relationship between the self and impression management?
Which statement best describes the relationship between the self and impression management?
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Study Notes
Developmental Psychology Overview
- Developmental Psychology studies changes and continuities in human behavior over time, encompassing social, emotional, cognitive, personality development, and susceptibility to mental illness—many of which originate early in development.
- Traditionally focused on infants and children, this field has expanded to examine lifespan development (from womb to tomb).
Freud's Influence on Development
- Sigmund Freud emphasized the crucial role of early childhood development in shaping the psyche.
- He posited that the first five years of life have a pivotal impact on personality and future behavior.
Key Questions Developmental Psychologists Ask
- How do prenatal experiences affect brain development and later behavior?
- What innate knowledge exists at birth, and how does it develop?
- How do postnatal experiences influence emotional, social, cognitive, and moral development?
- How does development continue into adulthood?
Prenatal Development Stages
- Conception to approximately 40 weeks:
- Zygote (1-2 weeks): The initial fertilized egg.
- Embryo (3-8 weeks): Early development phase with the beginning of major development of organs and bodily systems.
- Fetus (9-40 weeks): Continued development of organs, body systems, and nervous system, which begins developing around the third week of pregnancy.
Maternal Factors Influencing Prenatal Development
- Chemicals (e.g., mercury, BPA)
- Drugs (prescription and recreational)
- Malnutrition (e.g., vitamin deficiencies)
- Infections (e.g., viruses)
- Stress (physical and emotional)
Teratogens
- Teratogens are substances that harm a developing fetus.
- Thalidomide (1960s drug): Caused birth defects, affecting limb development.
- BPA (Bisphenol-A): Found in plastics and resins, disrupts hormone balances, affecting reproductive and brain development.
Postnatal Brain Development
- At birth, humans have survival reflexes (like suckling).
- Brain development is rapid in the first year.
- Synaptogenesis: Formation of new synapses.
- Synaptic pruning: Elimination of unused synapses between the ages of 2 and 10 years, refining brain connections.
Critical Periods
- Sensitive windows where the brain is highly responsive to specific experiences.
- Key areas include visual perception, motor learning, and language development.
- Infant-caregiver bonding influences attachment.
Piaget's Cognitive Development Theory
- Jean Piaget's Constructivist Theory: Children actively construct knowledge through interaction with the environment.
- Schemas: Mental frameworks used to understand the world, which change and adapt over time through assimilation (integrating new information) and accommodation (modifying existing schemas).
Piaget's Stages of Cognitive Development
- Sensorimotor (0-2 years): Knowledge based on sensory and motor experiences; object permanence develops.
- Preoperational (2-7 years): Use of symbols but egocentric thinking and lack of logical operations.
- Concrete Operational (7-12 years): Logical thinking about concrete objects and events; understands conservation.
- Formal Operational (12+ years): Abstract and hypothetical reasoning develops.
Object Permanence
- Babies initially lack the understanding that objects continue to exist even when unseen.
Challenges to Piaget's Theory
- Research suggests some cognitive abilities develop earlier than Piaget proposed.
- Infants possess an understanding of basic physical properties, such as object solidity, contact, and movement.
Social & Emotional Development
- Attachment Theory (Harry Harlow): Emphasizes the importance of contact comfort in emotional security, demonstrated in research with monkeys.
- Attachment Theory (Bowlby & Ainsworth): Children develop internal working models of social relationships based on early experiences.
- Ainsworth's Strange Situation: Identifies attachment styles (secure, ambivalent, avoidant).
Moral Development
- Kohlberg's Theory of Moral Development: Stages (preconventional, conventional, postconventional) based on reasoning.
- Haidt's Moral Foundations Theory: Moral judgments are often intuitive and emotional.
Infants' Sense of Morality
- Research suggests infants possess an innate sense of right and wrong.
Nature Vs. Nurture
- Both nature (innate capacities) and nurture (experiences) are crucial in shaping cognitive, social, and moral development. This is an ongoing and interactive process.
Social Psychology Overview
- Social Psychology examines how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by others' presence, whether real, imagined, or implied.
- Topics include conformity, attraction, group dynamics, prejudice, stereotypes, social cognition, and obedience.
Questions Social Psychologists Ask
- How do we define ourselves in relation to others?
- How does the presence of others affect our thinking and behavior?
- What causes attraction and repulsion between people?
- How does group membership influence behavior?
- What conditions promote conflict and harmony between groups?
The Self: Who Are We?
- The self is the link between an individual's inner world and the social world.
- People identify their strengths, weaknesses, beliefs, desires, and group affiliations.
The Self & Impression Management
- We constantly manage how others perceive us.
Moral Development
- Kohlberg's Theory of Moral Development: Preconventional, conventional, and postconventional stages of moral reasoning.
- Haidt's Moral Foundations Theory: Moral judgements involve intuitive and emotional reactions.
Self-Evaluation and Defense
- Self-esteem maintenance leads to cognitive biases protecting self-view, often using mechanisms like self-serving bias.
Social Cognition
- Social cognition examines how people think about others.
Self-Serving Bias:
- Attribute successes to internal factors (like ability) and failures to external factors.
Positive Illusions:
- Optimistic beliefs about one's abilities and capabilities.
Attribution Theory
- Attributing behavior to internal or external causes.
- Dispositional attribution: Internal causes
- Situational attribution: External causes
- Fundamental attribution error: Tendency to underestimate situational influences and overestimate dispositional influences in others.
- Actor-observer bias: Attribute own behavior to external factors, others' behavior to internal factors.
Group Dynamics
- Conformity: Adjusting behavior to align with group norms.
- Informational conformity: Conforming because one believes the group is right.
- Normative conformity: Conforming to avoid social disapproval.
- Groupthink: Consensus-seeking that sacrifices critical evaluation and leads to poor decisions.
- The Bystander effect: As group size increases, individual responsibility to help decreases (diffusion of responsibility).
Prejudice and Discrimination
- Prejudice: Biased beliefs about a group; discrimination: Biased behaviors toward a group.
Implicit Prejudice
- Unconscious biases; measured using the Implicit Association Test (IAT).
Reducing Prejudice
- Effective strategies include contact between groups with equal status and shared goals
Group Conflict
- Stereotyping: Overgeneralized beliefs about groups.
- In-group bias: Favoring one's own group.
- Availability heuristic: Focusing on vivid examples when forming judgements about groups and people.
- Just-world fallacy: Belief that good things happen to good people and bad things happen to bad people.
Emotion
- Emotions involve physiological arousal, behavioral reactions (like facial expressions), and subjective experiences (feelings).
Facial Expressions
- Facial expressions play a crucial role in social communication and emotional recognition.
Basic Emotions
- Universal and hard-wired: Anger, fear, disgust, surprise, happiness, and sadness.
Facial Perception and Emotion Recognition
- Brains focus on features like eyes to determine emotional states.
- Different emotions have distinct perceptual features recognizable by the eyes.
Amygdala's Role in Fear
- The amygdala processes fear via the sympathetic nervous system (fight-or-flight).
- Fear response pathways: Low road (unconscious, fast) and high road (conscious, slow).
Stress: Stressors and Their Impact
- Types of stressors: Catastrophic events (natural disasters) and chronic daily difficulties (e.g., bullying, poverty).
- Stress response: Sympathetic nervous system activation and cortisol release; chronic stress can damage the hippocampus, impacting memory and learning.
- Psychophysiological illnesses: Real illnesses (e.g., heart disease, ulcers) triggered by stress.
Managing Stress: Coping Mechanisms
- Problem-focused coping: Actively addressing the stressor.
- Emotion-focused coping: Managing emotional reactions to the stressor.
- Appraisal of stress: Assessing the stressor as a challenge or a threat.
- Managing stress through social support, aerobic exercise, and meditation.
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Description
Explore the fascinating field of Developmental Psychology, which examines the changes and continuities in human behavior throughout the lifespan. From the impact of early childhood experiences to the influence of prenatal factors, this quiz delves into critical questions that shape our understanding of human development.
