Developmental Psychology Overview

Meaning and Nature of Development

• Development encompasses physical, cognitive, social, and emotional changes throughout the lifespan.
• It differs from growth, which is primarily physical increase in size, and maturity, which signifies the attainment of full functional capacity.
• Development involves progressive changes in structure and function, leading toward greater complexity and organization.

Developmental Hazards

• Developmental hazards are factors that negatively impact the expected path of development.
• These can range from genetic predispositions to environmental stressors.
• Examples include malnutrition, exposure to toxins, and inadequate social support.
• Hazards can delay milestones, impair development, and produce lifelong consequences.

Prenatal Development

• Prenatal development: from conception to birth involves three crucial periods: germinal, embryonic, and fetal.
• Germinal stage (first 2 weeks): rapid cell division and implantation.
• Embryonic stage (weeks 3-8): major organ systems develop, and the body takes shape.
• Fetal stage (weeks 9-birth): rapid growth of existing structures and organ maturation.
• Key hazards during prenatal development include infections, exposure to teratogens (e.g., alcohol, smoking), nutritional deficiencies.

Childhood and Adolescence Development

• Physical Development: Growth and maturation in body size, proportions, and motor skills continue.
• Speech Development: Language acquisition, progressing from babbling, one-word utterances, and two-word phrases to complex sentences and discourse.
• Emotional Development: Increasing self-awareness and understanding of emotions (e.g., joy, sadness, fear) in themselves and others.
• Social Development: Establishing relationships with family, peers, and other societal components, with growing independence and social competence.
• Personality Development: Developing unique characteristics and behaviors.
• Moral Development: Forming moral principles, values, and understanding of right and wrong.

Adulthood and Old Age Development

• Emotional Development: Managing emotions, developing resilience, coping with life changes and responsibilities.
• Social Development: Maintaining relationships with family, friends, and community. Adjusting and dealing with different stages of life.
• Personality Development: Refinement of existing traits, development of new coping mechanisms and approaches to life situations.
• Moral Development: Maintaining or developing moral fortitude, addressing ethical dilemmas in new stages of life.
• Developmental Tasks: Tasks across this period can range from careers and relationships, parenting, self-care, adjusting to retirement to dealing with major illnesses, or significant losses.
• Developmental Hazards: These involve factors like chronic illness, stress, loss and isolation, that can derail healthy development during this phase.

This quiz covers the meaning and nature of development, distinguishing it from growth and maturity, as well as exploring developmental hazards that can affect individuals. It also examines prenatal development stages, including germinal, embryonic, and fetal periods. Test your understanding of these key concepts in developmental psychology.