Developmental Psychology Overview

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Questions and Answers

Which of the following BEST defines the scope of developmental psychology?

The exploration of the nervous system and its relationship with behavior.

The analysis of the formation of social groups and dynamics.

The study of mental disorders and their treatment across all ages.

The scientific study of age-related changes in various aspects of human beings. (correct)

What is the primary emphasis of a lifespan perspective in developmental psychology?

Concentrating on the impact of societal norms during adolescence.

Studying only the positive aspects of human growth and change.

Focusing solely on childhood as the most critical stage of development.

Examining development as a continuous process from conception to death. (correct)

In developmental psychology, what does the term 'domains' primarily refer to?

Different research methods used to study development.

Specific historical periods in which research was conducted.

Distinct categories of development, such as physical, cognitive, and socioemotional. (correct)

Ethical guidelines for conducting research with human subjects.

What does the interactionist model of development emphasize?

That development results from a complex interplay between biological and environmental influences. Signup and view all the answers

The central question of whether humans are born with inherent tendencies or they develop these through learning is a key idea in which perspective of development?

Historical philosophical perspectives on development. Signup and view all the answers

Which philosophical perspective suggests a child is inherently sinful?

Original Sin Signup and view all the answers

According to John Locke's 'Blank Slate' perspective, what is the primary role of parents?

To shape children's behaviours Signup and view all the answers

Jean-Jacques Rousseau's philosophical viewpoint emphasizes what inherent quality of a child?

Inherent goodness Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a focus of the Lifespan Perspective in developmental psychology?

Focusing solely on childhood development Signup and view all the answers

Who is credited with using baby biographies to study the development of the human species?

Charles Darwin Signup and view all the answers

The Interactionist Model posits that development is a result of:

A complex reciprocal interaction between nature and nurture Signup and view all the answers

Which developmental psychologist is most well known for their research on infant attachment?

Mary Ainsworth Signup and view all the answers

According to the Interactionist Model, what is the role of 'protective factors'?

To interact with the child's environment and influence their outcomes in a positive way Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best exemplifies a quantitative change in development?

A child growing taller each year. Signup and view all the answers

According to the information, which of the following is considered a domain of development?

Physical development Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes a qualitative developmental change from a quantitative one?

Qualitative changes involve shifts in the type or kind, whilst quantitative changes are in amount or degree. Signup and view all the answers

Which is an example of a universal change?

The development of puberty. Signup and view all the answers

What is an example of an individual difference in development?

The development of reading skills. Signup and view all the answers

According to the content, what is a key characteristic of the discontinuity approach to development?

The important role of developmental stages Signup and view all the answers

Which example best characterizes a change within the socioemotional domain?

Changes in interpersonal relationships. Signup and view all the answers

What is the most accurate description of a group-specific change?

Developmental changes influenced by cultural norms or cohort experiences. Signup and view all the answers

According to the information provided, at what stage of life does risk-taking typically peak?

Adolescence Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes a cross-sectional research design?

A comparison of different groups of people at a single point in time. Signup and view all the answers

What is a primary limitation of cross-sectional designs in the context of establishing relationships between variables?

They cannot capture changes over time and are unsuitable for determining cause and effect. Signup and view all the answers

In experimental research, what is the role of the independent variable?

To be manipulated by the researcher to observe its impact on the dependent variable. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a strength of the experimental research method?

It allows researchers to establish cause-and-effect relationships. Signup and view all the answers

What is a key disadvantage of experimental research?

It often involves artificial settings that may not generalize well to the real world. Signup and view all the answers

In the example research question 'Does attending a weekly goat yoga class improve mood compared to no goat yoga?' What is the independent variable?

Whether participants attend a weekly goat yoga class or not. Signup and view all the answers

If a researcher is doing a study where they examine the relationship between wearing a lucky shirt and test scores, what is the dependent variable?

Test scores. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes a 'critical period' in development?

A specific timeframe when environmental input is necessary to develop a particular capacity or skill. Signup and view all the answers

What is a key characteristic of a 'sensitive period' in development?

It is a timeframe when an individual is especially impacted by the absence of specific experiences. Signup and view all the answers

Which research goal aims to determine the cause of a phenomenon?

Explanation Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following research goals focuses on influencing the outcome of a specific event?

Control Signup and view all the answers

What is a primary advantage of using case study designs in psychological research?

Ability to study unique cases, and develop hypotheses Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a limitation of case study designs?

Reliance on people's accurate description of experience Signup and view all the answers

What is a central characteristic of naturalistic observation?

Recording behaviour in real-world settings. Signup and view all the answers

What is an advantage of using naturalistic observation in research?

It provides high ecological validity Signup and view all the answers

What is a disadvantage when conducting naturalistic observations?

The risk of observer bias Signup and view all the answers

Which best describes the focus of cross-sectional research designs?

Studying people of different ages at one point in time. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Module 1: Basic Concepts and Methods

Class: January 10, 2025
Time: 12:30 PM - 2:20 PM

Course Learning Outcomes

1.1: Define developmental psychology.
1.2: Explain the importance of the lifespan perspective.
1.3: Discuss past and present issues in the scientific study of human development.
1.4: Summarize the three major domains of development (physical, cognitive, socioemotional).
1.5: Describe the interactionist model of development.
1.6: List and describe the research goals of developmental scientists.
1.7: Describe descriptive (e.g., case study) and experimental research designs. Compare advantages and disadvantages of each.
1.8: Summarize the importance of cross-sectional methods in studying human development.
1.9: Identify ethical standards for developmental researchers.

What is Developmental Psychology?

The scientific study of age-related changes in bodies, behavior, thinking, emotions, social relationships, and personality.

From Womb to Tomb Lifespan Development Quiz

Go to https://kahoot.it/ on your laptop or cell phone.
Enter the pin.
Choose a username.

Historical Philosophical Perspectives on Development

Discussion on whether children are born with innate emotional and behavioral tendencies or if these are learned through experience.

Historical Philosophical Perspectives on Development (Table)

Historical Philosophical Perspective	Child's Inherent Predisposition	Parental Responsibility
Original Sin (200 AD) (Christian doctrine)	Sinful	Intervene to correct
The Blank Slate (1600s) (John Locke)	Neutral	Shape behaviours
Innate Goodness (1700s) (Rousseau)	Good	Nurture and protect

A Brief History of Developmental Psychology

Darwin: Kept baby biographies to understand human species development.
Hall: Studied inheritance and used questionnaires to study large groups of children.
Gesell: Studied maturation (genetically programmed change) and stages of development.
Piaget: Studied children's cognitive development.
Ainsworth: Pioneered research on infant attachment.

Perspectives in Developmental Psychology

Lifespan Perspective: Important life changes occur throughout all development phases (childhood, adolescence, etc). Changes need to be interpreted in context (families, schools, cities, and culture). An interdisciplinary approach (psychology, sociology, genetics, and physiology) is needed to fully understand development.
Interactionist Model: Developments result from complex reciprocal interactions between nature (genes) and nurture (social environment).

Interactionist Model (Vulnerabilities and Protective Factors)

Each child is born with vulnerabilities (e.g., emotional instability, allergies) and protective factors (e.g., high intelligence).
The vulnerabilities and protective factors interact with the environment (e.g., parenting styles) to produce unique outcomes for each individual.
Example: Dandelion vs. Orchid children (Boyce, 2019).

Continuity & Discontinuity in Development

Continuity: Quantitative change in amount or degree. Developmental stages are unimportant.
Discontinuity: Qualitative change in type or kind. Development stages are important.
Example: Friendships and Puberty.

Domains of Development

Physical: Changes in body size, shape, physical characteristics, and sense organs.
Cognitive: Changes in attention, thinking, memory, problem-solving, and language.
Socioemotional: Changes in relationships, social skills, emotions, and personality.

Types of Changes

Universal Changes: Developmental changes that characterize most members of a species.
Group-Specific Changes: Developmental changes that may be group or culture-specific.
Individual Differences: Individual variations in the rate, extent, or direction of development.

Critical vs. Sensitive Periods of Development

Critical Period: Limited time-frame when environmental input is necessary to develop a capacity or skill. Example: Monocular deprivation in infancy.
Sensitive Period: Period when an individual is responsive to specific forms of experience, or especially impacted by their absence. Example: Psychosocial deprivation in infancy can affect attachment.

Goals of Psychological Research

Describe: What is it like?
Explain: What causes it?
Predict: What will happen?
Control: How do I influence it?

Research Methods

Descriptive Research (Case Studies): In-depth data collection on individuals or small groups—interviews, questionnaires, psychological tests. Example: Capgras syndrome.
Descriptive Research (Naturalistic Observation): Observing behavior in natural settings—either overt or covert. Example: Observing children interacting on playgrounds.
Descriptive Research (Cross-Sectional): Studying participants of different ages at one point in time. Example: relationship between age & risk-taking behavior.

Cross-Sectional Designs

Advantages: Simple, efficient, and cost-effective.
Disadvantages: Cannot capture change across time, cannot establish cause-and-effect, and issues with validity.

Experiments

Experiment: Carefully controlled situation to study cause-and-effect relationships.
Independent Variable: The variable that is manipulated.
Dependent Variable: The variable that is measured.

The Experimental Method Continued

Research Question: Does attending goat yoga improve mood compared to no goat yoga?
IV: Goat yoga attendance (yes/no).
DV: Mood.

Experimental Design Continued

Advantages: Examines cause-and-effect relationships between variables.
Disadvantages: Artificial context, control of extraneous variables needed, ethical considerations, assignment to age groups cannot be random.

Next Steps:

Module 1 complete, move to Module 2.
Complete course outline & section syllabus.
Read Chapters 1-2.
Review the rubric for Assignment #1.

Studying That Suits You

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Description

Test your understanding of key concepts in developmental psychology with this quiz. Explore topics such as lifespan perspectives, philosophical viewpoints, and influential theorists. Perfect for psychology students looking to deepen their knowledge.