Psychology - Human Development Chapter 1

Human Development

• Scientific study focusing on age-related changes throughout a person’s lifespan.

Theories of Development

• Christine Doctrine: Views humans as inherently wicked; the goal is to overcome original sin.
• Jean-Jacques Rousseau: Believes humans are born with innate goodness, promoting the idea of a natural development.
• John Locke: Proposes the mind as a blank slate at birth, shaped entirely by experience.

Nature-Nurture Debate

• Considers the interactionist model, highlighting the combined effects of genetics (nature) and environment (nurture) on development.

Interactionist Perspective

• Emphasizes the importance of social interactions in shaping personality and human development.

Resilience and Vulnerabilities

• Children are born with vulnerabilities (e.g., allergies, disabilities) and protective factors (e.g., intelligence, coordination) which influence their development.

Continuity and Discontinuity

• Continuity: Development is quantifiable, following a gradual divergence.
• Discontinuity: Involves qualitative changes, representing distinct stages of development.

Hall's Contributions

• Identified normative age milestones within child development, establishing benchmarks for growth.

Gesell's Contributions

• Introduced the concept of "maturation," utilizing basic tests to assess if children meet developmental standards.

Domains of Development

• Physical: Changes in body size, shape, and characteristics.
• Cognitive: Developments in thinking, memory, and problem-solving skills.
• Social: Variations in interpersonal relationships and social behaviors.

Scientific Method

• Involves four stages:
  • Describe the phenomenon.
  • Explain observations.
  • Predict outcomes.
  • Influence and control variables.

Correlation Coefficient

• A statistical measure revealing the relationship between two variables but does not imply causation.

Experimental Research Design

• Facilitates the ability to establish cause-and-effect relationships through controlled variables.

Variables in Research

• Dependent Variable: The factor observed or measured in an experiment.
• Independent Variable: The factor manipulated or changed to observe its effect on the dependent variable.

Research Designs

• Sequential Research: Combines elements of longitudinal and cross-sectional studies.
• Longitudinal Research: Studies a single group at differing time intervals across their lifespan.
• Cross-Sectional Research: Compares different age groups at the same point in time.

Ethical Considerations in Research

• Rights include:
  • Protection against harm.
  • Informed consent from participants.
  • Assurance of confidentiality.
  • Knowledge of study results.
  • Provisions regarding deception in the study.