DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY Flashcards
DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY - WHAT DEVELOPS?
Intelligence
Emotions
Social Skills
Physicaity
Physcial is slightly more sequenced
Biological maturation makes all people similar
> Heredity creates predispositions -Environment influences how they develop
> Nature contributes to physical size and appearance
> More complex traits are influenced by environmental factors as well as genes
SCARR & MC CARTNEY THEORY
> proposed that genes affect the environments individuals choose to interact with, and that phenotypes influence individuals’ exchanges with people, places, and situations.
The model states that genotypes can determine an individual’s response to a certain environment, and that these genotype-environment pairs can affect human development.
As humans develop, they enter each of these stages in succession, and each is more influential than the last.
PASSIVE
During infancy, individuals’ environments are provided by their parents. The rearing environment reflects the parents’ genes, so it is genetically suitable for the child.
EVOCATIVE
Environments respond to individuals based on the genes they express (phenotype). Infants and adolescents evoke social and physical responses from their environments through this interaction. Experiences, and therefore development, are more influenced by evocation than by the passive environment. However, the influence of evocation declines over time.
ACTIVE
Individuals selectively attend to aspects of their environment that correlate to their specific genotypes and autonomously choose environments to interact with. Their selections are based on motivational, personality, and intellectual aspects of their genotype. Therefore, environmental interactions are person specific and can vary greatly. Since these environments are chosen rather than encountered, they have a greater effect on experience and development
PRENATAL DEVELOPMENT STAGES
STAGES
Zygote (germinal stage)
Embryo (embryonic stage)
Foetus (foetal stage)
RISKS
Role of the placenta - Placenta shields embryo but doesn’t filter everything
Critical periods - 1st 8 weeks embryo most vulnerable
Teratogens - drugs, stress, prescription drugs, alcohol
NEWBORN - DEVELOPMENT OF HEARING
> 2 or 3 days of age
Can hear soft voices
Notice the difference between musical tones
Turn toward sounds
> By 4 months of age
Can tell differences among almost all of the phonetic contrasts in adult languages
Prefer rising tones spoken by women or children
Like ‘baby talk’
NEWBORN - REFLEXES
GRASPING > finger in hand and they will grab
ROOTING > touch cheek and they will turn
SUCKING > nipple near moth and they will suck
Disappear after 3-4 months
PIAGET’S THEORY -
>One of most influential figures in children’s cognition
> Very interested in qualitative changes in thinking
> He proposed that all children go through same stages in same order c/o skipping - building on previous stage
Children use schemas as basic building blocks of development > Schemas guided by
ASSIMILATION
Use existing schemas to see if object fits in. ie they will suck a new toy first
ACCOMODATION
Process of modifying schemas
PIAGET’S THEORY OF COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT
SONSORIMOTOR PHASE
Birth to 2 years
Mental activity and schemas confined to sensory functions
Develops object permanence towards end of period
PREOPERATIONAL PHASE
Thinking is highly egocentric
Lack conservation
2‒4 years: Begin to understand, create and use symbols
4‒7 years: Begin to make intuitive guesses about the world
CONCRETE OPERATIONAL PHASE 7-11 Ability to conserve number and amount Appearances no longer dominate thinking Can perform simple mental operations Can reason only about what is, not what is possible
FORMAL OPERATIONAL PHASE Over 11 Can think logically about abstract ideas Can engage in hypothetical thinking Questions social institutions Thinks about world as it might be and ought to be
MODIFYING PIAGET’S THEORY
RESEARCH SUGGESTS INFANTS KNOW A LOT MORE, A LOT SOONER THAN PIAGET SUGGESTS.
>Stage changes are less consistent and global than Piaget suggested
>Knowledge and mental strategies in different domains develop at different ages
>Thinking and memory begin very early
>VYGOTSKY > Focussed on social world and culture
ONISHI & BAILLARGEON 2005 STUDY
ATTACHMENT THEORIES
TWO MOST PROMINENT >
BOWLBY AND HARLOW
> believed that attachment was an all or nothing process. However, research has shown that there are individual differences in attachment quality
>Nature of attachment can have long-term and far-reaching effects
Attachment depends on contact comfort
Much research in psychology has focused on how forms of attachment differ among infants. For example, Schaffer and Emerson (1964) discovered what appeared to be innate differences in sociability in babies
AINSWORTH
Strange situation test
AMBIVALENT
These children become very distressed when a parent leaves. Ambivalent attachment style is considered uncommon, affecting an estimated 7–15% of U.S. children. As a result of poor parental availability, these children cannot depend on their primary caregiver to be there when they need them.
AVOIDANT
Children with an avoidant attachment tend to avoid parents or caregivers, showing no preference between a caregiver and a complete stranger. This attachment style might be a result of abusive or neglectful caregivers. Children who are punished for relying on a caregiver will learn to avoid seeking help in the future.
DISORGANISED
These children display a confusing mix of behavior, seeming disoriented, dazed, or confused. They may avoid or resist the parent. Lack of a clear attachment pattern is likely linked to inconsistent caregiver behavior. In such cases, parents may serve as both a source of comfort and fear, leading to disorganized behavior.
Another addition > Secure
ERIKSON’S PSYCHOSOCIAL STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT
1YR - TRUST v MISTRUST
Infants learn to trust that their needs will be met by the world, especially by the mother – or they learn to mistrust the world.
2 YR - AUTONOMY V SHAME / DOUBT
Children learn to exercise their will, to make choices and to control themselves – or they become uncertain and doubt that they can do things by themselves.
3-5 INITIATIVE V GUILT
Children learn to initiate activities and enjoy their accomplishments, acquiring direction and purpose. But if they are not allowed initiative, they feel guilty about their attempts at independence.
6+ INDUSTRY V INFERIORITY
develop a sense of industry and curiosity and are eager to learn – or they feel inferior and lose interest in the tasks before them.
ADOLESCENCE - IDENTITY V ROLE CONFUSION
Adolescents come to see themselves as unique and integrated persons with an ideology – or they become confused about what they want out of life.
EARLY ADULTHOOD - INTIMACY V ISOLATION
Young people become able to commit themselves to another person – or they develop a sense of isolation and feel they have no-one in the world but themselves.
MIDDLE AGE - GENERATIVITY V STAGNATION
Adults are willing to have and care for children and to devote themselves to their work and the common good – or they become self-centred and inactive.
OLD AGE - INTEGRITY V DESPAIR
Older people enter a period of reflection, becoming assured that their lives have been meaningful and ready to face death with acceptance and dignity – or they are in despair over their unaccomplished goals, failures and ill-spent lives.
BAUMRIND’S PARENTING STYLES - INFLUENCING SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
Parents differ in regard to how accepting and controlling they are of their children
AUTHORITATIVE PARENTS
>Friendly, cooperative, self-reliant, socially responsible children
CONTROL >High
ACCEPTANCE > High
PERMISSIVE PARENTS
>Immature, dependent, unhappy children
CONTROL >Low
ACCEPTANCE > High
AUTHORITARIAN
>Unfriendly, withdrawn, distrustful children
CONTROL > High
ACCEPTANCE > Low
UNINVOLVED PARENTS
> Impulsive, aggressive, non-compliant, moody children
CONTROL >Low
ACCEPTANCE> Low
CHILDREN AND POPULARITY
> Social skills are the most important factor in determining children’s popularity
Important to have at least one close, stable friend
About 10% of schoolchildren do not have friends
Friends help children develop self-regulation
WHAT INFLUENCES GENDER ROLES?
FACTORS BIOLOGICAL > structure of brain and hormones SOCIAL >boys and girl treated differently COGNITIVE >children want to fit in, so they search schemas that match their gender
RISK AND RESILIENCE
BURNER AND SMITH STUDY - 1955 > looked at risk factors for social development & qualities associated with resilience
QUALITIES ASSOCIATED WITH RESILIENCE Intelligence Easy temperament High self-esteem Talent Faith Cheerfulness Focus Persistence Significant relationship with a supportive adult Optimal serotonin regulation
ADOLESCENCE - IDENTITY DEVELOPMENT
> Not good at making complex decisions under stress
what’s important is that they develop an identity
EARLY IDENTITIES
Emphasize social relationships, personality traits and other general, stable psychological characteristics
LATE IDENTITIES
>Emphasise personal beliefs, values and moral standards
Recognise different identities in different social contexts
Think about the possible future selves
ETHNIC IDENTITY
May contribute to strong academic achievement
May contribute to prejudice
> Failure to resolve identity issues may be due to:
- Accepting whatever identity their parents set for them
- Postponing the crisis; remaining uncommitted and directionless
