Psychological Development Flashcards
(50 cards)
Psychological Development
The process of gradual growth and change in our cognitive, emotional and social capabilities across the lifespan.
Nature
Your genetic makeup.
E.g. Physical appearance, personality characteristics, hereditary conditions/diseases
Nurture
Your enviroment.
E.g.Childhood experience, Child-rearing practices, Social relationships, surrounding culture.
Interactionist Approach
We view both nature and nurture as equally important.
Twin Studies:
In a twin study, the development of identical twins is compared with fraternal twins.
Adoption Studies:
In an adoption study, children from families with one adopted child and one biological child are compared. Or when parents keep one child and adopt another.
Biopsychosocial model:
It describes the interaction of biological, psychological and social factors that influence development and health.
Bio factors and examples:
Factors: Genetics, Hormones, Immune function, sleep.
Examples: Physical health, disability, genetic vulnerabilities, drug effects, mental health, temperament, IQ.
Psycho factors and examples:
Factors: Cognitive processes, Memory, Emotions, Attitudes.
Examples: Coping skills, social skills, self-esteem, temperament, IQ, mental health, family relationships, trauma.
Social factors and examples:
Factors: Relationships, living conditions, education, access to healthcare.
Examples: Peers, Family circumstances, school, trauma, family relationships, mental health, drug effects.
Emotional Development:
It is the continuous, lifelong, development of skills that allow us to control, express and recognise emotions appropriately.
Attachment Theory:
It is the close emotional bond between an infant and their primary caregiver. It is universal and innate, has a bio basis, and must occur within the first 12 months of the infant’s life for optimum effects. Separation anxiety indicates that the bond has been formed.
Mary Ainsworth 1970:
She coined the terms ‘separation anxiety’ and ‘stranger anxiety’. She also devised and conducted the ‘strange situation experiment’.
The strange situation test:
NO METHOD
It was conducted to measure the quality of an infant’s attachment to the primary caregiver. It was run on infants aged 9-18 months. It tested how infants act when in a strange situation.
The Strange Situation Test Method:
- Mother and baby enter the room.
- Mother and baby are alone in the room and the baby is encouraged to play with toys on the floor.
- A stranger joins them in the room.
- Mother leaves the baby and stranger together in the room.
- Mother returns to the room and the stranger leaves.
- The mother leaves the baby alone in the room.
- The stranger rejoins the baby.
- The stranger leaves and the mother returns.
Types of Attachment:
- Insecure Avoidant Attachment
- Secure Attachment
- Insecure Resistant Attachment
Insecure Avoidant Attachment:
Not affected by the mother’s presence or absence. Rarely cried when the mother left the room and showed little attention upon her return.
Secure Attachment:
Distressed when the mother leaves the room but happy and comforted by her return. Open to exploration of the room when the mother is present.
Insecure Resistant Attachment:
Very distressed when the mother leaves the room and is not comforted by her returning. Heightened anxiety before, during and after the test. Did not actively explore the room even when the mother was present.
Harry Harlow 1950s/60s:
Harlow conducted several experiments to investigate the factors influencing the development of attachments of infant rhesus monkeys to their mothers.
Harlow’s Attachment Experiment:
Aim and Method
AIM: To investigate the effect of feeding on infant-mother attachment.
Method: Four babies were placed in a cage that had a bottle on the cloth surrogate and the other four babies were in cages where the wire surrogate had the bottle.
Harlow’s Attachment Experiment Results:
TIME: None of the babies would spend more than 1-2 hours on the wire surrogate in any 24-hour period. The infants all drank the same amount of milk and gained weight at the same rate, but they all spent the majority of their time (around 15 hours a day) climbing on and clinging to the cloth surrogate.
SEEKING COMFORT: When Harlow frightened the babies, they all fled to the cloth surrogate for comfort.
EXPLORATION BEHAVIOUR: Babies were much more willing to explore the environment when they were in the
presence of the cloth surrogate.
CONCLUSION: Harlow concluded that ‘contact comfort’ was more important than feeding in the formation of attachment.
Harlow’s Social Deprivation Experiment:
AIM AND METHOD
AIM: To investigate the effect of social deprivation on emotional development.
METHOD: Infant monkeys were removed from their mother at birth and initially isolated in a chamber, for either 3, 6 or 12 months. At this time, they had no interaction with anyone at all – human or monkey.
The experimental monkeys were placed in a playroom with the control monkeys each day.
Harlow’s Social Deprivation Experiment Results:
The 3-month monkeys were reversible – no long-term impacts
The 6-month monkeys eventually normalised, but it took much longer
The 12-month monkeys never gained normal emotional or social function
