development

developmental psych

developmental psych

A branch of psychology that studies consistent physical, cognitive and social change throughout the lifespan

develop. psych studies 3 major issues

stability and chance, continuity and stages, natureXnurture

nature X nurture

We (including our psychological characteristics) are determined by an ongoing interaction among biological, psychological and social- cultural forces

adoption studies (NxN)

Compare adopted children with biological and adoptive parents

twin studies (NxN)

wins, particularly identical are compared

maturation

Biological (nature) growth processes that enable orderly changes in behavior, relatively uninfluenced by experience (nurture)

roll, sit, crawl, walk

we are born with nearly all the brain cells we will ever have

Following birth, cells grow – lengthening, branching, connecting

genes dictate our overall ____

brain architecture

like lines on a coloring book

environment helps ___

color in the details

critical period

An optimal period early in the life of an organism when exposure to certain stimuli or experiences produces normal development

plasticity

the brains ability to chance and reorganize in response to new experience

jean piaget

developed the hallmark theory of children’s cognitive development

intellectual progression as an “unceasing struggle to make sense of our experiences”

3 major ideas in Piagets state therory

schemas, how schemas are used/adjusted, stages of cognitive development

schemas

a review from memory chapter, web of knowledge

assimilation

interpreting new experiences in terms of our existing schemas

ex. picking someone up and they fit in the back seat

accommodation

modifiying our current schemas to incorporate new info

ex. picking someone up and having to rearrange to make room for them

sensorimotor (senses—> motor movement)

birth to age 2, child relies heavily on their sense and actions to take in the world, sensorimotor intellgence

Sensorimotor object permenance

the awareness that objects continue to exists even when not perceived (peek a boo)

preoperational

age 2-6/7, representing things with words and images, using intuitive thinking rather than logic, pretend play to mimic environment

preoperational- egocentrism

mountain view example from class, hide and seek

concrete operational

ages 7-11, thinking logically about concrete event, grasping concrete analogies and performing arithmetic, master the concept of conservation

conrete operational- mental operations

can solve problems by manipulating concepts entirely in one’s mind, conservation of liquid task- same liquid even in bigger glass

formal operational

from age 12 on, reasoning abstractly

theory of mind

our ability to take another perspective, people’s ideas about their own and others mental states (feelings, perceptions, thoughts) and behaviors they might predict

theory of mind opposite of egocentrism

box with pencils example

autism spectrum disorder

a disorder appearing in childhood marked by deficiencies in communication and social interaction, and by rigid repetitive behaviors, 1 of 68 children by age 8

people with autism…

lack theory of mind (unable to see from another perspective), range in severity

social development

from birth, most babies are social creatures and develop an intense attachment to caregivers

monkey example- craved the fuzzy cover instead of the one with food

attachment

an emotional tie with another person

body contacts

provides comfort, incliding reassurance and simulation and helps form attachment

skin to skin contact with babies can help with sickness (think of greys anatomy)

mere exposure effect

also aids attachment, difference in attachment styles were explored by Ainsworth in her “strange situation” experiment

ainsworth strange situation experiment

secure attachment- mother and child go to doctor, mom leaves, child freaks out, mom comes back and kid calms down

insecure attachment- go to doctor, mom leaves, child has intense reaction or no reaction, mom comes back and child is still distressed or not at all

erik erikson

psychoanalyst, only person to develop life span theory of development

0-1 years

basic trust vs mistrust

1-3 years

autonomy- “me”, independence

vs self doubt/shame- parents with too high of expectations or too many rules

ages 3-6

initiative- “I want”, decision making

vs guilt

ages 6 to puberty

competence- confidence in ability

vs inferiority- internalize failure, inferiority

elementary school we either learn from failure or internalize

ADOLESCENCE AND PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

The transition period from childhood to adulthood, extending from puberty to independence

puberty

increases in hormone levels including estrogen and testoterone- the period of sexual maturation during which a person becomes capable of reproducing, the sequence is more predictable than the timing

developing a realistic body image is impossible during ____

puberty stage

amygdala

is fully developed during adolescents, feel full EMOTIONS

frontal lobe

not fully developed during adolescents, not developed till mid 20s’s, controls decision making

this is why the drinking age is 21 becuase we arent able to make great decisions

adolescence

associated with increases in sensation seeking, risk taking and the influence of peers, while having less impulse control compared to adulthood

piaget and lawrence kohlberg

proposed that moral reasoning or thinking guides moral actions

kohlberg

proposed moral dilemmas and created a stage theory based on individuals responses

stage 1

interest in rewards and avoiding punishment

preconventional morality

stage 2

cost/benefit orientation; exchange

preconventional morality

“what can I get”

stage 3

“good child” orientation

conventional morality

stage 4

uphold laws and rules

conventional morality

stage 5

social contract orientation

Postconventional (Principled) Morality (woman who wouldn’t help 911 call)

stage 6

ethical principle orientation

Postconventional (Principled) Morality (woman who wouldn’t help 911 call)

critics of kohlbergs theory

say that postconventional morality is culturally limited, others suggest morality is rooted in moral intentions (quick gut feeling guide moral judgements), “talk is cheap, do the right thing” do the right thing to feed moral conscious

adolescence

identity- many different hats, have to act differently in front of different groups (have a clear sense of who we are)

vs role confusion (don’t know your role in life)

emerging adulthood

A period from about 18 to the mid-twenties, when many in Western cultures are no longer adolescents but have yet to achieve full independence as adults

early adulthood

intamacy (ability to love) vs isolation

middle adulthood

generativity vs stagnation (lack of purpose)

contributing to world through family or work or society, Those who have not resolved difficulty in past stages become “stagnant”

life events trigger transitions to new life stages (mid-life crisis)

late adulthood

integrity vs despair

ability to look back on life without regrets and to enjoy a sense of wholeness

unsolved crises may feel a sense of failure