Developmental Psychology - Session 1

Flashcards for Developmental Psychology - Session 1: Introduction

Developmental Psychology

Deals with behavioral changes within persons across the lifespan, and with differences between and similarities among persons in the nature of these changes. Its aim is not only to describe these intraindividual changes and interindividual differences but also to explain how they come about and to find ways to modify them in an optimum way.

The 'What' in developmental psychology - topics

Cognitive, Emotional, Biological, and Social

The 'When' in lifespan developmental psychology

Linking important developmental changes to a certain age in normative development.

Young-old

Approximately 60/65-80 years; still relatively healthy and active.

Old-old

From approximately 80 years on; increased risk for physical and cognitive problems, but huge differences between individuals.

Variability in development

Short-term changes that are more or less reversible.

Change in development

More or less enduring shifts in development.

Cross-sectional designs

Studying individuals of different ages at one point in time, measuring interindividual differences.

Longitudinal designs

Studying the same individuals across different points in time, measuring intraindividual change.

Cohort

Any group that shares having experienced the same cultural environment and historical events.

Cohort effect

Differences in developmentally relevant variables that arise from (non-age-related) factors to which each birth cohort was exposed.

Time-of-measurement effects

Effects of historical events and trends occurring when the data are being collected on observed results.

Assessment methods

Self-report, Interview, Questionnaires, Diaries, Behavioral observation [naturalistic versus structured], Standardized Tests/Test batteries [comparison to norms], Physiology [EEG, heart rate, eye tracking, sucking duration]

Habituation / Dishabituation

Orienting response, Habituation, Dishabituation

How to measure a response by an infant?

Sucking preference, Head turn preference, Paired visual preference

Principles of lifespan psychology (Paul Baltes)

Lifelong, Multidimensional and multidisciplinary, Multidirectional, Gains and losses, Plastic, Embedded in history, Contextualized

Historical embeddedness

The course of age-related development strongly shaped by the prevailing socio-cultural conditions of a historical period.

Contextual developmental influences

Normative Age-graded, Normative History-graded, Non-Normative