Individual differences and developmental psychology

What are individual differences?

How people differ because id environmental influences and experiences

What is developmental psychology?

• Factors that affect our development and how we develop certain behaviours

How can the principles of social learning theory show how different behaviours are learned by someone’s environment? Who supports this idea? (individual differences)

Social learning theory states that we develop certain behaviours from our role models. The theory suggests that when we pay attention to a role model (usually one we identify with - same sex, same interests, etc) we retain this information, reproducing it when we have the motivation to do so. Therefore role models we observe are unique - therefore everyone will have an individual learning experience because of these different role models. This therefore suggests that our learning is affected by individual differences.

Supported by the Bandura bobo doll studies

How can the principles of operant conditioning show how different behaviours are learned through rewards and punishments? Who supports this idea? (individual differences)

The principles of operant conditioning show how different behaviours are learned through rewards and punishments. For example, acts of positive or negative reinforcement are more likely to make us repeat behaviours, whilst positive or negative punishments are more likely to cause an individual to not show a specific behaviour.

Supported by Skinner’s box

How does operant conditioning relate to developmental psychology? Supported by who?

Operant conditioning shows the role of development through patterns of rewards and punishments on human behaviour.

Supported by Skinner’s box

How does social learning theory relate to developmental psychology? Supported by who?

Social learning theory’s idea is that development occurs through the observation of others. We learn different behaviours through observing role models and replicating their behaviours.

Supported by Bandura’s bobo doll studies