Human Development - SUPA Psych

What is the main idea behind the term 'developmental psychology'?

Developmental psychology studies human growth from conception to death.

What is a cross-sectional study in human development?

A study that examines people of different ages at the same time, like comparing 2, 6, and 8 year olds in 2022.

What is a longitudinal study?

A study that follows the same group of people over a long period to evaluate changes in those individuals.

What are critical periods in prenatal development?

Specific times during pregnancy when exposure to toxins can have significant effects on the baby's development.

What does cephalocaudal mean in motor development?

Development and growth that occurs from the head downward to the feet.

what does proximodistal mean in motor development

development and growth that occurs from the middle of the body out to the periphery

What is the primary finding of Harry Harlow's experiment on attachment?

Baby monkeys preferred the comfort of a cloth mother over a wired mother that provided food. Comforting/loving mother is more important

John Bowlby theory of attachment

attachment has a biological and evolutionary basis - babies are cute so that we care for them

Mary Ainsworth’s Patterns of Attachment

describe the different ways children respond to their caregivers, including secure, avoidant, and anxious-ambivalent attachment styles.

What is the strange situation task designed to observe? (Mary Ainsworth)

Patterns of attachment between infants and their caregivers (departure from mother, mother returning, response to stranger)

What are the characteristics of secure attachment? (Mary Ainsworth)

(ideal attachment pattern, most common)

Children exhibit distress when separated from their mothers, avoidant of stranger when alone but friendly when mother is present, positive and happy upon reunion with mother, and use their mother as a safe base for exploration.

what are the characteristics of avoidant attachment? (Mary Ainsworth)

Children exhibit no distress when separated from their mothers, okay and plays normally when stranger is present, little interest upon reunion with mother, and mother and stranger comfort infant equally well

what are the characteristics of anxious / ambivalent attachment? (Mary ainsworth)

Children exhibit intense distress when separated from their mothers, infant / fears stranger, infant resists contact and pushes away upon reunion with mother, and cries more and explores less than other two types of attachment patterns

Jean Piaget stages of cognitive development

Sensorimotor (birth - age 2), Preoperational(ages 2 - 7), Concrete Operational (ages 7 - 11), Formal Operational (ages 12 and up).

Sensorimotor (Jean Piaget)

The first stage of cognitive development, where infants learn about the world through their senses and actions, developing object permanence.

what is the principle of object permanence in cognitive development

The understanding that objects continue to exist even when they cannot be seen or heard. (sensorimotor stage)

Preoperational (Jean Piaget)

The second stage of cognitive development, where children demonstrate ecocentrism, animism, and symbolic play. Have not mastered conservation due to centration and irreversibility

what is the principle of ecocentrism in cognitive development

Child’s inability to see the world from another person’s POV

ex. Child talking about something they see over the phone (if they can see it, you can see it)

a common feature of ecocentrism is animism

(preoperational stage)

what is the principle of animism in cognitive development

belief that inanimate objects have lifelike qualities or intentions

(preoperational stage)

what is the principle of symbolic play in cognitive development

beginnings of abstract thought

ex. using a remote as a car, roleplay as mom

(preoperational stage)

What is the principle of conservation in cognitive development?

The understanding that physical properties remain constant despite changes in appearance.

ex. water being poured into a bigger cup and thinking there is more water

(concrete operational, not preoperational due to centration and irreversibility)

What is the principle of centration in cognitive development?

the tendency to focus on one feature of a problem, neglecting other important aspects

ex. only considering the height of the water (not the width)

(preoperational stage)

What is the principle of irreversibility in cognitive development?

the inability to visualize actins being reversed

ex. water being poured back into original cup

(preoperational stage)

Concrete operational (Jean Piaget)

The third stage of cognitive development, where children master conservation and experience decentration and reversibility. Also decline in egocentrism

What is the principle of decentration in cognitive development?

focusing on more than one aspect of a problem at the same time

(concrete operational)

What is the principle of reversibility in cognitive development?

opposite of irreversibility

ex. visualizing water being poured back and realizing same amount

(concrete operational)

Formal Operational (Jean Piaget)

the third stage of cognitive development when children’s thinking becomes more abstract

What is Vygotsky's Sociocultural Theory

zone of proximal development - The range of tasks a child can complete with help, indicating their potential for learning. Learning through scaffolding

scaffolding (Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development)

the help or guidance received from an adult or more competent peer to permit the child to work within the ZPD

What are Kohlberg's levels of moral development?

Preconventional, conventional, and postconventional levels determining how moral reasoning develops.

preconventional moral development stage (Kohlberg)

• Moral reasoning exhibited by young children

• Lower level of moral reasoning

• More internal

• Punishment orientation: How can I avoid punishment?

  • Ex. Heinz shouldn't steal the drug because he might get caught and go to jail

• Self-concern: what's in it for me

  • Ex. Heinz should steal the drug because he will be much happier if he saves his wife

conventional moral development stage (Kohlberg)

• Moral reasoning exhibited by older kids

• More external - about you in society

• Good girl / good boy orientation: will others approve or disapprove

  • Ex. What would other people think of Heinz if he let his wife die

• Law and order orientation: is it against society's rules or laws

  • Ex. Although his wife needs the drug, Heinz should not break the law to get the drug

postconventional moral development stage (Kohlberg)

• Moral reasoning exhibited by adults

• Less rigid and more flexible thinking

• Individual rights to life

• Social contract orientation: what makes for a good society?

  • Ex. Heinz should steal the drug because everyone has a right to choose life, regardless of the law

• Universal ethical principles:

  • Ex. Heinz should steal the drug because saving a life is more fundamental value than the property rights of others

What is the focus of Carol Gilligan's revised view on moral development? (Gilligan’s ethics of care)

Her theory emphasizes relationships and compassion, rather than just justice and rights.

preconventional moral development stage (Gilligan)

• Preconventional (self-care and survival): in this stage the goal of a woman is to survive

  • She is focused on individuality and making sure that her basic needs have been met

  • The ability to meet personal needs takes a priority over the ability to meet the person needs of others

  • Ex. Heinz shouldn't steal the drug because he could get caught and go to jail, which would make things worse for him. He needs to find another way to help her without putting himself at risk

conventional moral development stage (Gilligan)

• Conventional (caring for others and self-sacrifice): in this stage, a woman recognizes the need to help other people and finds moral satisfaction in being able to meet those needs

  • Instead of focusing on her own self-survival, she is focused on helping others to survive in the best way possible

  • Ex. Heinz should steal the drug because his wife's life is more important than following the law. If he truly loves her he should do whatever it takes to save her; even if it means sacrificing his own safety and freedom

postconventional moral development (Gilligan)

• Postconventional (balancing care for self and others): in this stage, there is a principle of non-violence that applies to every decision that a woman makes

  • She does not wish to hurt herself or hurt others, looking for alternative methods to have needs met so that everyone can progress forward with their care

  • Ex. Heinz should try every possible legal option first, like negotiating with the pharmacist or seeking community help. If those fail, stealing might be justified because preserving life is more important than property laws, but he should also consider the consequences of his actions for both himself and his wife

What is Erikson's focus in his stages of psychosocial development?

The idea of a crisis at each developmental stage that must be navigated.