Chapter 1 - Developmental Theories

Development

Relatively permanent changes in behavior, thinking, or emotions over time

Nature and Nurture

The regular sequences of motor and speech development found in children were due to genetically directed maturation of the brain and body

Epigensis

A process in which certain molecules located alongside the DNA strand act to turn a gene on or off.

Continuity and Discontinuity

Theories tend to fall on a continuum between an emphasis on continuous change, a mixture of continuous and discontinuous change, and discontinuous changes/stages

Plasticity

The extent to which development can be modified by experience

Developmental cascade

Exposure to environmental risks that increase over time (almost exponential) and spread to other areas of development.

Vulnerability

Factors within the child or the child’s environment that lead to a higher risk of poor developmental outcomes

Resilience

Factors within the child or the environment that protect against risk or lessen the impact of risk factors.

(ACEs) Adverse Childhood Experiences

Any experience that might’ve a negative impact on children’s later health and development.

(PACEs) Protective and Compensatory Experience

Experiences or resources in the environment that prevent, mitigate or remediate negative health and behavioral outcomes.

Evolutionary Theories

Examine how humans adapt to the environment to survive.

Important names in Evolutionary Psychology

Konrad Lorenz (don’t forget his baby geese)

Ethology

Ethologists study animal and human behavior in natural settings and construct experiments to test their hypotheses about the biological and environmental factors influencing behavior.

Sensitive Period

A range of time when development is most affected by experience.

Bowlbys Theory of Attachment

Attachment in human beings is a complex system of behavior, involving both the child and the caregiver, which evolved to maximize the survival of babies.

Little Albert

Using classical conditioning scientist conditioned “Little Albert” to be afraid of animals with white fur.

Classic Cognitive Development Theories

Describe and explain how children’s thinking, language, memory, and other processes change with development.

Piaget’s Stage Theory

Children actively construct knowledge and organize it in SCHEMES

Important names in developmental theories

Vygotsky and the sociocultural theory

Developmental systems theories

Development influenced by components that interact over time. Usually involve the constant interplay of multiple factors

Structured Observation

The researcher places children in a situation designed to elicit certain behavior and records their responses