Developmental Psychology

Continuous Development

Smooth and stable uniform change often quantitatively measured.

Discontinuous Development

Abrupt, dramatic changes and hitting major milestones,

often studied qualitatively.

Post Hoc Fallacy

False assumption that an event causes another because it precedes it.

Example of Post Hoc Fallacy in Human Development

A child who was spanked as a toddler later exhibits aggressive behaviour, one might assume that spanking caused the aggression. However, other factors could have influenced the aggression.

Why is human development a “two-way street”

This implies a reciprocal relationship where both the individual and the environment have an impact on each other.

The environment plays a crucial role in shaping a child's development, but the child's behaviour characteristics influence how they are interact with their environment

Cross-Sectional Design

Studies of people of different ages at a single point in time, are limited by cohort effects.

Cohort Effect

Effect observed in a sample of participants that result from people in a sample that grew up in the same time

E.g. People who grew up in the 2000s may know how to use technology better than those who grew up in 1950s

Problem of cohort effect

We cannot see how beliefs, behaviours, and thoughts evolve overtime

Longitudinal Design

Studies of the same group over time

Why are longitudinal designs beneficial?

Examines true development overtime

Problem of longitudinal design:

It is prone to many influences/factors of an individuals life and is expensive

Nature vs Nurture

Interaction between genetic predispositions and environmental influences.

Gene-Environment Interaction

Impact of genes depends on the environment in which behavior develops.

Warrior Gene

MAOA gene breaking down serotonin which can lead to impulsivity and violence.

Nature via Nurture

Genetic predispositions can drive us to select and create particular environments

Gene Expression

Some genes activate in response to environmental events, like anxiety triggered by a family member's death.