Psych 1A: Developmental Psychology

Aim of developmental psychology

Understand age-related changes throughout lifespan

Continuity

Gradual quantitative change in amount of skills/behaviours

Discontinuity

Abrupt qualitative change in kind of skills/behaviours

Longitudinal design

Same participants studied over a period of time

Disadvantages of longitudinal design

Time consuming, expensive, generational and practice effects

Cross-sectional design

Participants from different age groups studied at same point in time

Cohort effects

Possibility of differences other than age influence results

Critical period

Certain experience is crucial for particular part of development

Sensitive period

Experience optimal for development of a function

Teratogens

Substances harmful to prenatal organism