Developmental Psychology Key Concepts and Theories

Developmental Psychology Overview

• Definition: Study of how individuals change and develop throughout their lifespan.
• Key Areas of Focus:
  • Biological Development
  • Cognitive Development
  • Psychosocial Development

Normative Approach in Childhood Development

• Developmental Milestones: Norms established by studying large groups of children to determine typical ages for certain skills or behaviors (e.g., walking, talking).
  • Examples:
  • First steps taken typically around 12 months.
  • First words spoken around 12-18 months.
• Purpose: To assess whether a child is on track with development compared to norms.

Types of Development

• Biological Milestones: Changes that occur universally, such as puberty.
• Social Milestones: Vary by culture and can occur at different ages (e.g., starting school, marriage).

Continuous vs. Discontinuous Development

• Continuous Development: Gradual changes over time.
  • Example: Height changes gradually throughout growth phases.
• Discontinuous Development: Notable shifts or stages in development, often described by stage theories.
  • Example: A sudden change from pre-adulthood to adulthood.

Freud's Stages of Psychosexual Development

1. Oral Stage (0-1.5 years)
   • Focus on oral gratification; major developmental task is weaning.
   • Fixation leads to behaviors like smoking or overeating (oral fixation).
2. Anal Stage (1.5-3 years)
   • Focus on toilet training; success leads to autonomy, struggle leads to anal-retentiveness or anal-expulsiveness.
3. Phallic Stage (3-6 years)
   • Identification with same-sex parent; resolution of Oedipus complex (male) and Electra complex (female).
4. Latency Stage (6-12 years)
   • A time of social and intellectual learning, with little psychosexual development.
5. Genital Stage (12 years onward)
   • Maturation of sexual interests; focus on developing healthy relationships.

Erikson's Psychosocial Development Stages

• Trust vs. Mistrust (0-1 year): Develops trust when caregivers provide reliability, care, and affection.
• Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt (1-3 years): Encouraged to explore and gain independence or feel shame.
• Initiative vs. Guilt (3-6 years): Initiative led by play and social interaction; guilt if they feel they overstepped.
• Industry vs. Inferiority (6-12 years): Social interactions in school; success leads to a sense of competence.
• Identity vs. Role Confusion (12-18 years): Exploring independence and developing a self-identity.
• Intimacy vs. Isolation (early adulthood): Outgoing relationships and connections; isolation leads to loneliness.
• Generativity vs. Stagnation (middle adulthood): Contributing to society and helping future generations or feeling unproductive.
• Integrity vs. Despair (65+ years): Reflecting on life; feelings of fulfillment lead to integrity or regret lead to despair.

Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development

1. Sensorimotor Stage (0-2 years)
   • Understanding the world through sensory and motor activity.
   • Key concepts:
     • Object permanence (understanding that objects exist even when out of sight).
2. Preoperational Stage (2-7 years)
   • Development of language and imagination; egocentric thinking (difficulty in seeing perspectives other than their own).
3. Concrete Operational Stage (7-11 years)
   • Development of logical reasoning based on concrete objects; mastery of concepts of conservation and reversibility.
4. Formal Operational Stage (11+ years)
   • Ability to perform abstract reasoning and hypothetical thinking.

Kohlberg's Theory of Moral Development

• Preconventional Morality: Decisions based on self-interest or avoiding punishment.
• Conventional Morality: Decisions based on societal norms or approval.
• Postconventional Morality: Decisions based on personal moral principles that may conflict with laws.
  • Example: Choosing to help others escape an unjust law rather than obeying the law.

Conclusion

• Development is a complex interplay of biological, cognitive, and psychosocial factors that unfold across the entire lifespan. Theoretical frameworks such as Freud's and Erikson's provide essential insights into psychological development stages, while Piaget and Kohlberg offer perspectives on cognitive and moral growth, respectively. Understanding these frameworks can help in recognizing individual differences in development and addressing challenges accordingly.