Developmental Psychology 1

Important Issues in Development:

• Different statements to evaluate the impact on child development:
• Cognitive videos boost intelligence? False
• Baby talk delays normal speech? False
• Imaginary friends indicate social issues? False
• Praise undermines perseverance? False

Theories of Development:

• Nativism (Innate): Children are born with abilities that develop naturally.
• Example: Color perception, puberty.
• Empiricism (Learned): Skills are learned through experience.
• Example: Reading.

Stages of Development:

• Stage-Theories: Development through universal stages.
• Continuous-Theories: Development is fluid and abilities can emerge at any time.

Developmental Periods:

• Newborns: 0-3 months
• Infants: 3-12 months
• Toddlers: 12-24 months
• Preschoolers: 3-6 years
• School-aged: 6-12 years
• Adolescents: 12-18 years

Developmental Research Methods:

• Cross-Sectional Design:
• Study participants from different ages at the same time.
• Pros: Quick and easy.
• Cons: Cohort effects can skew results.
• Longitudinal Design:
• Follow the same group over time.
• Pros: Eliminates cohort effects.
• Cons: Time-intensive and costly with dropout risk.

Behaviour Measurement Strategies:

1. Universal Behaviours: Observational behaviours present in all.
2. Looking Preferences: Measuring visual attention in infants.
3. Searching and Foraging: Examining memory through exploration tasks.
4. Embedding Into Games: Using playful instruments to engage.

Key Research Studies:

• Habituation: Repeated exposure to a stimulus, then introducing a new one to measure differentiation in babies' attention.
• Face Preference Study: Newborns favor face-like displays.
• Number Discrimination Study: 6-month-olds show preference when bored with numbers.

Prenatal Development Importance:

• Prenatal: Development during the ~40 weeks before birth.
• Fetuses experience variables, affecting post-birth preferences.
• Potential Risks: Exposure to teratogens can hinder development.

Genetic Disorders:

• Down Syndrome (DS):
• Caused by an extra chromosome (21).
• Symptoms include delays and moderate intellectual disability.
• Williams Syndrome (WS):
• Affected by deletion of genes on chromosome 7.
• Unique symptom profile with intellectual challenges but preserved language skills.