PSY2001/L01/01^ Thu Sep 26 10:05:00 BST 2024
Introduction
Welcome to Stage Two Developmental Psychology.
The session will serve as a refresher on topics from last year's course with new additions on research methods and designs.
Details will be provided for new students or those who studied abroad.
Course Structure
Credits and Duration: 10 credits, first hour of a two-hour session.
Interactive Activities: Engagement through group work.
Assessment:
Only through an exam (50% Multiple Choice Questions, 50% Essay).
Emphasis on preparatory activities for essay writing, as many students feel less confident in essay skills.
Key to Success
Reading Early: Start reading early to avoid stress and aid retention in long-term memory.
Canvas Access: All materials will be on Canvas; reach out for format adjustments if needed.
Recaps and Discussions: Each lecture will recap previous content, and a discussion board will be available for questions.
Module Leads and Guest Lecturers
Module lead will conduct majority of lectures; two guest lecturers (Cognition and Language experts) will join later.
Instructor has a background in comparative psychology involving non-human animals, available for discussions on related topics.
Science Adventures Plug
Fun initiative occurring in October and February, aimed at students pursuing psychology.
Involves working with children, improving CVs, and communication skills.
Halloween-themed this year; encouraged to wear costumes (not too scary).
Module Overview
Focus: Early development and its profound changes, extending into adolescence and adulthood.
Each lecture will target specific areas with in-depth discussions on research methods and the evolution of understanding over time.
Core Aim: Optimize human development through applied findings from developmental psychology.
Research Methods and Challenges
Challenges of developmental research discussed: age influences, cohort effects, and individual variability.
Emphasized importance of addressing the intricacies of lifespan development, including:
Biological and cultural factors that influence individual growth.
Historical events that affect specific cohorts (e.g., Covid-19).
Research Study Designs
Cross-sectional Studies: Handle many participants across different ages simultaneously, economical but risks cohort effects and individual variability confounding results.
Longitudinal Studies: Same participants across time, minimizes individual variance but time-consuming and risks attrition impacting data quality.
Cohort-sequential Designs: Combine cross-sectional and longitudinal data to mitigate individual differences, but complex and often hard to fund.
Influences on Development
Discussed fundamental influences on human development including genetics, culture, environment, and trauma.
Nature vs. Nurture: Emphasizes interaction; exploration of how both shape individuals rather than being stand-alone contributors.
Examples: Relationships between home book availability and children's reading abilities (environment) alongside genetic predispositions.
Major Psychological Theories
Continuity vs. Discontinuity in Development
This concept revolves around the debate in developmental psychology regarding whether development is a smooth, continuous process or whether it consists of distinct, qualitative stages.
Continuity suggests that development is a gradual, cumulative process, where changes occur in a more linear and consistent manner. For example, children learning to speak may do so at different rates, but the progression toward fluent communication involves building upon previous language skills in a continuous fashion.
Discontinuity, on the other hand, argues that development involves distinct stages that are qualitatively different from one another. Each stage is marked by unique characteristics and abilities that may not be present in the previous stage. For instance, Jean Piaget’s theory of cognitive development outlines stages such as the sensorimotor and preoperational stages, each with its own specific cognitive capabilities.
Cultural and Personal Context: The perceptions of stability and change during one's development are often influenced by personal life experiences and cultural contexts. Individuals may reflect on specific childhood events that instigate significant transformation, leading to differing views on whether their growth was linear or marked by sudden changes.
Implications for Understanding Development: Understanding the continuum or distinct stages of development has implications for educational approaches, psychological interventions, and parenting styles. For example, recognizing discontinuous growth could lead to teaching methods that accommodate varying developmental stages in children, whereas a focus on continuity might encourage maintaining a consistent approach throughout learning.
The debate also raises essential questions about how we measure development. Should we look for gradual changes or distinct milestones? This complexity emphasizes the need for researchers to adopt multifaceted approaches that respect both perspectives in the study of human development.
Practical Application of Findings
Importance of applying developmental psychology to real-life situations, such as educational practices and social programs.
Consideration of how psychological research can address systemic issues such as cognitive decline in elderly populations and child welfare through legislation and practices.
The Nature of Human Development
Fragility in universal assumptions about developmental milestones; understanding is contingent on cultural practices.
Examples highlighting that developmental research has historically focused on Western populations, necessitating broader cultural representation.
Evolutionary Psychology Context
Understanding of human behavior and traits through the lens of evolutionary history; analysis of male and female roles in historic survival contexts.
Examining cultural influences on perceived gender differences in behavior (e.g., spatial skills).
Closing Remarks
Uplifted spirit with humor and camaraderie expressed by instructor.
Acknowledgment of cultural biases in academic research and the need to critically assess them.
Encouraged sharing of personal baby photos for an inclusive classroom experience in upcoming lectures.