AP PSYCHOLOGY: UNIT III Introductory Psychology: Developmental Psychology Topic: Themes & Methods

Developmental Psychology

 The scientific study of the changes that occur in people from conception to death  “Womb to tomb”

PART ONE Developmental Psychology: Themes

Developmental: Themes Three MAJOR themes in developmental…  Nature v. Nurture  How do genetic inheritance & experience influence our behavior?  Continuity v. Stages  Is development a gradual & continuous process or a sequence of separate stages?  Stability v. Change  Do our early personality traits persist through life or do we become different people as we age?

Developmental: Themes Theme #1: Nature v. Nurture  Agree or Disagree?  Differences in male and female behavior are more the result of socialization than biology…  Individual genetic makeup more than experience explains why some children are strong-willed and other are compliant…  Nature rather than nurture shapes whether adults tend to be optimistic or pessimistic about life…

Developmental: Themes Theme #2: Continuity v. Stages  Agree or Disagree?  Human development is better thought of as a slow, continuous process rather than as a series of steps…  Adult life consists of a series of unique challenges each defining a new stage of life…  The child’s understanding of the world unfolds slowly and gradually rather than through discrete stages…

Developmental: Themes Theme #3: Stability v. Change  Agree or Disagree?  A person who is socially outgoing as a child is also likely to be a socially outgoing adult…  People of one age think and act very differently when they arrive at a later age…  An adolescent with low self-esteem is also likely to feel less than worthy as an adult…

PART TWO Developmental Psychology: Methods

Developmental: Methods Cross-Sectional Studies  Participants of various ages are compared at one point in time to determine age-related differences (SNAPSHOTS)  Advantages Inexpensive Quickly completed Low attrition rate  Disadvantages Different age groups are not necessarily alike Differences may be attributed to cohort differences as opposed to age differences

Developmental: Methods Longitudinal Studies  The same participants are studied at various ages to determine age-related changes (MOVING PICTURES)  Advantages Detailed information In-depth study of developmental changes Eliminates cohort differences  Disadvantages Expensive & time consuming Potential for high attrition rate Differences over time may be attributed to assessment tools, not necessarily age

Developmental: Methods Cross-Sequential Studies  Different participants of various ages are compared at several points in time, to determine both age- related differences and age-related changes  Combination of cross-sectional and longitudinal studies  Benefits?

StudyAgeStudied In… 120-year-old participants year-old participants year-old participants2010 GroupAgeStudied In… 120-year-old participants year-old participants year-old participants2010 StudyAgeStudied In… 1Group ONE: 20-year-old participants Group TWO: 40-year-old participants Group ONE: 25-year-old participants Group TWO: 45-year-old participants 2015 Longitudinal Cross-Sequential Cross-Sectional

Developmental: Methods Biographical/Retrospective Studies  A participant’s past is reconstructed through interviews and other research about their life  Advantages In-depth & detailed study of one person  Disadvantages Personal recall may not be accurate Expensive and time consuming