An Introduction to Development: Fundamental Issues in Developmental Psychology

What is Developmental Psych? Basic question: What shapes the way we change over time? Developmental Psychology - the study of how people change physically, mentally, and socially throughout the lifespan At every age and stage of life, developmental psychologists investigate the influence of multiple factors on development, including: Biological Environmental Social Cultural Behavioral factors

DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY’S MAJOR ISSUES: How does our genetic inheritance interact with our experiences in development? Study similarities caused by our shared biology How do we learn ways of thinking of acting from those around us? Biological, psychological & social forces interact

DEVELOPMENT’S MAJOR ISSUES: Development means change – change can be abrupt or gradual

Types of Growth Patterns

DEVELOPMENT’S MAJOR ISSUES: Stability & Change What developmental traits remain stable over time, and which change? Studies show our temperament (emotional reactivity & intensity) is stable over time. As we grow older, our personality stabilizes. Social Attitudes change with time Stability give us an identity while Change allows give us hope to make ourselves better

Developmental Research Methods: Cross-sectional - performance of people of different age groups is compared Longitudinal - performance of one group of people is assessed repeatedly over time Meta-Analysis – combining the findings of many independent studies