Human Development Infancy to Childhood

Motivator Take five minutes to answer this question: Why should psychologists study development in infancy and childhood?

Benefits of studying development of infants and children Early childhood experiences affect adolescent and adult behavior Studying infants and young children give insight into developmental problems and their causes as well as possible treatment

Focus of developmental studies Nature v. nurture: are human behaviors largely the result of heredity(nature) or the environment (nurture) Arnold Gesell: maturation, the automatic and sequential process of development as a result of genetic signals) plays a key role in development (nature) The infant demonstrates the skill when they are “ready”, and at the critical stage, the period of time when they are best suited to learn the skill

John Watson: environment plays a stronger role in the development of behavior John Locke: tabula rasa, blank slate

Continuity v. stage: Does development occur in distinct stages (nature) or gradually in a steady progression?

Methods of studying development Longitudinal v. cross sectional Longitudinal: follows one group or and individual subject over a period of time Cross sectional: studies a sample of subjects at different ages and compares the development over time

Advantages/disadvantages Longitudinal: Advantages: follows one group, data highly reliable Disadvantages: time consuming, expensive, loss of participants Cross sectional: Disadvantages: less reliable, unable to determine what is really responsible for the changes Advantage: shorter period of time, allows for generalization

Reflection Which do you think is most responsible for human behavior, nature or nurture? Why