Introduction to Psychology Human Development

Developmental Psychology The focus of developmental psychology is on how humans develop and change over time Change can occur across the life span of the person Cradle to grave developmental psychology Assumes that change is inevitable Change can be continuous or discontinuous

Core Developmental Issues Delineate the interacting forces of nature and nurture Maturation: Refers to biologically determined changes that follow an orderly sequence Determine the importance of early experiences The notion of “critical periods” Assess whether change is continuous or in qualitative stages

Critical Periods Critical period concept suggests that the brain is set to acquire a function during a limited period of time. If key experiences do not occur during a critical time period, the function may not develop or may not be fully developed The case of Genie: a girl who was isolated until the age of 13. Although Genie made some gains in language, her syntax never approached normal levels. The case of Genie supports a critical period for language acquisition (yet some point to her gains later in life) Measles can cause mental retardation if contracted during certain fetal periods

Developmental Methodology Cross-sectional method compares groups of different ages at the same time Useful for assessing age differences Not useful for examining age changes The problem is that each age group (cohort) has different life experiences Longitudinal method compares same group at multiple time points Sequential studies examine different age groups at multiple time points (reduce cohort effects)

Physical Development Prenatal period has 3 phases: Germinal period (1st 2 weeks after conception) Embryonic period: 3rd to 8th weeks of gestation Fetal period: from 9 weeks to birth

Teratogens During the embryonic period, the developing fetus is susceptible to toxins Teratogens are environmental agents that harm the fetus (viruses, chemicals) Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: If the mother consumes alcohol during pregnancy, the fetus is exposed to the alcohol, which can lead to abnormal physical development and to learning disabilities Crack Cocaine: Fetal exposure to cocaine alters motor and emotional development

Infant Reflexes Reflexes are innate motor responses elicited by critical stimuli Reflexes are adaptive Examples of infant reflexes: Rooting reflex: A touch on the cheek induces the infant to move its mouth toward the source of the touch (helps guide feeding) Sucking reflex: Tactile stimulation of the mouth produces rhythmic sucking

Motor Development (Figure adapted from Frankenburg & Dodds, 1967).

Emotional Development Temperament Attachment: Secure Anxious-ambivalent Avoidant

Cognitive Development Piaget’s interest was epistemology: the branch of philosophy concerned with the acquisition of knowledge Piaget argued that children have schemas which are organized patterns of thought or behavior Cognitive development for Piaget involved the modification of intellectual schemas as the child seeks to understand its world

Assimilation and Accommodation The cognitive schemas developed by children must be able to handle new information and situations Piaget proposed 2 intellectual processes: Assimilation: Involves interpreting new information in light of an old schema All 4-legged animals are viewed as a “dog” Accommodation: Process by which old schemas are modified to fit new situations A horse is not a “dog”

Piaget’s Stage Theory Senorimotor period (birth to 2 years) Preoperational period (2 to 7 years) Concrete operational period (7 to 11) Formal operational period (11 to adult) - Centration, irreversibility, animism

Issues in Cognitive Development Object permanence refers to the realization by a child that an object continues to exist even if it cannot be seen Egocentrism refers to a cognitive view in which a child understands the world to have only their view (has great difficulty in understanding the views of others) Conservation: Understanding that the basic properties of an object are constant even if the object changes shape

Conservation Tasks

Moral Development Lawrence Kohlberg Preconventional – Punishment to Naïve Reward orientation Conventional – Good boy/Good girl to Authority orientation Post conventional – Social contract to Individual principles orientation

Personality Development Trust vs. Mistrust (1st year) Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt (2 - 3) Initiative vs. Guilt (4 - 6) Industry vs. Inferiority (6 - puberty) Identity vs. Confusion (Adolescence) Intimacy vs. Isolation (Early adulthood) Generativity vs. Self-Absorbtion (Middle adult) Integrity vs. Despair (Late adulthood)