1. Introductory Psychology: Developmental Psychology
AP Psychology: Unit 8
Topic: Themes & Methods

2. Developmental Psychology

3. Developmental Psychology
The scientific study of the changes that occur in people from conception to death
“Womb to tomb”

5. Developmental Psychology: Themes
Part ONE

6. 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?

7. 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…

8. 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…

9. 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…

10. Developmental Psychology: Methods
Part two

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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?

14. 20-year-old participants 1970 2 40-year-old participants 1990 3
Study
Age
Studied In… 1
20-year-old participants
1970 2
40-year-old participants
1990 3
60-year-old participants
2010
Longitudinal
Group
Age
Studied In… 1
20-year-old participants
2010 2
40-year-old participants 3
60-year-old participants
Cross-Sectional
Study
Age
Studied In… 1
Group ONE: 20-year-old participants
Group TWO: 40-year-old participants
2010 2
Group ONE: 25-year-old participants
Group TWO: 45-year-old participants
2015
Cross-Sequential

15. 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