1. Lecture Outline
What is development?
Domains of development
Types of developmental change
Goals of developmental psychology
Themes/Issues in developmental psychology
Research methods in developmental psychology

2. What is development?
Development refers to systematic changes in the individual that occur over time from conception to death

3. Domains of Development
Physical Development
Changes in the body and brain
Cognitive Development
Changes in thought, intelligence, and language
Socioemotional Development
Changes in relationships, emotions, and personality

4. Normative development
Types of development
Normative development
Involves typical or average patterns of change

5. Individual differences
Involves differences between individuals of approximately the same age

6. Goals of Developmental Psychology
Describe behavior and how it changes across development
Explain development
Identify the underlying processes or causes of change
Apply knowledge to help children develop in positive directions

7. Themes in Developmental Psychology
How do genetic/biological and environmental factors work together to shape development?

8. Is development continuous or discontinuous?

9. Continuous (Quantitative)
Gradual, small, steady increases in skills/abilities

10. Discontinuous (Qualitative)
Relatively abrupt changes (stages) that involve a re-organization of skills/abilities

12. How important is early experience in affecting later development?

13. Research Methods in Developmental Psychology
Hypothesis: A specific prediction that can be tested

14. Data Collection Techniques Systematic Observation (2 Types)
Naturalistic Observation
Observe child’s behavior in a natural environment
Exs: playground, school, home

15. Structured Observation:
Design a situation that will elicit relevant behavior(s)
Typically conducted in a laboratory setting
Observe different children in the same situation

16. General Disadvantages (Observation):

17. Self-report Measures Clinical Interviews
More “open-ended” questions—response choices are not limited
Ex: “Tell me about that”
Participants may be asked different questions (depending on their answers)

18. Structured interviews, questionnaires, and tests
More “close-ended” questions—response choices are limited
Ex: yes/no questions, rating scales, multiple choice questions
All participants are asked the same questions