Developmental Psychology Reviewer
Development: The changes in physical, cognitive, and social abilities that occur throughout the lifespan
Important Issues: Nature vs. Nurture , Stability vs. Change, Continuity vs. Stage
Research Methods:
1.Longitudinal Method: Study one group of people over long period of time
2.Cross-Sectional Method: Study different age groups at the same time
Prenatal Development
Three Stages:
1.Germinal Stage: Zygote -Conception to 2 weeks
2.Embryonic Stage -2 weeks to 2 months
3.Fetal Stage -2 months to birth
Prenatal Nutrition: Teratogens
Motor Development
*Cephalocaudal - Development from head to foot
*Proximodistal -Development from center outward
*Maturation -Unfolding of genetic blueprint
*Developmental Norms –Median age for behaviors to appear
Perception
1.Vision
-At birth an infant can see in color
-At birth child prefers human faces
-By age 6 months acuity matches an adults
2.Hearing
-Auditory localization, distinguish voices and speech
Personality Development
*Temperament
-Established within first few months of life
-Remains stable through life
-Primarily depends on genes
*Uninhibited -Easily approach unfamiliar people, objects, situations
*Inhibited -Tend to be fearful of unfamiliar people, objects, situations
*Easy Children -Happy, easy-going
*Slow to Warm-up Children -Less happy, slowly adapt to change
*Difficult Children -Downcast, resist change
Erik Erikson’s
Theory of Personality Development
Eight Stage Theory
Focuses on psychosocial development
Personality development through social interactions
Attachment Theory
*Attachment is a deep and enduring emotional bond that connects one person to another across time and space.
*The behavioral theory of attachment stated that the child becomes attached to the mother because she fed the infant.
*Bowlby defined attachment as a “lasting psychological connectedness between human beings”
*According to Bowlby infants have a universal need to seek
Important Issues: Nature vs. Nurture , Stability vs. Change, Continuity vs. Stage
Research Methods:
1.Longitudinal Method: Study one group of people over long period of time
2.Cross-Sectional Method: Study different age groups at the same time
Prenatal Development
Three Stages:
1.Germinal Stage: Zygote -Conception to 2 weeks
2.Embryonic Stage -2 weeks to 2 months
3.Fetal Stage -2 months to birth
Prenatal Nutrition: Teratogens
Motor Development
*Cephalocaudal - Development from head to foot
*Proximodistal -Development from center outward
*Maturation -Unfolding of genetic blueprint
*Developmental Norms –Median age for behaviors to appear
Perception
1.Vision
-At birth an infant can see in color
-At birth child prefers human faces
-By age 6 months acuity matches an adults
2.Hearing
-Auditory localization, distinguish voices and speech
Personality Development
*Temperament
-Established within first few months of life
-Remains stable through life
-Primarily depends on genes
*Uninhibited -Easily approach unfamiliar people, objects, situations
*Inhibited -Tend to be fearful of unfamiliar people, objects, situations
*Easy Children -Happy, easy-going
*Slow to Warm-up Children -Less happy, slowly adapt to change
*Difficult Children -Downcast, resist change
Erik Erikson’s
Theory of Personality Development
Eight Stage Theory
Focuses on psychosocial development
Personality development through social interactions
Attachment Theory
*Attachment is a deep and enduring emotional bond that connects one person to another across time and space.
*The behavioral theory of attachment stated that the child becomes attached to the mother because she fed the infant.
*Bowlby defined attachment as a “lasting psychological connectedness between human beings”
*According to Bowlby infants have a universal need to seek