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Developmental Psychology

Developmental Psychology. Developmental Psychology. Basic question: What shapes the way we change over time? Biological? Behavioral? Social? Cognitive?. Prenatal Development and the Newborn. Fundamental Issues: Is Development Continuous?.

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Developmental Psychology

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  1. Developmental Psychology

  2. Developmental Psychology • Basic question: What shapes the way we change over time? • Biological? Behavioral? Social? Cognitive?

  3. Prenatal Development and the Newborn

  4. Fundamental Issues: Is Development Continuous? • Development means change - change can be abrupt or gradual • Two views of human development: • stage theories: there are distinct phases to intellectual and personality development • continuity: development is continuous

  5. Fundamental Issues in Developmental Psychology • Critical period - Are there periods when an individual is particularly sensitive to certain environmental experiences? • EX: Language

  6. Developmental Research Methods • Cross-sectional - performance of people of different age groups is compared ( Kinsey) • Longitudinal - performance of one group of people is assessed repeatedly over time ( attachment) • Sequential - combines cross-sectional and longitudinal approaches in a single study

  7. Physical and Psychological Development Related • Physical development begins at conception • Physical maturity sets limits on psychological ability • EX:

  8. Prenatal Development • Conception - when a sperm penetrates the ovum • Zygote - a fertilized egg • Germinal period - first two weeks after conception • Embryonic period - weeks three through eight after conception • Fetal period - two months after conception until birth

  9. Prenatal Development: • http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/miracle/program.html#

  10. Prenatal Influences on Development • Teratogen - any agent that causes a birth defect (e.g., drugs, radiation, viruses) • Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) • EX:

  11. Infant Abilities • Infants are born with immature visual system • can detect movement and large objects • Other senses function well on day 1 • Sounds, Smell, Taste.

  12. Infant Vision • http://www.pbs.org/wnet/brain/episode1/infantvision/flash.html

  13. Infant Reflexes • Rooting - turning the head and opening the mouth in the direction of a touch on the cheek • Sucking - sucking rhythmically in response to oral stimulation • Babinski - fanning and curling toes when foot is stroked

  14. Infancy and Childhood: Physical Development

  15. Methods for Studying Infants • Infant reflexes provide insight into their mental life- • How can we tell? • gaze duration related to visual perception • head turning related to auditory attention • sucking, reaching, kicking can be used to measure interest

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