1 / 28

Understanding Developmental Theories for Coherent Views

Explore the importance of theories in developmental psychology, analyzing key dimensions and criteria for judging theories, research designs, and the role of nature versus nurture. Dive into behavioral systems theory, models of development, and principles of dynamical systems. Discover how transaction of factors influences developmental outcomes.

greenlaw
Download Presentation

Understanding Developmental Theories for Coherent Views

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Developmental Theory Chapter 2 Novak & Pelaez

  2. The Importance of Theories • Organize & bring Coherence to views • Worldviews – overarching viewpoints that bias our observations • Pepper’s Worldviews • Mechanistic • Organismic • Contextualistic (Behavioral Systems Theory) Novak & Pelaez

  3. Dimensions on Which Theories Differ • Structure vs. function • Description vs. explanation • Nature vs. nurture • Continuity vs. discontinuity Novak & Pelaez

  4. Dimensions on Which Theories Differ • Description versus Explanation • Explanation • Prediction • Control • Circular Explanations • Reification Putting the cause inside the child Behaviors become explanations e.g., dyslexia; autism • Real Explanations • “Under what conditions?” not Why? Novak & Pelaez

  5. Nature versus Nurture • False Dichotomy • “How” do nature and nurture interact • Not “How Much?” • Nature & nurture are both a function of selection by consequences (Skinner) • Nature & nurture are not causes but processes and products (Oyama). Novak & Pelaez

  6. Judging Developmental Theories - Nine Criteria • 1) Accuracy • 2) Clarity • 3) Predictability • 4) Practicality • 5) Internal Consistency • 6) Parsimony • 7) Testable • 8) Productivity • 9) Self-Satisfying Novak & Pelaez

  7. Group Research Designs in Studying Behavioral Development • Cross-sectional • Problems- Cohort Effects • Longitudinal • Problems- • Practice Effects • Selective Attrition • Sequential – Combination of Cross-Sectional & Longitudinal Novak & Pelaez

  8. The problem with using age as a variable • Age is an empty variable • Focus should be on the process variables that produce behavior and are correlated with age. Novak & Pelaez

  9. Behavioral research methods – Single Subject Designs • Functional Analysis- manipulate variables to see cause-effect relations. Novak & Pelaez

  10. Behavioral Research Designs • ABAB reversal design • Multiple-treatments (alternating treatments) design • Multiple treatments designs • Changing Criterion designs • Combined within & between subjects designs Novak & Pelaez

  11. ABehavioral Systems Approach Novak & Pelaez

  12. Transaction of 5 Factors • Genetic-Constitutional Make-up • History of Interactions • Current Physiological Conditions • Current Environmental Conditions • Behavioral Dynamics Novak & Pelaez

  13. Principles of Dynamical Systems • Multiple Determination • Multiple Determination means Equifinality • Models of Development • Nonlinearity • Phase Shifts = Developmental Stages • Coalescent Organization • Selectionism • Behavioral Attractor States • Developmental Trajectories Novak & Pelaez

  14. Multiple Determinism • Transaction of 5 Factors • Sensitivity to Initial Conditions - Butterfly Effect • Leading Parts - Disproportionate Influence • “Impossible” to predict outcomes • Equifinality is the norm Novak & Pelaez

  15. Equifinality ` Novak & Pelaez

  16. Models of Development Novak & Pelaez

  17. Linear Model Novak & Pelaez

  18. Transactional Model A B Novak & Pelaez

  19. Nonlinear Model Novak & Pelaez

  20. Emergent Properties & Phase Shifts • Sudden, nonlinear changes (e.g., A to X) • Qualitative Difference • Result of Coalescent Organization • Result is “Organized” • When Universal, called “Stage” Novak & Pelaez

  21. Coalescent Organization • Multiple Determinants • Coming together of all conditions leads to reorganization of organism/behavior Novak & Pelaez

  22. Selectionism: Organization by Consequences • Phylogenic Selection – Changes in species • Ontogenic Selection – Changes in individuals (learning) • Cultural Selection – Changes in cultures • Any selection requires variability Novak & Pelaez

  23. Selectionism - 3 Requirements • Variability (Response Classes) • Selection • Ontogenic - Natural Selection • Phylogenic - contingencies of learning • Retention (Physiology) Novak & Pelaez

  24. Behavioral Attractors • Organized patterns of behavior • “Soft” (loose) assemblies • Assembled by Consequences • Form (Structure) follows Function Novak & Pelaez

  25. Developmental Trajectories • Behavioral Momentum • Stability vs. Phase Shifts Novak & Pelaez

  26. “Behavioral Cusps” not “Stages” • Cusps are important new behaviors that emerge that enable the development of many other behaviors. (e.g., walking; reading). Novak & Pelaez

  27. An Organism-Environment Model (Horowitz, 1987) • Organismic Dimension • Impaired to unimpaired • Vulnerable to nonvulnerable • Environment Dimension • Non-facilitative to facilitative Novak & Pelaez

  28. The transaction of organismic & environmental variables produces • Developmental Outcome • Minimal to Optimal Novak & Pelaez

More Related