⋆ ⋆ ⋆
]]
PYC4805: Developmental Psychology
May/June Examination 2026 — Covering Past Papers 2023 to 2025
⋆ ⋄ ⋆ ⋄ ⋆ ⋄ ⋆ ⋄ ⋆
Psychology Honours — Lifespan Developmental Psychology
Exam Revision Guide
PYC4805
Module Code:
Developmental Psychology
Module Name:
May/June 2023, 2024, 2025
Papers Covered:
3 Hours
Exam Duration:
75 Marks
Total Marks:
Child Development OR Adult Development
Format:
Understand deeply — apply theory to real-world contexts. This guide covers
both Child and Adult Development sections.
Exam Revision Notes | PYC4805 | 2023–2025
,PYC4805 | Exam Revision 2023–2025 Developmental Psychology
How to Use This Revision Guide
This revision guide reconstructs the question style and content of the PYC4805 De-
velopmental Psychology May/June examinations for 2023, 2024, and 2025, based
on publicly available UNISA tutorial letters, past paper structures, and the prescribed
textbook (Kail, Cavanaugh & Muller, 2019).
Exam Structure:
• 75 marks · 3 hours · Closed book
• Section A: Child and Adolescent Development (choose this OR Section B)
• Section B: Adult Development and Ageing (choose this OR Section A)
• Each section contains approximately 3–4 essay questions totalling 75 marks
• Answers require theoretical discussion, application, and real-world examples
Mark allocation guide: 1 mark ≈ 1 substantive point with elaboration.
SECTION A — MAY/JUNE 2025: CHILD AND
ADOLESCENT DEVELOPMENT
Page 2 of 21 •
,PYC4805 | Exam Revision 2023–2025 Developmental Psychology
2025 – Question 1 25 marks
Question: Research designs are central to understanding how development unfolds across
the lifespan. Compare and contrast the cross-sectional, longitudinal, and sequential
research designs used in developmental psychology, highlighting the advantages and disad-
vantages of each. Provide a relevant example to illustrate each design. [25
marks]
Answer:
Key Concept
Developmental psychologists use special research designs because they must
track change over time. Each design balances internal validity, practical fea-
sibility, and the ability to separate age effects from cohort effects and time-of-
measurement effects.
1. Cross-Sectional Design
A cross-sectional study compares different age groups at one point in time. Re-
searchers measure participants of various ages simultaneously and infer developmental
change from the differences between groups.
• Advantage: Quick and cost-effective; no risk of participant attrition; can test many
age groups simultaneously.
• Disadvantage: Cannot track individual change over time; vulnerable to cohort ef-
fects (generational differences may masquerade as age effects). For example, older
cohorts may have had less education, influencing cognitive scores.
• Example: Comparing vocabulary size of 5-year-olds, 10-year-olds, and 15-year-olds
at a single testing session.
2. Longitudinal Design
A longitudinal study follows the same participants over an extended period, re-
testing them at multiple time points.
• Advantage: Captures real developmental change within individuals; allows study of
stability and continuity; reveals individual trajectories.
Page 3 of 21 •
, PYC4805 | Exam Revision 2023–2025 Developmental Psychology
• Disadvantage: Time-consuming and expensive; subject to attrition (selective
dropout); practice effects (repeated testing may improve scores); only one cohort is
represented.
• Example: Tracking the same group of children from birth to age 18 to study lan-
guage acquisition, cognitive development, and social competence.
3. Sequential (Cross-Sequential) Design
A sequential design combines cross-sectional and longitudinal methods by following
multiple cohorts over time. Different age groups are recruited at the same starting
point and then each is followed longitudinally.
• Advantage: Can separate age effects, cohort effects, and time-of-measurement
effects; more comprehensive than either design alone; reduces attrition risk.
• Disadvantage: Very expensive and logistically complex; still may not fully disen-
tangle all confounds.
• Example: In 2015, recruiting cohorts aged 5, 10, and 15, then re-testing all three
groups in 2020 and 2025, allowing comparisons both across ages and across time.
Feature Cross-Sectional Longitudinal Sequential
Time required Short Long Medium–Long
Cost Low High High
Tracks individuals No Yes Yes
Cohort effects Not controlled Not controlled Partially controlled
Attrition risk None High Moderate
Exam Tip
For 25 marks, always define each design, compare with a table, state advantages
and disadvantages, AND give a concrete example. Mentioning cohort effects,
time-of-measurement effects, and attrition will earn you distinction marks.
Page 4 of 21 •
]]
PYC4805: Developmental Psychology
May/June Examination 2026 — Covering Past Papers 2023 to 2025
⋆ ⋄ ⋆ ⋄ ⋆ ⋄ ⋆ ⋄ ⋆
Psychology Honours — Lifespan Developmental Psychology
Exam Revision Guide
PYC4805
Module Code:
Developmental Psychology
Module Name:
May/June 2023, 2024, 2025
Papers Covered:
3 Hours
Exam Duration:
75 Marks
Total Marks:
Child Development OR Adult Development
Format:
Understand deeply — apply theory to real-world contexts. This guide covers
both Child and Adult Development sections.
Exam Revision Notes | PYC4805 | 2023–2025
,PYC4805 | Exam Revision 2023–2025 Developmental Psychology
How to Use This Revision Guide
This revision guide reconstructs the question style and content of the PYC4805 De-
velopmental Psychology May/June examinations for 2023, 2024, and 2025, based
on publicly available UNISA tutorial letters, past paper structures, and the prescribed
textbook (Kail, Cavanaugh & Muller, 2019).
Exam Structure:
• 75 marks · 3 hours · Closed book
• Section A: Child and Adolescent Development (choose this OR Section B)
• Section B: Adult Development and Ageing (choose this OR Section A)
• Each section contains approximately 3–4 essay questions totalling 75 marks
• Answers require theoretical discussion, application, and real-world examples
Mark allocation guide: 1 mark ≈ 1 substantive point with elaboration.
SECTION A — MAY/JUNE 2025: CHILD AND
ADOLESCENT DEVELOPMENT
Page 2 of 21 •
,PYC4805 | Exam Revision 2023–2025 Developmental Psychology
2025 – Question 1 25 marks
Question: Research designs are central to understanding how development unfolds across
the lifespan. Compare and contrast the cross-sectional, longitudinal, and sequential
research designs used in developmental psychology, highlighting the advantages and disad-
vantages of each. Provide a relevant example to illustrate each design. [25
marks]
Answer:
Key Concept
Developmental psychologists use special research designs because they must
track change over time. Each design balances internal validity, practical fea-
sibility, and the ability to separate age effects from cohort effects and time-of-
measurement effects.
1. Cross-Sectional Design
A cross-sectional study compares different age groups at one point in time. Re-
searchers measure participants of various ages simultaneously and infer developmental
change from the differences between groups.
• Advantage: Quick and cost-effective; no risk of participant attrition; can test many
age groups simultaneously.
• Disadvantage: Cannot track individual change over time; vulnerable to cohort ef-
fects (generational differences may masquerade as age effects). For example, older
cohorts may have had less education, influencing cognitive scores.
• Example: Comparing vocabulary size of 5-year-olds, 10-year-olds, and 15-year-olds
at a single testing session.
2. Longitudinal Design
A longitudinal study follows the same participants over an extended period, re-
testing them at multiple time points.
• Advantage: Captures real developmental change within individuals; allows study of
stability and continuity; reveals individual trajectories.
Page 3 of 21 •
, PYC4805 | Exam Revision 2023–2025 Developmental Psychology
• Disadvantage: Time-consuming and expensive; subject to attrition (selective
dropout); practice effects (repeated testing may improve scores); only one cohort is
represented.
• Example: Tracking the same group of children from birth to age 18 to study lan-
guage acquisition, cognitive development, and social competence.
3. Sequential (Cross-Sequential) Design
A sequential design combines cross-sectional and longitudinal methods by following
multiple cohorts over time. Different age groups are recruited at the same starting
point and then each is followed longitudinally.
• Advantage: Can separate age effects, cohort effects, and time-of-measurement
effects; more comprehensive than either design alone; reduces attrition risk.
• Disadvantage: Very expensive and logistically complex; still may not fully disen-
tangle all confounds.
• Example: In 2015, recruiting cohorts aged 5, 10, and 15, then re-testing all three
groups in 2020 and 2025, allowing comparisons both across ages and across time.
Feature Cross-Sectional Longitudinal Sequential
Time required Short Long Medium–Long
Cost Low High High
Tracks individuals No Yes Yes
Cohort effects Not controlled Not controlled Partially controlled
Attrition risk None High Moderate
Exam Tip
For 25 marks, always define each design, compare with a table, state advantages
and disadvantages, AND give a concrete example. Mentioning cohort effects,
time-of-measurement effects, and attrition will earn you distinction marks.
Page 4 of 21 •
