Social and Development Psychology
,
, Topic 1: Overview of development psychology:
Developmental psychology is the scientific study of age-related changes in:
Behaviour
Thinking
Emotion
Personality
Philosopher St Augustine of Hippo claimed that humans were born selfish and immoral
and they struggle to overcome this as they grow.
On the other hand, Jean-Jacques Rousseau argues that children are born with inner
goodness. The environment interferes or encourages their development. Therefore,
children need nurturance and protection.
John Locke and empiricism states that children are born with blank slate. Children are
seen as passive inheritors of environmental experiences; thus, individual differences are
due to experience. He believed that all knowledge comes from experience without the
help of innate ideas.
Charles Darwin (1872) carried out the first organized study of human development and
developed his theory of evolution. He detailed records of his own children’s early years
and studied the interplay of genetics and environmental adaptation in animals.
The first scientific study of child development was carried out by psychologist G. Stanley
Hall, who emphasised norms or average ages that milestones of development occur. He
developed the term ‘storm and stress’ to describe adolescence.
Lifespan theorist Baltes (2006) described the multi-contextual nature of development,
with plasticity (can be shaped or moulded in response to environment and other factors)
and adaptability (development may change to fit circumstances, for example, the level of
stimulation) at all ages. This was based on multi-disciplinary research and perspective. He
claimed that with age, people used strategies to maximize gain and compensate for losses.
, Early Scientific Theories: Gessell (1946, 1977) carried out a systematic description using
observations from movie footage and one-way mirrors, of children across domains,
particularly in the first five years of life. He claimed that maturation occurs “naturally”
from genetically programmed sequence.
There are 3 main domains of human development: cognitive, physical and social.
Stages of lifespan:
Prenatal development: there are 3 main stages to life before birth, known as prenatal
development:
Germinal: The Germinal Stage covers conception to implantation of the fertilised
egg and the differentiation of specialised cells required to support development
Embryonic: The Embryonic Stage includes weeks 2-8 after conception
Foetal: The Foetal Stage is from the end of week 8 up until the birth of the baby
The Early Years: lifespan development in infancy covers physical changes, health
and wellness, infant mortality, sensory and perceptual skills. This age span is up to
age 5 years.
Childhood: development in childhood includes physical changes, cognitive changes,
school and education. Childhood can span the 5-12-year period before adolescence.
Adolescence: adolescent development includes physical changes, sexuality, and
health, changes in thinking and memory and education/learning. Adolescence is the
transitional time between childhood and adulthood, a time of huge physical and
cognitive growth.
Growing and Ageing: The ageing process involves primary and secondary ageing
with primary ageing being a gradual and inevitable process of bodily deterioration
throughout life and secondary aging being preventable processes from disease and
poor health practices. Gerontology is the scientific study of aging and looks at life
expectancy, ethnic differences, sub-groups and disease processes.
,
, Topic 1: Overview of development psychology:
Developmental psychology is the scientific study of age-related changes in:
Behaviour
Thinking
Emotion
Personality
Philosopher St Augustine of Hippo claimed that humans were born selfish and immoral
and they struggle to overcome this as they grow.
On the other hand, Jean-Jacques Rousseau argues that children are born with inner
goodness. The environment interferes or encourages their development. Therefore,
children need nurturance and protection.
John Locke and empiricism states that children are born with blank slate. Children are
seen as passive inheritors of environmental experiences; thus, individual differences are
due to experience. He believed that all knowledge comes from experience without the
help of innate ideas.
Charles Darwin (1872) carried out the first organized study of human development and
developed his theory of evolution. He detailed records of his own children’s early years
and studied the interplay of genetics and environmental adaptation in animals.
The first scientific study of child development was carried out by psychologist G. Stanley
Hall, who emphasised norms or average ages that milestones of development occur. He
developed the term ‘storm and stress’ to describe adolescence.
Lifespan theorist Baltes (2006) described the multi-contextual nature of development,
with plasticity (can be shaped or moulded in response to environment and other factors)
and adaptability (development may change to fit circumstances, for example, the level of
stimulation) at all ages. This was based on multi-disciplinary research and perspective. He
claimed that with age, people used strategies to maximize gain and compensate for losses.
, Early Scientific Theories: Gessell (1946, 1977) carried out a systematic description using
observations from movie footage and one-way mirrors, of children across domains,
particularly in the first five years of life. He claimed that maturation occurs “naturally”
from genetically programmed sequence.
There are 3 main domains of human development: cognitive, physical and social.
Stages of lifespan:
Prenatal development: there are 3 main stages to life before birth, known as prenatal
development:
Germinal: The Germinal Stage covers conception to implantation of the fertilised
egg and the differentiation of specialised cells required to support development
Embryonic: The Embryonic Stage includes weeks 2-8 after conception
Foetal: The Foetal Stage is from the end of week 8 up until the birth of the baby
The Early Years: lifespan development in infancy covers physical changes, health
and wellness, infant mortality, sensory and perceptual skills. This age span is up to
age 5 years.
Childhood: development in childhood includes physical changes, cognitive changes,
school and education. Childhood can span the 5-12-year period before adolescence.
Adolescence: adolescent development includes physical changes, sexuality, and
health, changes in thinking and memory and education/learning. Adolescence is the
transitional time between childhood and adulthood, a time of huge physical and
cognitive growth.
Growing and Ageing: The ageing process involves primary and secondary ageing
with primary ageing being a gradual and inevitable process of bodily deterioration
throughout life and secondary aging being preventable processes from disease and
poor health practices. Gerontology is the scientific study of aging and looks at life
expectancy, ethnic differences, sub-groups and disease processes.
