PYC2602
Assignment 1
Chapter 1 and 2 summaries
The goals of child psychology:
To predict – based on past and present characteristics, what behavior
the child will manifest at a later stage in his life.
To explain – what causes these developmental changes.
To describe – the changes typically occurring to about 18 years of life.
To improve well-being – to make positive changes in people’s life or to
prevent problems from developing.
The developmental stages and domains of development:
The parental stage: Subdivided into the germinal,
the embryonic and the fetal
periods.
The neonatal stage: Approximately two to four
weeks of life and infancy which
is grouped together.
Early childhood: Age 2 to 6
Middle childhood: Age 6 to the beginning of
puberty – about 12 years
Adolescences: From puberty to adulthood
1
, Phycologist decided to divide development into different areas,
which are the following:
Physical development: this refers to the physical changes in the child’s
body for example: weight and height. It also included the development of
the brain.
Cognitive development: it refers to how we acquire information – thus
refers cognitive development how children come to know and
understand their world and it includes perception, memory, learning,
thinking, imagination etc.
Personality development: personality is unique to a specific individual
– every child is unique. Important aspect of personality is: THE SELF
and IDENTITY.
Social development: it involves the development of the individual’s
interaction and relationships with other people – it also refers to the
influence of society on the individual.
Developmental issues:
The following may be regarded as some of the major issues that
are related to psychology:
Nature or nurture
Continuity or discontinuity
Passive or active involvement
Universality or cultural context
IMPORTANT TO
Theories of development: KNOW WHAT A
THEORY
What is a theory? A theory is a set of ideas designed IS!
to explain
development.
A theory has several functions and advantages:
A theory summarizes and explains the presently known facts.
A theory aims to predict future behavior:
A theory simulates new research.
Freuds developmental stages:
IMPORTANT TO
2 KNOW!
Assignment 1
Chapter 1 and 2 summaries
The goals of child psychology:
To predict – based on past and present characteristics, what behavior
the child will manifest at a later stage in his life.
To explain – what causes these developmental changes.
To describe – the changes typically occurring to about 18 years of life.
To improve well-being – to make positive changes in people’s life or to
prevent problems from developing.
The developmental stages and domains of development:
The parental stage: Subdivided into the germinal,
the embryonic and the fetal
periods.
The neonatal stage: Approximately two to four
weeks of life and infancy which
is grouped together.
Early childhood: Age 2 to 6
Middle childhood: Age 6 to the beginning of
puberty – about 12 years
Adolescences: From puberty to adulthood
1
, Phycologist decided to divide development into different areas,
which are the following:
Physical development: this refers to the physical changes in the child’s
body for example: weight and height. It also included the development of
the brain.
Cognitive development: it refers to how we acquire information – thus
refers cognitive development how children come to know and
understand their world and it includes perception, memory, learning,
thinking, imagination etc.
Personality development: personality is unique to a specific individual
– every child is unique. Important aspect of personality is: THE SELF
and IDENTITY.
Social development: it involves the development of the individual’s
interaction and relationships with other people – it also refers to the
influence of society on the individual.
Developmental issues:
The following may be regarded as some of the major issues that
are related to psychology:
Nature or nurture
Continuity or discontinuity
Passive or active involvement
Universality or cultural context
IMPORTANT TO
Theories of development: KNOW WHAT A
THEORY
What is a theory? A theory is a set of ideas designed IS!
to explain
development.
A theory has several functions and advantages:
A theory summarizes and explains the presently known facts.
A theory aims to predict future behavior:
A theory simulates new research.
Freuds developmental stages:
IMPORTANT TO
2 KNOW!
