The Study of Human Development
Chapter 1
Important Issues
Nature v. Nurture
Not an either or issue
How much of each key
HOW?
Continuity v. Discontinuity
Smooth slope v. stair-step development path
Stability v. change (e.g., personality)
Important Issues
Universal v. Context specific
Developmental path the same for ALL
Unique paths across cultures/contexts
Sapir-Whorf hypothesis
Biopsychosocial Framework
4 interactive forces key for development
Biological (e.g., prenatal development)
Psychological (e.g., single parent home)
Sociocultural (e.g., Western v. Eastern culture)
Life-cycle (25 v. 65 years old)
Biopsychosocial Framework
Complex & unique combination of forces produces each individual
Accounts for individual differences
Developmental Theories
Importance of theory
Organizes phenomenon
Provides common language to study phenomenon
Produces testable hypotheses
Many different development theories
Developmental Theories
Psychodynamic
Unconscious drives, motives cause behavior
Development is universal and discontinuous
Psychosexual stages of development (Freud)
Psychosocial stages of development (Erickson)
Cognitive Development
Piaget (universal, discontinous)
Information processing (continuous)
Developmental Theories
Learning
Learning habits determine behavior
Reinforcements/punishments key
Social Learning
Vicarious conditioning
Beliefs & expectations key
Developmental Theories
Ecological Approach
Emphasizes developmental influences of environmental forces
Immediate social forces as well as macro forces like culture & historical events
Life Span perspective
Emphasizes development throughout the entirety of life
Developmental Research
Measurement (reliable & valid)
Systematic observation
Naturalistic
Real-world behavior but not applicable for all behaviors
Structured
Useful for rare behaviors but low external validity
Developmental Research
Sampling behavior
Convenient but low external validity
Self-reports
Convenient but reporting bias/problems
Research Designs
Correlational
Study of natural association among variables
e.g., IQ of parents associated with kids IQ
No cause & effect association
Experimental
Manipulation of 1 variable to observe its effect on another
Cause & effect but low external validity
Developmental Research Designs
Longitudinal
Sample observed over time
e.g., Influence of Head Start on school performance
Development over time but expensive, attrition
Cross-sectional
Sample of different ages tested
Easy but no change over time, cohort effects
Ethical Research
APA Guidelines
Minimize risk to participant
Informed consent
Avoid deception
Anonymity/confidentiality