Download Developmental Psychology

Developmental
Psychology
Overview
• Psychological development over lifespan
• Most interested in childhood
Lifespan Phases
Possible assumptions
• Children are different from adults:
• Samuel and Bryant provide support for Piaget’s
theory that suggests that children of different
ages think differently from each other, for
example children under 8 do not conserve as
well as children over 8
Environment…
• The environment a child is in has a big impact on
their behaviour, through the behavioural
principles of operant conditioning and
reinforcement, social learning theory and
modelling (e.g. Bandura)
Early Life Experiences…
• Some developmental theories assume that
bad early experiences can have a negative
effect on us in late life,
• the root cause of adult psychiatric
problems is in problems with their
psychological development as a child
(e.g. psychoanalytical approach - Freud)
Nature and Nurture…
• Children’s behaviour is a product of both
nature and nurture,
• e.g. Bandura suggests boys may be more
aggressive than girls because of their
nature (testosterone) or because it is
more socially acceptable for boys to be
aggressive and this has been something
that has been modelled for boys and
reinforced by society.
Stages of Development
• Some developmental theories assume that
children’s development occurs in stages,
• (e.g. Freud’s Psychosexual Stages,
Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive
Development)
Development Intro Video
• Video
• Complete questions whilst watching the video