Developmental Psychology- study how people grow and change through out life span

This includes › physical (body) development, › social (friendships) development, › cognitive (brains) development

Maturation- Automatic and sequential process of development that results from genetic signals.› Roll, sit , crawl , stand ,walk = genetic

timetable Critical Period- stage of development which

person is best suited to learn a skill or behavior › Behaviorists believe babies born with a blank

slate and environment affects behavior

Stages versus Continuity Argument that Development like

› stairs with on distinct stage or › a slow merging of all stages unnoticed

Physical Development Height, weight, Cognitive Development› Motor development- Reflexes, crawling

Social Development Contact Comfort -Babies are comforted by being held

and respond to mother’s voice Self esteem begins early in life. Self esteem - is the value or worth that people attach to

themselves. › Gives people the confidence to know they can overcome

difficulties › Children who know that they are good at something usually

have a higher self-esteem

Attachment- infants develop a specific attachment with their mothers and will cry when mothers are not present› Infants who do not receive adequate contact comfort may

develop what is called “failure to thrive” a medical condition which an infant does not gain enough weight and fail to develop normally.

The first year in life is the most important time period to establish attachment to the mother

Secure children tend to be more happy, friendly, and more cooperative with parents and teachers.

Research shows that children fare better if parents are warm and friendly with them

They are more likely to develop a sense of moral goodness and responsibility

Children from cold parents are more interested in escaping punishment than in doing the right thing.

Jean Piaget (1896-1980) believed that children’s thinking developed in a sequence of stages

Some may be advanced but all children developed in the same sequence› Sensori-motor stage› Preoperational stage› Concrete-Operational

stage› Formal-Operational

stage

Sensorimotor stage- babies learn to coordinate sensation and perception with motor activity (Birth- 2 years).

Children 3-4 months old are fascinated with their own hands and legs.

Babies 4-8 months infants are exploring cause and effect relationships› hit mobiles above head and they move.

Around 10 months infants figure out object permanence- understand object exists when it can’t be seen or touched.› Objects permanence occurs because infants are able

to hold an idea in mind.

Examples Infants that are two or three months are

fascinated by their arms and legs They also like watching their fist open

and close. 10-month child would search for a teddy

bear that was hidden behind a screen Infants understand when things are

taken away that they still exist

Age Level of Scemas Object knowledge

Motor Development

0-1 Reflexes None

1-4 spontaneous movements repeated for the sake of bodily satisfaction ex. thumb-sucking

objects are images linked to the infant's actions

Holding head up/ sitting up

4-8 making interesting sights last, beginnings of intentional activity

search for partially hidden objects

Sitting up

8-12 coordination of cover removal and graspinggoal-oriented

search for fully hidden objects

crawling

12-18 inventing new means cannot take account of invisible displacements

Walking to solve problems

18-24 mental representation full object permanence

Preoperational Stage- (2-7 years ) children begin to use words to represent objects.

children in this stage do not yet understand › concrete logic› cannot mentally manipulate information› unable to take the point of view of other people

A period of egocentrism- inability to see another person’s point of view› The world exists to meet their needs (ex. sit in front of

TV).

using symbols as evidenced by the increase in playing and pretending.

Concrete Operational Stage (7-11 years) logical only when think about specific objects, they can’t grasp abstract ideas

Many teachers use hands on activities, seeing and touching help them understand abstract concepts.

understanding of reversibility, or awareness that actions can be reversed.

Inductive logic involves going from a specific experience to a general principle (talking to strangers)

Have difficulty using deductive logic,› which involves using a general principle to determine the

outcome of a specific event.

Formal Operational Stage –(age 12-25years) begins in puberty › ideas can be compared just a s objects,› use reason and logic to solve problems,› capable in dealing with a hypothetical situations, think

ahead. › children begin to consider possible outcomes and

consequences of actions. Long-term planning. In earlier stages, children used trial-and-error to solve

problems. During the formal operational stage, the ability to

systematically solve a problem in a logical and methodical way emerges.

___ Conservation

___ Moral Judgement

___ Abstract Thinking

___ Object Permanence

___ Reversibility

___

A woman was near death from a special kind of cancer. There was one drug that the doctors thought might save her. It was a form of radium that a pharmacist in the same town had recently discovered. The drug was expensive to make, but the pharmacist was charging 10 times what the drug cost him to make. He paid $200 for radium and charged $2,000 for a small dose of the drug. The sick women’s husband, Heinz, went to everyone he knew to borrow money, but he could only raise about $1,000- half the amount he needed. He told the pharmacist that his wife was dying and asked him to sell it cheaper or let him pay later. But the pharmacist rejected the man’s plea saying that he had discovered the drug and intended to make money from it. Heinz became desperate and broke into the man’s store to steal the drug for his wife.

Was Heinz right in stealing the drug?

Preconventional moral reasoning- Judgement is based on consequences of behavior- ( age 9)› Stage 1- Avoid Punishment (Hienz wrong = punishment)› Stage 2- Satisfy Needs (Heinz Right)

Conventional moral reasoning - if act conforms to standards of right and wrong judged by society (Age 13-16)› Stage 3- Winning Approval from other people (Both right and

Wrong)› Stage 4- Law and Order (Wrong)

Postconventional moral reasoning- judgments based on ones own personal views. › Stage 5- Social Order- personal values (right- due to

circumstances)› Stage 6- Universal Ethics- morality of individual conscience

(right – values of justice)

Stage

Moral reasoning Goal What is right

Pre conventional

1 Avoid Punishment Do anything to avoid punishment

2 Satisfy Needs Do anything to satisfy needs

Conventional

3 Winning Approval Win approval from others

4 Law and Order Maintain Social Order, regard for authority

Post Conventional

5 Social Order Obedience to accepted laws based on personal values

6 Universal ethics Morality of individual consciousness, not necessarily with others

Age Crisis Name Crisis Description

0-1 TrustV

Mistrust

Infant is well cared for, she will develop faith in the future. But if she experiences too much uncertainty about being

taken care of, she will look at the world with fear and suspicion.

1-2 AutonomyVs.

Doubt

Child learns self control and self assertion. But if receives too much criticism, he will be ashamed of himself and have

doubts about his independence

2-5 InitiativeVs.

Guilt

When a Child begins to make her own decisions, constant discouragement or punishment could lead to guilt and loss

of initiative.

5- Puberty IndustryVs.

Inferiority

The Child masters skills and takes pride in his competence. Too much criticism of his work at this stage can lead to

long term feelings of inferiority.

Age Crisis Name Crisis Description

12-18 Adolescen

ce

IdentityV.

Role Confusion

Teenager tries to develop her own separate identity while “fitting-in” with her friends. Failure leads to

confusion over who she is

18-30 Early

Adulthood

IntimacyVs.

Isolation

Person secure with own identity proceed to an intimate partnership in which he/she makes

compromises for another. Isolated person may have many affairs but always avoids true closeness.

30-50 Middle

Age

GenerativelyVs.

Stagnation

Person stagnated is absorbed in self and tries to hang on to the past. Generativity involves a productive life

that will serve as an example to next generation

50-80 Late Adulthood

IntegrityVs.

Despair

Some people look back over life with a sense of satisfaction and accept both and accept both the bad

and the good. Others face death with nothing but regrets.

Early adolescence Age 11-14

Middle adolescence ages 15-18

Late adolescence ages 18-21

Growth spurt- lasts two to three yearsGirls usually begin spurt 2 years earlier than boysPuberty changes in body that lead to the ability to reproduce.•In Males- more hormones produced testosterone, develop broader shoulders deeper voice more muscle tissue and other things•In Females -Hormones produce estrogen, hips become wider and other things Different maturation rates• In boys seen as a good thing strength and popularity•In girls a negative thing awkwardness

Relationships with parents changes and difficult› Striving for greater freedom, spend less time with

family.› Parents and children usually share similar social,

political, religious, and economic views. Relationships with peers

› Peers become more important with influence and emotional support. (Talking on phone or computers)

› Adolescence usually choose friends who are similar in age, same sex, background, educational goals, and attitudes towards drinking and drug use

› Share secrets and personal feelings (support)

Gender Roles- Should women get a job? What should men do?

Ethnicity identity formation- Cultural values vs. ethnic values

Sexuality- when to show sexual feelings› Bodies are saying go ahead› Parents and teachers say no, wait.› Teenage pregnancy is very difficult for mothers to complete

education and to achieve personal goals and give the child the support and attachment that it needs.

This is a very stressful time in life (trying to figure life out)

Anorexia nervosa- self starvation and a distorted body image

Bulimia- binging or compulsive overeating followed by purging

Substance abuse- seen as enjoyable and to earn respect from peers, others try to escape from the emotional stress

Alcohol accidents are the leading cause of death among teens

These provide temporary relief from stress but usually lead to additional problems

(motivational problem- lead to success problems – lead to more substance problems)

If you or know a friend who has a problem SEEK HELP!! See parents, teachers, or a counselor solve the problem now before it becomes more difficult to solve. There is treatment.

Young adulthood ages 20-40 physically and mentally at their strongest point

Changes in relationships with parents tend to improve

Adults are independent and take responsibility for themselves

In 20’s adults choose a course of life that is right for them

Find Personal stability begin to settle down with who you are

Marriage may enter the picture Teen age marriage suffer high

divorce rates because personal life is not stable yet

In 30’s re-evaluate if course is still right Why am I doing this? Where is my life going? Continue stabilizing life

Age 40-60 lose strength stamina, and coordination Some begin fitness programs to stay in shape Exercise an important influence on the world

(improve relationships, parenting, voting, and help within their communities)

Do this to avoid stagnation emptiness and meaningless lives

Mid-life crisis- reassess life, see younger people advancing quickly, children no longer need them feel as if they lost purpose in life fall into a depression

Need to find a new outlet for their talents and experiences (Age mastery)

How has Will Smith decided to avoid a crisis?

Age 65 People are living longer than ever

Retirement- some see as exciting others approach with anxiety

Wrinkles in skin Senses decline Regular exercise can make adults

feel well and fight disease some experience memory loss Majority of people have no

serious decline in intellectual skills