PSY1010 - Module 2

Question 1

Developmental Psychology

Answer 1

change is inevitable

change can occur over the lifespan

Question 2

3 core issues Developmental Psychology

Answer 2

1. roles of nature vs nurture
2. importance of early experiences (critical periods)
3. change continuous or discrete

Question 3

Nature of change

Answer 3

acquisition or loss
continuous - gradual alteration of behaviour
discontinuous - stages that are qualitatively different (usually ordered in a fixed sequence)

Question 4

types of Developmental Methodology

Answer 4

1. cross-sectional: different groups at same time
2. longitudinal: same group at multiple time points
3. sequential: different age groups at multiple time points

Question 5

Physical development - prenatal

Answer 5

• germinal - first 2 weeks (cell division - zygote)
• embryonic - 2 weeks - 2nd month (most significant period for susceptability to teratogens: includes viruses, chemicals, drugs, radiation etc)
• foetal - 9 weeks to after birth

Question 6

John Piaget - Cognitive Development Theory

Answer 6

cognition - mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering and communicating
children have schemas (organised patterns of thoughts and behaviours) development involves modification of intellectual schemas

Question 7

Assimilation and Accomodation

Answer 7

Assimilation: taking on new information
Accomodation: adjusting current schema to meet new information
Equilibration: the combo of Assimilation and Accomodation

Question 8

John Piaget 4 stages of Cognitive Development

Answer 8

1. Sensorimotor - 0-2 (object permanence)
2. Pre-operational - 2-7 (egocentrism)
3. Concrete operational - 7-12 (conservation)
4. Formal operational - 12+

didn’t consider the role of culture

Question 9

Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory of Cognitive Development

Answer 9

emphasised the role of social interaction

zone of proximal development

Question 10

Information Processing approach of Cognitive Development

Answer 10

• processing speed - mental quickness increases with age
• automatisation - ability to perform some tasks automatically
• knowledge base - gained with experience
• cognitive strategies
• meta cognition - thinking about thinking

Question 11

Ageing

Answer 11

fluid intelligence - uses logic to learn, declines with age

crystallised intelligence - use knowledge, skills and experience accumulated over lifetime, increases with age

Question 12

Social Development

Answer 12

-change in feeling, thought and behaviour across lifespan
critical issues:
1. attachment
2. socialisation
3. changes in moral reasoning

Question 13

Harry Harlow

Answer 13

contact comfort - crucial element

Question 14

John Bowlby’s Theory of Attachment

Answer 14

linked Harlow’s findings to children reared in institutions

Question 15

Mary Ainsworth

Answer 15

Strange Situation

1. Securely attached
2. Avoidant
3. Ambivalent
4. Disorganised (adults - unresolved)

Question 16

Socialisation

Answer 16

the process by which children learn the beliefs, values, skills and behaviour patters of their society

Question 17

Parents as social agents

Answer 17

• Authoritarian
• Permissive
• Authoritative
• Uninvolved

Question 18

Socialisation of gender

Answer 18

amongst the most powerful roles into which people are socialised
psychological meaning of being male or female
sex typing: how children acquire personality traits culturally considered appropriate to their sex

Question 19

Evolving self concept

Answer 19

visual self-recognition 15-24mths of age

Rudd(?) Rouge test

Question 20

Theory of Mind

Answer 20

an implicit set of ideas about the existence of mental states (such as beliefs and feelings) in oneself and others
develops between 2 and 4
pre-cursor to perspective taking

Question 21

Kohlberg’s 3 stages in understanding gender

Answer 21

1. gender identity - ability to characterise the self and others as male or female
2. gender stability - understanding gender remains constant over time
3. gener constancy - gender can not be altered by changes in appearance or activities

Question 22

Erikson’s 8 stages Theory of Psychosocial Development

Answer 22

1. Basic trust vs mistrust - 0-18mths
2. autonomy vs shame and doubt - 1-2years
3. initiative vs guilt - 3-6years
4. industry vs inferiority - 7-11years
5. identity vs identity confusion - teenage (adolescence)
6. intimacy vs isolation - 20s and 30s (young adulthood)
7. generativity vs stagnation - 40s to 60’s (midlife)
8. integrity vs despair - 60s onwards

Question 23

Piaget 2 stages of morality

Answer 23

1. morality of constraint - before 9-10 conform to societal rules
2. morality of cooperation - older children view rules as social interactions for keeping interactions safe, fair and comfortable - can be changed with mutual consent

Question 24

Kohlberg’s Moral Reasoning

Answer 24

1. Preconventional - avoiding punishment obtaining reward
2. conventional: meeting moral standards, maintaining law and order
3. postconventional: concern on abstract, carefully considered principles

Question 25

Moral development - cognitive-social theories

Answer 25

focus on moral behaviour rather than reasoning moral behaviours learned through conditioning and modelling prosocial behaviour benefits other individuals or groups

Question 26

Information processing view of moral development

Answer 26

series of sequential judgements developmental changes can occur at each level of the sequence cause - moral responsibility - blame = punishment or no punishment

Question 27

Psychodynamic theories of moral development

Answer 27

children begin moral development as narcissistic | conscious develops between 2-5 - children take on the values of their parents, guilt is the primary motivation

Question 28

Empathy

Answer 28

consists of cognitive (understanding what the other person is experiencing) and emotional (experiencing similar emotion) components empathy contributes to pro-social behaviour (altruism, selflessness)

Question 29

Kohlberg's 6 stages of moral development

Answer 29

``` 1. Preconventional stage 1 - obedience punishment stage 2 - individualism and exchange 2. Conventional stage 3 - good interpersonal relationships stage 4 - maintaining social order 3. Postconventional stage 5 - social contract and individual rights stage 6 - universal principles ```