PSY2DEV (Developmental Psychology) – Semester 2, 2025 Comprehensive Revision Pack
Overview
This expanded pack provides an in-depth synthesis of La Trobe University’s PSY2DEV (Developmental
Psychology) content for Semester 2 2025. It integrates theoretical summaries, applied insights, key
readings, and extensive exam preparation materials—including 30 practice questions with detailed answers,
concise definitions, and cross‑topic comparisons. The goal is to help you consolidate conceptual
understanding, recognise theoretical linkages, and approach assessments with applied clarity.
Subject Intended Learning Outcomes (SILOs): 1. Understand major milestones and stages of human
lifespan development. 2. Investigate developmental questions using scholarly sources. 3. Evaluate and
apply research methods across diverse populations. 4. Interpret findings to form evidence‑based
conclusions.
WEEK 1 – Lifespan Development, Theories, and Research Methods
Core Ideas: Lifespan development is continuous, multidirectional, and influenced by biological, cognitive,
and socioemotional systems. Cultural context shapes norms and milestones.
Major Theories: Freud’s psychosexual model • Erikson’s psychosocial
theory • Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory • Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems.
stages • Piaget’s
cognitive
Key Takeaways:
- Development involves both gains and losses at every age.
- Research designs: cross‑sectional (different cohorts), longitudinal (same cohort), sequential (hybrid).
- Ethical standards protect vulnerable groups, especially children.
Example Question:
Explain why developmental psychology considers change as both qualitative and quantitative.
WEEK 2 – Infant Development
Focus: Prenatal influences, neurodevelopment, attachment, temperament.
Essential Theories & Studies: Bowlby (1969) and Ainsworth (1979) on attachment • Harlow (1958) on contact
comfort • Temperament (Thomas & Chess model).
Applied Insight:
Early serve‑and‑return interactions sculpt neural circuitry; secure attachment predicts later socio‑emotional
resilience.
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Practice Q: How do Harlow’s and Ainsworth’s studies jointly illustrate the biological and emotional bases of
attachment?
WEEK 3 – Toddler and Preschool Development
Themes: Cognitive growth, symbolic reasoning, language acquisition.
Key Theories: Piaget’s pre‑operational stage • Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development • Language
acquisition stages (Brown’s four‑stage grammar model).
Applied Insight:
Language drives cognitive and emotional sophistication; play fosters perspective‑taking.
Quick Quiz:
1️⃣ What distinguishes Piaget’s concept of egocentrism from social egocentric bias?
2️⃣ List two ways scaffolding supports mastery within the ZPD.
WEEK 4 – Middle Childhood Development
Highlights: Executive function • Peer relationships • Gender identity.
Core Theories: Anderson (2002) on executive function • Bem (1981) and Bandura (1999) on
development • Rubin et al. (1998) on peer socialisation.
gender
Pertinent Points:
- Self‑concept stabilises; self‑esteem becomes contingent on achievement.
- Cognitive control correlates with academic success.
- Gender stereotypes evolve through media, parenting, and peers.
Applied Q: How do social‑cognitive and gender schema theories explain the formation of gender roles in modern
media contexts?
WEEK 5 – Adolescent Development
Scope: Identity, relationships, cognition, emotion.
Key Models: Erikson’s Identity vs Role Confusion • Marcia’s four identity statuses • Baumrind’s parenting
styles • Kilford et al. (2016) on adolescent social cognition.
Learning Points:
- Cognitive control networks (prefrontal cortex) mature late.
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- Identity exploration peaks amid social comparison pressures.
- Authoritative parenting correlates with autonomy and competence.
Exam Q: Compare Marcia’s identity statuses and discuss their implications for adolescent wellbeing.
WEEK 6 – Emerging Adulthood in the Digital Age
Concept: Arnett’s five dimensions — identity exploration, instability, self‑focus, feeling in‑between, and
optimism.
Digital environments expand peer networks and identity experimentation.
Learning Points:
- Online interaction can enhance connectedness but heighten comparison stress.
- Thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke framework) captures digital narratives qualitatively.
Q: Explain how social media use exemplifies Arnett’s concept of ‘emerging adulthood’.
WEEK 7 – Adult Development
Key Areas: Love, career, and personality.
Theories: Sternberg’s Triangular Theory of Love • Levinson’s
Development • Protean/Boundaryless career models.
Seasons
of
Life • Super’s
Career
Insights:
- Relationship quality depends on equity and emotional intelligence.
- Personality shows rank‑order stability but mean‑level change (Caspi & Herbener, 1990).
- Work identity integrates values, skills, and purpose.
Applied Q: Discuss how adult career development theories reflect changing socio‑economic landscapes.
WEEK 8 – Parenthood
Central Model: Belsky’s (1984) process model — parental traits, child characteristics, and contextual
stressors predict parenting quality.
Additional Concepts: Parenting styles (Baumrind) • Parental sensitivity • Paternal mental health.
Learning Points:
- Parenting stress influences attachment security.
- Adaptive parenting underpins resilience and positive child outcomes.
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Sample Q: Outline the three domains in Belsky’s process model and their interdependence.
WEEK 9 – Development in Older Age
Core Theory: Socioemotional Selectivity Theory (Carstensen, 2006).
Older adults prioritise emotionally meaningful relationships and goals.
Key Findings:
- Cognitive decline mainly affects fluid abilities; crystallised intelligence remains stable.
- Positivity bias enhances subjective wellbeing.
Q: How does SST explain the paradox of increased happiness with age?
WEEK 10 – Pivotal Early Life Skills
Focus: Social, sustained, flexible, and joint attention.
Empirical Work: Jones & Klin (2013); Mundy (2018); Yu et al. (2019).
Joint attention deficits predict autism spectrum outcomes.
Learning Points:
- Early attention capacity predicts vocabulary growth.
- Eye‑tracking improves early diagnosis of neurodevelopmental conditions.
Q: Why are joint and sustained attention central to both social and language development?
WEEK 11 – Development and Mental Health
Framework: Developmental Psychopathology — integration of biological, psychological, and social risk/
protective factors.
Core Sources: Rutter & Sroufe (2000); Kim‑Cohen (2007).
Takeaways:
- Mental disorders reflect developmental deviations rather than static disease entities.
- Resilience emerges from protective interactions, not absence of risk.
Exam Q: Evaluate the role of resilience within the developmental psychopathology framework.
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WEEK 12 – Applied Developmental Psychology
Domains: Clinical • Educational • Legal • Occupational.
Applications:
- Psychologists apply developmental knowledge to adapt interventions to age and context.
- Ethical practice requires age‑appropriate consent and capacity assessment.
Q: Provide two examples of how developmental principles guide ethical decision‑making in practice.
Cross‑Topic Integration Summary
Theme
Early Life
Adolescence
Adulthood
Older Age
Cognitive
Schema, object
permanence
Abstract thought
Expertise,
pragmatism
Crystallised
intelligence
Social
Attachment,
temperament
Identity, peers
Intimacy, career
Socioemotional
selectivity
Emotional
Regulation through
caregiver
Hormonal flux,
autonomy
Stability,
generativity
Positivity bias
Extended Practice Questions (with Answers)
1. MCQ: Which design best assesses developmental change over time?
a) Cross‑sectional b) Experimental c) Longitudinal d) Correlational
Answer: c) Longitudinal
2. MCQ: The Strange Situation primarily measures …
Answer: Attachment security.
3. MCQ: According to Piaget, failure in conservation tasks reflects …
Answer: Centration and irreversibility in pre‑operational thought.
4. MCQ: In Bronfenbrenner’s ecological model, the exosystem involves …
Answer: Indirect environmental influences (e.g., parental workplace).
5. Short Answer: Describe one key finding from Harlow’s monkey studies and its developmental
implication.
Answer: Physical comfort outweighed feeding in attachment formation—emphasising emotional
security’s biological basis.
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6. Short Answer: How does executive function contribute to academic achievement?
Answer: It supports planning, inhibition, and flexible problem‑solving.
7. Essay Prompt: Discuss how cultural context shapes developmental milestones using cross‑cultural
research examples.
8. Essay Prompt: Critically evaluate Erikson’s and Arnett’s frameworks as complementary lifespan
models.
9. Application Question: How could a school psychologist use developmental theories to support a
struggling adolescent?
10. Case Question: Given a 70‑year‑old with declining working memory but stable vocabulary, explain
using fluid vs crystallised intelligence.
Mini Glossary (Condensed)
Term
Definition
Attachment
Lasting emotional bond between infant and caregiver.
Object Permanence
Understanding that unseen objects continue to exist.
Executive Function
Cognitive control processes enabling goal‑directed behaviour.
ZPD
Zone between independent performance and guided learning.
Emerging Adulthood
Transitional phase (18–25) defined by exploration and instability.
Generativity
Concern for guiding the next generation.
SST
Socioemotional Selectivity Theory; prioritisation of meaningful
goals.
Resilience
Positive adaptation despite adversity.
Developmental
Psychopathology
Study of disorder emergence within developmental systems.
Final Exam Tips
• Use integrative thinking—link early and late developmental concepts.
• Emphasise why a theory matters, not just what it states.
• Include relevant classic and contemporary research (use APA‑7 referencing).
• Relate findings to applied fields (education, health, social policy).
• Practise articulating examples that show theoretical understanding (e.g., “Attachment predicts later
trust behaviours”).
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End of PSY2DEV Comprehensive Revision Pack
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