Introduction
Development – the changes as well as continuities of
a person’s life. What has remained the same in your
self, as long as you remember? What has changed
since childhood, adolescence?
Developmental psychology- branch of psychology
that examines both the dynamics of change and the
stability of personality over time.
Maturation vs. ExperienceMaturation- changes that occur as a result of the
natural aging process, not due to learning, trauma,
injury or other life experiences.
Learning-relatively permanent change in
behavior, attitude resulting from experiences.
Normative vs. ideographic development
Normative- typical patterns of development
common to most people.
Ideographic- individual differences in rate or
direction of development.
Development is cumulative as well as continual,
although it may go in a negative direction, not just a
positive one. Development is also holistic-all parts of
the human are interrelated- behaviors affect
physiology, culture affects temperament,
temperament affects family relationships, etc.
Plasticity is the capacity for change- we can always
hope to make changes and see those changes affect
the whole person (exercise affects the function of
brain cells and organization of brain). Culture or
context of a person must be explored to understand
any aspect of the individual. This includes ethnic
background, SES, family makeup, gender. As an
adult we have the luxury of questioning our context,
children do not. And their attitudes and ways of
assessing their options are shaped so early they may
never consider questioning those beliefs later.
Historical Perspective on Development
 Childhood in Premodern Times-children
have not always been treated with respect.
They have been considered possessions
without rights until the 20th century. They
were considered small adults in the medieval
world (look at the paintings). They were
trained to do labor at an early age.
 Early Philosophical Perspectives on
Childhood- attitudes changed in the 17th
and 18th centuries. Hobbes saw children as
afflicted by original sin who need the devil
beat out of them. Rousseau (innate purity)
saw them more as noble savages with an
intuitive sense of right and wrong. He saw
the child as an active explorer, not just a
dumpster to fill with information. John
Locke believed the child is a blank slatetabula rasa-how they turn out is dependent
on their experiences in life.
 Children as Subjects: Baby Biographies
were the first scientific observation of
children. Darwin recorded the development
of his son as he sought to find links to
primitive behavior of chimps, etc.
 Science of Development
G. Stanley Hall- considered the father
of developmental psychology. He used
questionnaires to understand the
contents of children’s minds. He also
distinguished adolescence as a separate
phase of development.
Freud also developed a stage theory of
human development to understand
personality development.
Research Methods- begins with a theory- an
overarching set of assumptions that explain and
describe a set of observations of a phenomenon.
Theories are too universal to be tested, so it requires a
working hypothesis which can be tested.
A hypothesis is a concrete prediction of result that
can be set up in a way to measure.
 Scientific Method- pursuit of knowledge
according to objectivity, skepticism,
measurement of data & interpretation. It requires
using tests that have been determined to be
reliable (a test yields consistent results again and
again) and valid (test accurately measures a
construct described).
 Methodology
o Self-report: Interview, questionnaire
o Clinical method: interview in which each
response determines the next question
o Observation: Time sampling, lab
observations, naturalistic observation
o Case study
o Ethnography: immersion in culture
o Psychophysiological methods
Research Designs
o Correlational Design-correlational
coefficient +1.0 - -1.0
o Experimental Design-only design that can
ascertain cause and effect
o Independent Variable-element
manipulated by researcher, suspected
cause
o Dependent Variable-element measured
to determine any change due to IV,
suspected effect
o Confounding Variables-other,
unforeseen factors that skew results
o Control (rigor) vs. applicability
o Random selection & assignment –
essential to experimental condition
o Field vs. lab experiment
o Quasi-experiment (natural exp.) when
scientists observe the consequences of a
natural event or a group that is already
formed, not randomized. (Classroom
studies, orphans, impoverished kids)
Developmental Designs
o Cross-Sectional design- subjects of different
age groups are studied at the same point in timecohort effects-age-related difference among
groups that is due to some cultural exposure
unique to that age group, not a natural
developmental trend (Gen. Xers would hold
different expectations of life, even learning styles
than Baby Boomers)
o Longitudinal design- a group is chosen and
studied over time to see trends develop
practice effects-if the group is retested over
time, they get better at doing the tests due to
practice.
Attrition- people drop out of long-term research
studies- they die, get bored and move. It may
result in a skewed, non-representative sample.
cross-generational problems- similar to cohort
effects, where you may find an effect that only
applies to that group, that generation (40yr. IQ
study)
o Sequential design-best of both worlds –
different groups according to age are studied
repeatedly over time.
o Cross-cultural comparisons-studies that
compare something between peoples of different
ethnic or cultural backgrounds, to see if it is
universal.
Ethical considerations
o Informed consent-parent or guardian must sign
for a child, but child can nix participation if s/he
wishes.
o Risk-to-benefit ratio-consider and reveal any
possible risks to the subject, as opposed to
general benefits of possible findings (syphilis
study of black prisoners in Alabama, 1920s)
o Confidentiality-subjects may not have their
information revealed to public, anonymity.
o Protection from harm-subjects have right to be
protected from any known harm of participation.
(Some studies may impact self-image)
o Be critical as you consume research-check the
procedures used, numbers of subjects, whether
the data justifies the interpretation put on it.
Much media reporting sensationalizes psych
research in the interest of getting a sexy story.
Introduction
Development – the changes as well as continuities of
a person’s life.
Developmental psychology- branch of psychology
that examines both the dynamics of change and the
stability of personality over time.
Maturation vs. ExperienceMaturation- changes that occur as a result of the
natural aging process, not due to learning, trauma,
injury or other life experiences.
Learning-relatively permanent change in
behavior, attitude resulting from experiences.
Maturation vs. ExperienceMaturation- changes that occur as a result of the
natural aging process, not due to learning, trauma,
injury or other life experiences.
Learning-relatively permanent change in
behavior, attitude resulting from experiences.
Normative vs. ideographic development
Normative- typical patterns of development
common to most people.
Ideographic- individual differences in rate or
direction of development.
Historical Perspective on Development
 Childhood in Premodern Times
 Early Philosophical Perspectives on
Childhood
 Children as Subjects: Baby Biographies
 Science of Development
Research Methods
 Scientific Method
 Methodology
o Self-report: Interview, questionnaire
o Clinical method: interview in which each
response determines the next question
o Observation:Time sampling, lab
observations
o Case study
o Ethnography: immersion in culture
o Psychophysiological methods
Research Designs
o Correlational Design
o Experimental Design
o Independent Variable
o Dependent Variable
o Confounding Variables
o Control vs. applicability
o Random selection & assignment
o Field vs. lab experiment
o Quasi-experiment (natural exp.)
Developmental Designs
o Cross-Sectional design- cohort effects
o Longitudinal design- practice effects and
attrition, cross-generational problems
o Sequential design-best of both worlds
o Cross-cultural comparisons
Ethical considerations
o Informed consent
o Risk-to-benefit ratio
o Confidentiality
o Protection from harm