Introductory Psychology:
Developmental Psychology
AP PSYCHOLOGY: UNIT III
Topic: Themes & Methods
Developmental Psychology
Developmental Psychology
 Developmental
Psychology


The scientific study of the
changes that occur in
people from conception
to death
“Womb to tomb”
Developmental Psychology:
Themes
PART ONE
Developmental: Themes
 Three MAJOR themes in developmental…
 Nature v. Nurture


Continuity v. Stages


How do genetic inheritance & experience influence our
behavior?
Is development a gradual & continuous process or a
sequence of separate stages?
Stability v. Change

Do our early personality traits persist through life or do
we become different people as we age?
Developmental: Themes
 Theme #1: Nature v. Nurture
 Agree or Disagree?
Differences in male and female behavior are more the
result of socialization than biology…
 Individual genetic makeup more than experience
explains why some children are strong-willed and other
are compliant…
 Nature rather than nurture shapes whether adults tend
to be optimistic or pessimistic about life…

Developmental: Themes
 Theme #2: Continuity v. Stages
 Agree or Disagree?
Human development is better thought of as a slow,
continuous process rather than as a series of steps…
 Adult life consists of a series of unique challenges each
defining a new stage of life…
 The child’s understanding of the world unfolds slowly
and gradually rather than through discrete stages…

Developmental: Themes
 Theme #3: Stability v. Change
 Agree or Disagree?
A person who is socially outgoing as a child is also likely
to be a socially outgoing adult…
 People of one age think and act very differently when
they arrive at a later age…
 An adolescent with low self-esteem is also likely to feel
less than worthy as an adult…

Developmental Psychology:
Methods
PART TWO
Developmental: Methods
 Cross-Sectional Studies
 Participants of various ages are compared at one
point in time to determine age-related differences
(SNAPSHOTS)
Advantages
 Inexpensive
 Quickly completed
 Low attrition rate
 Disadvantages
 Different age groups are not necessarily alike
 Differences may be attributed to cohort differences as
opposed to age differences

Developmental: Methods
 Longitudinal Studies
 The same participants are studied at various ages to
determine age-related changes (MOVING PICTURES)
Advantages
 Detailed information
 In-depth study of developmental changes
 Eliminates cohort differences
 Disadvantages
 Expensive & time consuming
 Potential for high attrition rate
 Differences over time may be attributed to assessment
tools, not necessarily age

Developmental: Methods
 Cross-Sequential Studies
 Different participants of various ages are compared
at several points in time, to determine both agerelated differences and age-related changes
Combination of cross-sectional and longitudinal studies
 Benefits?

Study
Age
Studied In…
1
20-year-old participants
1970
2
40-year-old participants
1990
3
60-year-old participants
2010
Group
Age
Studied In…
1
20-year-old participants
2010
2
40-year-old participants
2010
3
60-year-old participants
2010
Longitudinal
Cross-Sectional
Study
Age
Studied In…
1
Group ONE: 20-year-old participants
Group TWO: 40-year-old participants
2010
2
Group ONE: 25-year-old participants
Group TWO: 45-year-old participants
2015
Cross-Sequential
Developmental: Methods
 Biographical/Retrospective Studies
 A participant’s past is reconstructed through
interviews and other research about their life
Advantages
 In-depth & detailed study of one person
 Disadvantages
 Personal recall may not be accurate
 Expensive and time consuming
