9.1
● Physical development involves growth and changes in the body and brain, the
senses, motor skills, and health and wellness.
● Cognitive development involves learning, attention, memory, language,
thinking, reasoning, and creativity.
● Psychosocial development involves emotions, personality, and social
relationships.
Research Methods in Developmental Psychology
● Naturalistic observations involve observing behavior in its natural context. A
developmental psychologist might observe how children behave on a
playground, at a daycare center, or in the child’s own home.
● In a case study, developmental psychologists collect a great deal of information
from one individual in order to better understand physical and psychological
changes over the lifespan.
● Sigmund Freud analyzed the development of a child known as “Little Hans”
(Freud, 1909/1949). Freud’s findings helped inform his theories of psychosexual
development in children
● The survey method asks individuals to self-report important information about
their thoughts, experiences, and beliefs. This particular method can provide large
amounts of information in relatively short amounts of time; however, validity of
data collected in this way relies on honest self-reporting, and the data is relatively
shallow when compared to the depth of information collected in a case study.
-An example of comprehensive survey was the research done by Ruth W. Howard. In
1934, she obtained her doctorate by surveying 229 sets of triplets, the most
comprehensive research of triplets completed at the time.
● Experiments involve significant control over extraneous variables and
manipulation of the independent variable.
-As such, experimental research allows developmental psychologists to make causal
statements about certain variables that are important for the developmental process.
Because experimental research must occur in a controlled environment, researchers
must be cautious about whether behaviors observed in the laboratory translate to an
individual’s natural environment.
, ● Across these three domains—physical, cognitive, and psychosocial—the
normative approach to development is also discussed.
-This approach asks, “What is normal development?” In the early decades of the 20th
century, normative psychologists studied large numbers of children at various ages to
determine norms (i.e., average ages) of when most children reach specific
developmental milestones in each of the three domains
● Although children develop at slightly different rates, we can use these
age-related averages as general guidelines to compare children with same-age
peers to determine the approximate ages they should reach specific normative
events called developmental milestones
● Not all normative events are universal, meaning they are not experienced by all
individuals across all cultures. Biological milestones, such as puberty, tend to be
universal, but social milestones, such as the age when children begin formal
schooling, are not necessarily universal; instead, they affect most individuals in a
particular culture
Is the Development Continuous or Discontinuous
Continuous development views development as a cumulative process, gradually
improving on existing skills. With this type of development, there is gradual change.
In contrast, theorists who view development as discontinuous believe that
development takes place in unique stages: It occurs at specific times or ages. With this
type of development, the change is more sudden, such as an infant’s ability to conceive
object permanence.
, Is There One Course of Development or Many?
● Stage theories hold that the sequence of development is universal. For example,
in cross-cultural studies of language development, children from around the
world reach language milestones in a similar sequence
● Infants in all cultures coo before they babble. They begin babbling at about the
same age and utter their first word around 12 months old.
How Do Nature and Nurture Influence Development?
Are we who we are because of nature (biology and genetics), or are we who we are
because of nurture (our environment and culture)?
● This longstanding question is known in psychology as the nature versus nurture
debate.
-It seeks to understand how our personalities and traits are the product of our genetic
makeup and biological factors, and how they are shaped by our environment, including
our guardians, peers, and culture.
● We are all born with specific genetic traits inherited from our biological parents,
such as eye color, height, and certain personality traits.
● Physical development involves growth and changes in the body and brain, the
senses, motor skills, and health and wellness.
● Cognitive development involves learning, attention, memory, language,
thinking, reasoning, and creativity.
● Psychosocial development involves emotions, personality, and social
relationships.
Research Methods in Developmental Psychology
● Naturalistic observations involve observing behavior in its natural context. A
developmental psychologist might observe how children behave on a
playground, at a daycare center, or in the child’s own home.
● In a case study, developmental psychologists collect a great deal of information
from one individual in order to better understand physical and psychological
changes over the lifespan.
● Sigmund Freud analyzed the development of a child known as “Little Hans”
(Freud, 1909/1949). Freud’s findings helped inform his theories of psychosexual
development in children
● The survey method asks individuals to self-report important information about
their thoughts, experiences, and beliefs. This particular method can provide large
amounts of information in relatively short amounts of time; however, validity of
data collected in this way relies on honest self-reporting, and the data is relatively
shallow when compared to the depth of information collected in a case study.
-An example of comprehensive survey was the research done by Ruth W. Howard. In
1934, she obtained her doctorate by surveying 229 sets of triplets, the most
comprehensive research of triplets completed at the time.
● Experiments involve significant control over extraneous variables and
manipulation of the independent variable.
-As such, experimental research allows developmental psychologists to make causal
statements about certain variables that are important for the developmental process.
Because experimental research must occur in a controlled environment, researchers
must be cautious about whether behaviors observed in the laboratory translate to an
individual’s natural environment.
, ● Across these three domains—physical, cognitive, and psychosocial—the
normative approach to development is also discussed.
-This approach asks, “What is normal development?” In the early decades of the 20th
century, normative psychologists studied large numbers of children at various ages to
determine norms (i.e., average ages) of when most children reach specific
developmental milestones in each of the three domains
● Although children develop at slightly different rates, we can use these
age-related averages as general guidelines to compare children with same-age
peers to determine the approximate ages they should reach specific normative
events called developmental milestones
● Not all normative events are universal, meaning they are not experienced by all
individuals across all cultures. Biological milestones, such as puberty, tend to be
universal, but social milestones, such as the age when children begin formal
schooling, are not necessarily universal; instead, they affect most individuals in a
particular culture
Is the Development Continuous or Discontinuous
Continuous development views development as a cumulative process, gradually
improving on existing skills. With this type of development, there is gradual change.
In contrast, theorists who view development as discontinuous believe that
development takes place in unique stages: It occurs at specific times or ages. With this
type of development, the change is more sudden, such as an infant’s ability to conceive
object permanence.
, Is There One Course of Development or Many?
● Stage theories hold that the sequence of development is universal. For example,
in cross-cultural studies of language development, children from around the
world reach language milestones in a similar sequence
● Infants in all cultures coo before they babble. They begin babbling at about the
same age and utter their first word around 12 months old.
How Do Nature and Nurture Influence Development?
Are we who we are because of nature (biology and genetics), or are we who we are
because of nurture (our environment and culture)?
● This longstanding question is known in psychology as the nature versus nurture
debate.
-It seeks to understand how our personalities and traits are the product of our genetic
makeup and biological factors, and how they are shaped by our environment, including
our guardians, peers, and culture.
● We are all born with specific genetic traits inherited from our biological parents,
such as eye color, height, and certain personality traits.
