Developmental Psychology Notes

Summary:

Developmental psychology is a broad field that aims to understand how individuals develop across different domains throughout their entire lifespan. Researchers in this field study physical, cognitive, social, and moral development. Key issues that developmental psychologists investigate include the role of nature vs nurture in shaping development, critical periods in development, and whether development is a continuous or discrete process. Physical development is a major area of interest in developmental psychology. It covers prenatal stages, such as the germinal period, embryonic period, and fetal period. It also includes infant reflexes, such as rooting and sucking reflexes, as well as the significant changes that occur during puberty.

Researchers study how the body and brain develop, as well as how this development affects other areas of development, such as cognition and socialization. Cognitive development is another important area of study in developmental psychology. It encompasses how individuals perceive and process information, including aspects such as processing speed, automatization, knowledge base, cognitive strategies, and metacognition. Researchers also investigate the effects of aging on cognitive development, including the decline in fluid intelligence, which refers to the ability to think abstractly and solve problems, and the stability of crystallized intelligence, which refers to the knowledge and skills acquired through education and experience.

Excerpt:

Developmental Psychology

Issues:

• Methods of developmental psychology
• Physical development
• Cognitive development
• Social development
  • Attachment, socialism, peer relationships
• Moral development
• Developmental psychologists assume that change is inevitable and can occur over the entire life span of the person

• • KEY ISSUES
    • What is the role of nature vs nurture in the development
    • human development is characterized by critical periods
    • is developing a continuous process or does it occur in discrete stages?

Physical Development – Prenatal

• Germinal Period
• Embryonic period
• Fetal Period

Physical Development – Infant Reflexes

• Rooting reflex
• Sucking reflex

Physical Development – Puberty

Physical Development – Beyond Adolescence

Cognitive Development – Infant Perception

• Orienting reflex
• Sucking reflex

Cognitive Development as Information Processing

• Processing speed
• Automatization
• Knowledge base
• Cognitive Strategies