Developmental

PsychologyChapter 3

Deve

lopm

enta

l Ps

ych A study of the changes

that occur as people grow up and grow older Begins before birth

Move, kick Hiccup, thumb-sucking

Gras

ping

Ro

otin

g &

Suck

ing

Moro

“sta

rtle”

Refl

exBa

bins

ki Re

flex

BabinskiMoroRooting & Sucking

Phys

ical

Matu

ratio

n

Internally pre-programmed growthSchedule is predetermined unless the infant is malnourished , restricted in movement or deprived

of human contact & stimuli

Drug

s & P

regn

ancy

– Fe

tal A

lcoho

l Sy

ndro

me

Mental retardation, poor motor developmentUnusual facial features

Smok

ing

durin

g pr

egna

ncy

Reduces birth weight and height3-5 times higher risk

of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome)Respiratory problems

May be linked to trouble spelling and reading

Natu

re v

s. Nu

rture

– Et

hnic

Diffe

renc

es

Chinese infants – more adaptable, cried less, easier to console, comfortable in any position, breathed through mouth when nose was covered with a clothCaucasian infants –

wiggled around to get comfortable, fought a cloth over the nose

Lear

ning

2-3 day old infants can be taught thingsSuck on pacifier to

focus a pictureTurn head when a buzzer sounds (rewarded with a

bottle)

Jean

Pia

get

Swiss psychologist Research & observationDifferences in thinking

Sche

ma Assimilation – we fit

the world into our schemaAccommodation – we

change our schema to fit the characteristics of the world

Piage

t’s st

ages

Sensory-Motor – birth to 2 yearsPre-Operational – 2-6

yearsConcrete Operational – 6-12 yearsFormal Operational –

12 and above

Sens

ory-

Moto

r

Explore with senses – everything goes in the mouth! Before object permanence –

out of sight = does not exist

Separation anxiety – will my

parent return? 7-12 months – child will look

for a toy they cannot see 12-18 months – learn to

look where they last saw it

Pre-

Oper

atio

nal Language appears

Pictures represent things Representational

thought – can picture things in their mind

Many toddlers believe that changing a person’s dress can change their sex…look like a girl = must be a girl!

Conc

rete

Op

erat

iona

l

Can think of several dimensions or features at the same timeUnderstand conservation of matter

Understand reversibility – subtraction to check addition

Conc

rete

Ope

ratio

nal

– gra

dual

pro

gres

s th

roug

h th

is st

age Trial & error problem

solvingNeed to see it to do itTrouble with abstract

or hypothetical reasoning

Form

al

Oper

atio

nal

Can use abstract or hypothetical reasoning

Can consider many alternative solutions to a problemMake deductionsContemplate the

futureFormulate personal ideals and values

Varia

tions

Going through the stages depends on nature (maturation of the nervous system) and nurture ( a person’s experiences)

Ment

al

Reta

rdat

ion

Intellectual disability – not an emotional one and usually not a physical oneMay withdraw if

treated as if they cannot hear hurtful words or if treated than less capable than they are

Ment

al

reta

rdat

ion Complex causes – may

be a combination of genetic and environmental factors

Environment plays a large role in the ability to live a “normal” life