What the college board is asking for: The concept that development is a lifeling process is basic to the study of developmental psychology. By development, psychologists mean changes over time in characteristics such as physiology, emotion, perception, cognition, and memory, particularly as the change relates to periods like infancy, childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. Thus, students need to consider from a life-span perspective the major dimensions in which development takes place and the role that gender plays within each dimension. These dimensions are physical, cognitive, social, and moral. The questions of greatest current interest to developmental psychologists are whether development is continuous or discontinuous and to what extent genetics, physiology, and external environment (i.e., nature vs. nurture) influence the course of development. Closely connected to both of these questions are the concpets of critical or sensitive periods and culture.
One successful way to introduce studentsto the study of developmental psychology is to discuss the major criteria that psychologists use in judging observations of developmental phenomena. Following this introduction, students are ready to consider such techniques of data collection as self-report, naturalistic observation, the experimental method, and clinical methods, as well as the research designs used to study development. The most prominent research designs used by developmental psychologists are longitudinal, cross-sectional, or some combination of the two, each which has its own requirements for data gathering.
As students progress through this section of the course, they learn about the different theories of development, for example, those of Erickson, Piaget, Kohlberg, Gilligan, and Kubler-Ross. As with other areas of psychology, the specific changes investigated by developmental psychologists are ultimately understandable in the context of some theory; that is, a broad framework or body of principles that can be used to interpret the changes. Such a theory must relate developmental changes over time to important independent variables.
A newborn comes into this world both helpless and gifted. To know what a newborn can do, you must know what a newborn can do. It can root, gaze, turn its head and make sounds. It can distinguish patterns visually within 53 minutes of birth! At 3 weeks it can tell the difference between its mothers voice and a stranger's .
Lack of neural connections helps explain why our earliest memories seldom predate our third birthday. Also, children do not yet understand the importance of memory. This doesn't mean that they can use theri memory to learn though.
A task of childhood and adolescence is learning right from wrong. It is the ability to control our impulses. We must think and act morally.
"It is a delightful harmony when doing and saying go together." -Michel Eyquemde Montaigne (1533-1592)
Kohlberg said that as we intellectually mature, we pass through six stages of moral thinking. This moves from the most basic to the more abstract and principled.
Our moral reasoning helps guide our judgements and behavior.
As our thinking matures, our behavior becomes less selfish and more caring.
Talk is cheap! Morality is doing the right thing!
Kohlberg's theory raises a big question. Does this development of moral reasoning describe all people? Carol Gilligan suggests this not to be so. She believes men see morality as a matter of justice. Women see morality more in terms of compassion, special relationships, and human kindness. This does not mean one is more or less moral than the other. Today, we typically believe both to be true. Morality must include both justice and compassion.
The Golden Rule insists on justice: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." The other argues compassion: "Love thy neighbor as thyself."
Erickson contended that throughout life we must resolve a psychosocial task. We begin with achieving trust, autonomy (independence), initiative, competence, identity, intimacy, generativity, and integrity.
During adolescence the task is to find a clearer sense of self. It begins by taking on their parents' values. Soon the self is adjusted by the peer group. This questioning of "Who am I?" continues into adulthood. To develop a positive self image one needs to accomplish goals, surround themselves with positive peer groups and have an unconditional loving family.
At each stage, there is a critical confrontation between the self and the demands of the social settings.