Developmental area

• defining principle

  • behaviour develops over time throughout a person's life
  • upbringing and childhood experiences affect adult behaviour
• concepts

  • external influences on children's behaviour
  • moral development
  • stages of development
  • social leraning
  • operant conditioning
• strengths 


  • often uses longitudinal research so we can see how behaviour develops
  • often has practical applications for parents and teachers, encouraging positive behaviours
  • helps investigate whether behaviour is influenced by nature of nurture
• weaknesses


  • often uses children which can bring up ethical issues
  • research can be socially sensitive if it leads to parents being blamed for poor behaviour
  • research is often ethnocentric as parenting and upbringing vary across cultures