Developmental Psychology

• Developmental psychology


  Study of how individuals grow and change throughout their lives, requiring relatively permanent change to be considered developmental.
• Physical development


  Changes in the body and various systems.
• Social development


  Changes in individual relationships.
• Emotional development


  Changes in experiencing feelings and their expression.
• Continuous


  Gradual, ongoing changes throughout the lifespan.
• Discontinuous


  Development involving distinct stages with different behaviors in each.
• Cross-sectional


  Selecting and comparing groups of different people over a short time period.
• Longitudinal


  Selecting and comparing the same group of people over a long period.
• Cognitive Development


  Acquiring knowledge, understanding concepts, solving problems, and developing thinking abilities through stages from infancy to adulthood.
• Schemas


  Mental frameworks aiding in interpreting and understanding the world, developed through experience.
• Assimilation


  Incorporating new information into existing schemas based on prior knowledge.
• Accommodation


  Modifying existing schemas to include new information or understandings.
• Sensorimotor stage


  Birth to 2 years: Infants coordinate sensory experiences with motor abilities.
• Object permanence


  Understanding objects exist even when not seen or touched.
• Goal-directed behavior


  Actions carried out with a specific purpose in mind.
• Pre-operational stage


  2 to 7 years: Increasing ability to represent events internally.
• Symbolic thinking


  Using symbols like words and pictures to represent objects or events.
• Ego-centrism


  Difficulty seeing things from others' perspectives.
• Animism


  Belief that everything has consciousness or awareness.
• Transformation


  Understanding change from one state to another.
• Centration


  Focusing on one quality or feature of an object at a time.
• Reversibility


  Ability to trace a line of reasoning back to the starting point.
• Concrete operational stage


  7 to 12 years: Understanding concrete and logical aspects of the world.
• Conservation


  Idea that an object's properties remain constant despite changes in appearance.
• Classification


  Organizing information into categories based on common features.
• Formal operational stage


  12 years and older: Complex thought processes and sophisticated thinking.
• Stage 1: Trust vs Mistrust


  During infancy, babies learn to trust or mistrust their caregivers based on the consistency and reliability of care they receive. Trust develops when needs are consistently met, leading to a sense of security and optimism. Mistrust arises if needs are inconsistently met, leading to fear and suspicion.
• Stage 2: Autonomy vs Shame/doubt


  Toddlers begin to assert their independence and explore their environment. Success in this stage leads to feelings of autonomy and confidence. However, if caregivers are overly restrictive or critical, children may develop feelings of shame and doubt about their abilities.
• Stage 3: Initiative vs Guilt


  During the preschool years, children begin to take initiative in activities and develop a sense of purpose. They may explore new roles and activities, initiating play and social interactions. If children are overly criticised or made to feel guilty about their curiosity and desires for exploration, they may develop feelings of guilt and inadequacy.
• Stage 4: Industry vs. Inferiority


  School-aged children strive to master new skills and accomplish tasks. Success in this stage fosters feelings of competence and confidence. However, if children experience repeated failures or lack encouragement, they may develop feelings of inferiority and incompetence.
• Stage 5: Identity vs. Role Confusion


  Adolescents grapple with questions of identity and begin to explore various roles and beliefs. They seek to establish a sense of self and a direction for their future. Successful resolution of this stage leads to a strong sense of identity, while unresolved identity issues can result in confusion and a lack of direction.
• Stage 6: intimacy vs isolation

  Young adults seek meaningful relationships and intimacy with others. They strive to develop deep connections and commit to long-term partnerships. Failure to establish intimacy may lead to feelings of isolation and loneliness.
• Stage 7: Generativity vs Stagnation


  Adults focus on contributing to society and future generations, whether through work, parenting, mentoring, or other forms of productivity. Those who feel a sense of generativity experience fulfillment and a sense of purpose, while those who feel stagnant may experience feelings of dissatisfaction and unfulfilled potential.
• Stage 8: Integrity vs Despair


  In later life, individuals reflect on their lives and evaluate their accomplishments. Those who feel a sense of integrity and fulfillment in their achievements develop a sense of wisdom and acceptance of life's challenges. However, those who feel they have not lived up to their aspirations may experience despair and regret.
• Zone of Proximal development (ZPD)


  The space between what a learner can do without assistance and what a learner can do with adult guidance or in collaboration with a more knowledgeable other (MKO)
• Scaffolding


  Scaffolding involves breaking down information or of parts of a new skill into pieces that are digestible for the learner.