Child Development

• What is the definition of development in the context of child development?

  Development is the sequence of physical and psychological changes that human beings undergo as they grow older.
• What is Developmental Psychology?

  Developmental Psychology is the scientific study of age-related changes in behaviour, thinking, emotion, and personality.
• What are the Big Questions in Developmental Psychology?

  1. Continuity and Change

  • Continuous vs. discontinuous development
  • Distinctiveness from other species
  • Individual development continuity
  • Critical periods in development

  1. Sources of Development

  • Genetic programme vs. external environment
  • Nature versus Nurture debate

  1. Individual Differences

  • Stability of individual characteristics
  • Differences among individuals
• What does the question of Continuity and Change in Developmental Psychology address?

  It addresses the extent to which development is characterized by continuous change versus discontinuities that result in new forms and processes of change.
• What is the Nature versus Nurture debate in developmental psychology?

  The Nature versus Nurture debate discusses whether development is primarily guided by genetic programming or by the external environment.
• Why are individual differences significant in developmental psychology?

  Individual differences are significant because no two human beings are exactly alike, and they help to understand stable characteristics that differentiate individuals.
• What are the methods of data collection in developmental psychology?

  • Self-Report
  • Observation
  • Experimental Methods
  • Clinical Interview Methods
• What are the two main research designs used in developmental psychology?

  1. Longitudinal Design
  2. Cross-Sectional Design