Developmental Psychology Psych 350 Professor McDermott Welcome Scholars This class is for you and about you Announcements Lecture Slides Template generally available 1 2 hours before class Complete slides are posted after class generally within 24 hours Extra Credit SONA option Literature Review Quizzes Reflection Responses Posted at the instructor s discretion throughout the semester Announcements made in class on Moodle Quizzes 48 hours to complete Reflection Responses 1 week to complete Quiz 1 after class today remains up for 48 hours Waitlist See class TA after lecture Historical Perspectives Theorists Theories Cont 01 27 14 1 29 14 Piaget s Cognitive Developmental Theory Emphasizes active construction of psychological structures to interpret experience Piaget s Cognitive Developmental Theory Organization Tendency for structures and processes to become more systematic and coherent Scheme Organized pattern of thought or behavior Piaget s Basic Principles of Cognitive Development Key Thought Processes that lead to perspective Assimilation Equilibrium Accommodation Piaget s Basic Principles of Cognitive Development Assimilation interpreting new ideas or experiences to fit existing schemes Accommodation changing existing schemes to fit new ideas or experiences Equilibration Harmonious balance of schemes and experiences with the environment Assimilation It s a striped horse Accommodation Tall four legged animals can be horses or zebras Piagets Basic Principles of Cognitive Development cont d Adaptation Interplay between assimilation and accommodation resulting in development Information Processing Approaches Views humans as having a limited ability to process information Used to study development in a variety of areas language acquisition peer relationships Child is an active little processor Erikson s Psychosocial Approach Focus on emotions personality Significant roles for socialization and society A common theme search for identity Systems Approaches Ecological Systems Theory Bronfenbrenner Sociocultural Theory Vygotsky Dynamic Systems Theory Thelen Smith Ethological Theory Lorenz Tinbergen Ecological Systems Theory Bronfrenbrenner Bioecological model Development influenced by Biological Social Cultural Systems Child s immediate surroundings Bronfenbrenner s Theory Microsystem the immediate environment home school and neighborhood Mesosystem environment provided by interrelationships among the various settings of the microsystem Exosystem settings that indirectly affect the child by influencing the various microsystems Macrosystem the broad values practices and customs shared by a culture major historical events Chronosystem constantly changing temporal component of the environment that can influence development Sociocultural Theory Vygotsky Emphasizes the importance of cultural tools symbols ways of thinking that the child acquires from more knowledgeable members of the community Dynamic Systems Theory Emphasizes development as the emerging organization arising from the interaction of many different processes e g stepping reflex Ethological Theory Ethology is concerned with the evolutionary origins of behavior and its adaptive and survival value in animals also including humans Konrad Lorenz IMPRINTING What about humans Do we imprint Are there instinctual mechanisms Sensitive period a brief period during which specific kinds of experiences have significant positive or negative consequences for development and behavior Theories Summary Points 1 Perspective of childhood has changed with time YET the notion of the child as active in his her development continues to be prominent 2 Despite great diversity in ideas historically there has not been much diversity among developmental theorists This is changing stay tuned 3 Developmental theories can emphasis nature nurture or both Where do the theories fall Nature Nurture Information Processing Theory Ethological Behaviorism Social Learning Theory Psychosocial Theory Sociocultural theory Ecological Systems BOTH Nature Nurture Cognitive Developmental Theory Dynamic Systems Closing thought Contact someone important to you even if just to say hi Carpe Diem