Developmental Psychology (Psych 350)Professor McDermottWelcome Scholars!• This class is for you and about youAnnouncements• 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 lectureHistorical Perspectives,Theorists & Theories Cont.01.27.14-1.29.14Piaget’s Cognitive-Developmental TheoryEmphasizes 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 perspectiveAssimilation AccommodationEquilibriumPiaget’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 developmentInformation-Processing Approaches• Views humans as having a limited ability to process information• Used to study development in a variety of areas:– language acquisition– peer relationshipsChild is an active little processor….Erikson’s Psychosocial Approach* Focus on emotions & personality• Significant roles for socialization and society* A common theme: search for identitySystems 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 surroundingsBronfenbrenner’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 TheoryEmphasizes 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– IMPRINTINGEthological TheoryWhat 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 Points1) Perspective of childhood has changed with time, YET the notion of the child as active in his/her development continues to be prominent2) 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– Information Processing Theory– Ethological• Nurture– Behaviorism– Social Learning Theory– Psychosocial Theory– Sociocultural theory – Ecological Systems • BOTH Nature & Nurture– Cognitive-Developmental Theory – Dynamic SystemsClosing thought…Contact someone important to you, even if just to say ‘hi’.Carpe