Changing Through Life Development

Key Points of Developmental Psychology

• Interdisciplinary Nature: Developmental psychology intersects with various psychology fields, focusing on how individuals change over time.
• Lifespan Approach: Studies range from infancy to aging populations; constant change is a core principle.
• Individual Differences: Development stages can vary greatly; age guidelines are not rigid.

Types of Development

1. Emotional Development

   • Attachment Studies: Originated in the 1960s; focus on emotional bonds starting at birth.
   • Attachment Styles:
     • Secure Attachment: Upset when caregiver leaves, comforted upon return.
     • Anxious Ambivalent: Distress when caregiver leaves; not comforted upon return.
     • Avoidant: Indifference to caregiver's presence or absence.
   • Long-term Effects: Early attachment influences adult relationships.
   • Physical Contact: Studies by Harry Harlow with monkeys emphasize 'contact comfort'. Attachment parenting advocates for consistent physical contact.

2. Cognitive Development (Piaget’s Stages)

   • Sensory Motor Stage (Birth-2 years): Learning through senses and actions; development of object permanence.
   • Preoperational Stage (2-7 years): Symbolic thought, irreversibility, and egocentrism.
   • Concrete Operational Stage (7-11 years): Logical thought and understanding of conservation.
   • Formal Operational Stage (11+ years): Abstract and hypothetical thinking develops.
   • Schemas, Assimilation, and Accommodation: Cognitive processes for integrating new information.

3. Personality Development

   • Freud's Psychosexual Stages:
     • Oral Stage: Focus on oral exploration.
     • Anal Stage: Control and autonomy issues (potty training).
     • Phallic Stage: Oedipus complex and penis envy.
     • Latency Stage: Focus on same-sex peer relationships.
     • Genital Stage: Exploring adult relationships.
   • Erickson’s Psychosocial Stages:
     • Trust vs. Mistrust: Importance of dependable caregiving.
     • Identity vs. Confusion: Developing a sense of identity during adolescence.
     • Intimacy vs. Isolation: Forming intimate relationships in early adulthood.
     • Generativity vs. Self-Absorption: Middle adulthood focus on contributing to others.
     • Integrity vs. Despair: Reflection on life in late adulthood.
   • Identity Status: Stages of identity development during adolescence.

4. Moral Development (Kohlberg’s Stages)

   • Pre-conventional: Selfish orientation; decisions based on personal gain.
   • Conventional: Social orientation; decisions based on societal norms and laws.
   • Post-conventional: Ethical orientation; decisions based on personal morals and values.

Conclusion

• Understanding different development types and stages aids in comprehending human growth and behavior across the lifespan.