Developmental psychology flashcards

Developmental psychology examines how people change psychologically across the lifespan, with particular focus on cognitive, social, and emotional development. Key areas include Piaget's theory of cognitive development, which proposes that children progress through distinct stages of thinking, and Vygotsky's sociocultural approach, which emphasises the role of social interaction and language in shaping cognition. Attachment theory, particularly Bowlby's work and Ainsworth's Strange Situation research, explores how early bonds between caregivers and infants influence later emotional wellbeing. Students must also consider the nature-nurture debate, the role of critical and sensitive periods, and how research methods such as longitudinal and cross-sectional studies are used to investigate development. Ethical considerations when studying children are also essential to understand.

1. Card 1

   What are Piaget's four stages of cognitive development in order?

   Sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, and formal operational. Each stage involves qualitatively different ways of thinking, not just more knowledge.

2. Card 2

   What does Piaget mean by 'schema'?

   A schema is a mental framework or structure used to organise and interpret information. Schemas are updated through assimilation and accommodation.

3. Card 3

   What is the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)?

   Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development is the gap between what a child can do alone and what they can achieve with guidance from a more knowledgeable other.

4. Card 4

   How does Vygotsky's view of cognitive development differ from Piaget's?

   Vygotsky emphasised social interaction and language as the primary drivers of cognitive development, whereas Piaget focused on individual exploration and biological maturation.

5. Card 5

   What is Bowlby's theory of attachment?

   Bowlby proposed that attachment is an evolved, innate system. He argued there is a critical period in early childhood during which a monotrophic bond with a caregiver must form.

6. Card 6

   What did Ainsworth's Strange Situation procedure measure?

   It measured the quality of attachment between infant and caregiver, identifying types: secure, anxious-avoidant, and anxious-ambivalent (and later disorganised).

7. Card 7

   What is the difference between a critical period and a sensitive period?

   A critical period is a fixed window in which development must occur or it will not happen at all. A sensitive period is a time when development occurs most easily but is not strictly limited to.

8. Card 8

   What is a longitudinal study and what is its main advantage in developmental research?

   A longitudinal study follows the same participants over time, allowing researchers to track genuine developmental change rather than comparing different age groups.

9. Card 9

   What is a cross-sectional study and what is its main limitation?

   A cross-sectional study compares different age groups at one point in time. Its main limitation is the cohort effect, where differences may reflect generation rather than development.

10. Card 10

    What is 'object permanence' and at what Piagetian stage does it develop?

    Object permanence is the understanding that objects continue to exist when out of sight. Piaget said it develops during the sensorimotor stage, around 8 months of age.

11. Card 11

    What ethical considerations are especially important when researching children?

    Researchers must obtain informed consent from parents or guardians, ensure the child's right to withdraw is respected, and minimise any distress, as children cannot fully advocate for themselves.

12. Card 12

    What is 'scaffolding' in the context of Vygotsky's theory?

    Scaffolding refers to the temporary support provided by a more knowledgeable other to help a child complete a task within their ZPD, which is gradually removed as competence grows.

• Students often confuse assimilation and accommodation, forgetting that assimilation means fitting new information into an existing schema, while accommodation means changing the schema to fit new information.
• Many students incorrectly treat Ainsworth's attachment types as fixed personality traits, when in fact attachment style can change over time depending on caregiving experiences.
• A common exam error is to describe Piaget's stages as simply involving 'more knowledge' at each level, rather than emphasising that each stage represents a qualitatively different way of thinking and understanding the world.

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