DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY

The Principles of Developmental Psychology

Javier Bermejo

1. What is the goal of study in developmental psychology?

The goal of study in developmental psychology isn to further our
knowledge about how development involves over the entire life span,
developing a knowledge of the general principles of development and
the differences and similarities in development across individuals.

2. What is development?
Anything which involves change over time is relevant to the
study of development. Although there are big differences
between some authors opinions about that, we could define it
as the combination of biological physical being), social (our
social relationships), and cognitive (our thought processes)
changes.

3. Do authors who study child development have the same

idea of development?
No, they dont. Crain restrict the notion of development only
changes which lead to qualitative reorganizations in the
structure of a behavior, skill or ability. Heinz argued that
development refers only to changes which increase the
organization of functioning within a domain. Werner believed
that development consisted of two processes: integration and
differentiation.

4. Define differentiation and integration.

Integration refers to the idea that development consists of the
integration of more basic, previously acquired behaviours into new,
higher level structures.
Differentiation refers to the idea that development also involves the
progressive ability to make more distinctions among things, for
example, learning to adjust one's grasp to pick up small objects
(which requires the use of the fingers and fine motor control) versus
larger objects (which only require closing the hand around the object
and less fine motor control).

5. According to Baltes (1987), is development lifelong?

Yes, it is. He saw development as a process of increasing
hierarchical integration and increasing differentiation.

6. Briefly describe multidirectional and multidimensional.

Multidimensionality refers to the fact that development cannot be
described by a single criterion such as increases or decreases in a
behaviour. The principle of multidirectionality maintains that there is
no single, normal path that development must or should take. In other
words, healthy developmental outcomes are achieved in a wide
variety of ways.

7. What do you understand by plasticity?

Plasticity refers to the within-person variability which is possible for a
particular behaviour or development. For example, infants who have
a hemisphere of the brain removed shortly after birth (as a treatment

for epilepsy) can recover the functions associated with that

hemisphere as the brain reorganizes itself and the remaining
hemisphere takes over those functions.

8. What are nonmormative life events?

Nonnormative life events are unusual occurrences that have a major
impact on a individual's life. The occurrence of these events is
relatively unique to an individual and is not tied to a historical time
period. Moreover, the influence of these events often does not follow
a typical developmental course. Being struck with a major illness or
losing a parent in childhood are examples of this kind of contextual
influence. It is important for developmentalists to recognize that
explanations of behavioural development are likely to be complex and
require consideration of the wide variety of possible influences on a
given individual's development.

9. Difference between continuity and discontinuity in

Developmental Psychology.
If we consider it a continuous process is because there are a
gradual accumulation of behavior, skill or knowledge. If we
consider it a discontinuous process is because there are abrupt
changes (talking about time) in the organization of behaviours,
skills or knowledge.

10. Difference between stability and change in

Developmental Psychology.

Stability is defined as no changes in a persons behavior during

a period of time. Change is just the opposite. A period of time
when the person vary his/her behavior or maybe her/his trait.

11.
Briefly describe the nature versus nurture debate
and give your opinion on it.
Nature refers to the genetic as the principal influence of
children development. Nurture refers to the environment
(childrens experience in any field) as the biggest influence of
children development.
In my opinion, children development needs both nature and
nurture influence, but I think that nurture is more important
because we can learn and develop a lot if we are well educated
even if we are genetically lower than others.

12.
Define epigenesist.
Epigenesist is the interaction between nature and nurture.
However, it is considered less of an answer in the naturenurture debate instead of a starting point for the study of
development.