Module 1: Human Development in Understanding the Self that two browneyed parents will have a blue-eyed

child.
Developmental Psychology
The study of progressive changes in behavior and abilities

Heredity (Nature)
Transmission of physical and psychological character-
ristics from parents to their children through genes

DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid)

: Molecular structure
: shaped like a double helix that contains coded genetic
information

Genes
: Specific areas on a strand of DNA that carry hereditary ENVIRONMENT
information “Nurture”: All external conditions that affect development

Dominant The gene’s feature will appear each » Sensitive Periods

time the gene is present  increased sensitivity to environmental
Recessive The gene’s feature will appear only if influences
it is paired with another recessive  A time when certain events must occur for
gene
normal development to take place

» Congenital Problem
 problem or defect that occurs during
prenatal development
“birth defect”; becomes apparent at birth

FIGURE 3.2
» Linked molecules (organic bases)
: “rungs”on DNA’s twisted “molecular ladder
» code for genetic information order of molecules
» code: a genetic blueprint that is unique for each
individual (except identical twins).
» An entire strand of DNA: composed of billions of
smaller molecules.
» The nucleus of each cell in the body contains
chromosomes made up of tightly wound coils of
DNA.
» Chromosomes are microscopic in size, and the
chemical molecules that make up DNA are even
smaller
» Genetic Disorder
 Problem caused by inherited characteristics
 Cause of birth defects -narcotics, radiation,
cigarette smoke, lead, and cocaine
» Deprivation
Lack of normal stimulation, nutrition,
comfort, or love
» Enrichment
When an environment is deliberately made
more complex and intellectually stimulating
» Enriched Environments:
Environments deliberately made more
novel, complex, and stimulating

FIGURE 3.3 Gene patterns for children of brown-eyed

parents, where each parent has one brown-eye gene and
one blue-eye gene.
» brown-eye gene is dominant, one child in four will
be blue-eyed. Thus, there is a significant chance

PRENATAL DEVELOPMENT
1. Germinal Stage (fertilization to 2 weeks)
» The union of the sperm cell to the ovum produces a
new one celled organism called a zygote
2. Embryonic Stage (2-8 weeks)
» Cell differentiation and specialization to form major
body parts
» Embryo is vulnerable to teratogens (substances, agents
or influences that may cause malformations)
3. Fetal Stage (8 weeks- birth)
» Finishing touches (the brain continues its
development)
Green: possibility of structural defects (no arms, no legs,
or deformed heart)
Blue: minor structural defects and problems organs &
systems function
NEWBORNS (NEONATES) AND THEIR REFLEXES
1. Grasping Reflex
If an object is placed in the infant’s palm, she’ll grasp it
automatically (all reflexes are utomatic responses;
i.e., they come from nature, not nurture).
2. Rooting Reflex
 Lightly touch the infant’s cheek and he’ll turn
toward the object and attempt to nurse; helps infant
find bottle or breast.
3. Sucking Reflex
 Touch an object or nipple to the infant’s mouth and
she’ll make rhythmic sucking movements.
4. Moro Reflex
 If a baby’s position is abruptly changed or if he is
startled by a loud noise, he will make a hugging
motion.
DEVELOPMENT AS MULTIDIMENSIONAL AND
INTEGRATED
» Physical Aspect  body structure, size and motor
skills
» Cognition Aspect  covers mental abilities
» Personal and Emotional Aspects  pertains to
enduring dispositions, self-concept, regulation of
feelings
» Social Aspects  person’s interactions and
relationships with others
*All these aspects are interdependent and integrated.
Maturation
 Physical growth and development of the body,
brain, and nervous system
 Increased muscular control occurs in patterns
Cephalocaudal: From head to toe
Proximodistal: From center of the body to the extremities
FIGURE 3.6 Motor development.
 infants follow an orderly pattern of motor
development.
 Although the order in which children progress is
similar, there are large individual differences in
the ages at which each ability appears.
  It is not unusual for many of the skills to appear 1  Makes little use of reasoning and logic
or 2 months earlier than average or several
months Egocentric Thought
 Thought that is unable to accommodate viewpoints of
others
I.I JEAN PIAGET AND COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT
Jean Piaget
 believed that all children passed through a set
series of stages during their intellectual
development

 Child interacts with t environment their

thinking/reasoning patterns change through two
main processes:

1. Assimilation

 Application of existing mental patterns to new  Concrete Operational Stage (7-11Years)

situations.  Children become able to use concepts of time,
2. Accommodation space, volume, and number BUT in ways that
 Existing ideas are changed to accommodate new remain simplified and concrete, not abstract.
information or experiences.
Conservation
 Mass, weight, and volume remain unchanged when the
Sensorimotor Stage
• Sensorimotor (0-2 Years) shape or appearance of objects changes.
 All sensory input and motor responses are
coordinated most intellectual development here Reversibility of Thought
Relationships involving equality or identity can be
is nonverbal.
reversed.
Object Permanence:
 Concept that objects still exist when they are out of
sight

 Preoperational Stage (2-7 Years)

 Children begin to use language and think
symbolically, BUT their thinking is still intuitive
and egocentric.
Intuitive
 I.II ERIK ERIKSON’S EIGHT STAGES OF PSYCHOSOCIAL
DILEMMAS
• Stage One: Trust versus Mistrust (Birth-1)
 Children are completely dependent on others
Trust
 Established when babies given adequate warmth,
touching, love, and physical care
Mistrust
 Caused by inadequate or unpredictable care and
by cold, indifferent, and rejecting parents
• Stage Two: Autonomy versus Shame and Doubt (1-3)
Autonomy
 Doing things for themselves
Overprotective or ridiculing parents
 may cause children to doubt abilities and feel
shameful about their actions
 Stage Seven (Mid adulthood): Generativity versus
Stagnation
Generativity
 Interest in guiding the next generation
Stagnation
 When one is only concerned with one’s own needs
and comforts
• Stage Eight (Late adulthood): Integrity versus Despair
Integrity
 Self-respect; developed when people have lived
richly and responsibly
Despair
 Occurs when previous life events are viewed with
regret; experiences heartache and remorse

 Stage Three: Initiative versus Guilt (3-5)

Initiative
 Parents reinforce via giving children freedom to
play, use imagination, and ask questions
Guilt
 May occur if parents criticize, prevent play, or
discourage a child’s questions

• Stage Four: Industry versus Inferiority (6-12)

Industry
 Occurs when child is praised for productive
activities
Inferiority
 Occurs if child’s efforts are regarded as messy or
inadequate

 Stage Five(Adolescence): Identity versus Role Confusion

Identity
 For adolescents; problems answering, “Who am
I?”
Role Confusion
 Occurs when adolescents are unsure of where
they are going and who they are

• Stage Six (Young adulthood): Intimacy versus Isolation

Intimacy
 Ability to care about others and to share
experiences with them
Isolation
 Feeling alone and uncared for in life
 I.IV Baumbrind’s Theory
During the early 1960s, psychologist, Diana Baumrind
conducted a study on more than 100 preschool-age. Using
naturalistic observation, parental interviews, and other
research methods, she identified four important
dimension of parenting”

a. Expectation of maturity and control

b. Warmth and nurturance
c. Communication styles
d. Disciplinary strategies

Authoritarian Parenting
I.III LAWRENCE KOHLBERG’S THEORY OF MORAL
DEVELOPMENT
 Children are expected to follow the strict rules
established by their parents. Failure to follow such
rules usually results in punishment.
 Authoritarian parents fail to explain the reasoning
behind these rules. If asked to explain, the parent
might simply reply, “Because I said so.” These
parents have high demands but are not responsive
to their children.
 Parent’s “are obedience and status-oriented, and
expect their orders to be obeyed without
explanation”

Authoritative Parenting
 Like authoritarian parents, those with an
authoritative parenting style establish rules and
guidelines that their children are expected to
follow.
 Authoritative parents are responsive to their
children and willing to listen to questions.
 When children fail to meet expectations, these
parents are more nurturing and forgiving rather
than punishing.
 Their disciplinary methods are supportive, rather
than punitive. They want their children to be
assertive as well as socially responsible, and self-
regulated as well as cooperative.”

Permissive Parenting
 Permissive parents, sometimes referred to as
indulgent parents, have very few demands to
make their children. These parents rarely
discipline their children because they have
relatively low expectations of maturity and self-
control.
 Parents “are more responsive than they are
demanding. They are nontraditional and lenient,
do not require mature behavior, allow
considerable self-regulation, and avoid
confrontation.”
  Permissive parents are generally nurturing and
communicative with their children, often taking
on the status of a friend more than that of a
parent.

Uninvolved Parenting
 Few demands, low responsiveness and little
communication
 Parents fulfill the child’s basic needs, they are
generally detached from their child’s life
 These parents may even reject or neglect the
needs of their children

Impact of Parenting style

 Authoritarian parenting styles generally lead to
children who are obedient and proficient, but they
rank lower in happiness, social competence and
self-esteem.
 Authoritative parenting styles tend to result in
children who are happy, capable and successful
(Maccoby, 1992)
 Permissive Parenting often results in children who
rank low in happiness and self-regulation. These
children are more likely to experience problems
with authority and tend to perform poorly in
school.
 Uninvolved parenting styles rank lowest across all
life domains. These children tend to lack self-
control, have low self-esteem and are less
competent than their peers.
