Child Psychology - Introduction

Psychology 333
Dennis Karpowitz
Stop staring at me!
Ill be there for you.

Why Study Children?
1. Maximize childrens development
Societys future
2. Increase effectiveness as parents and
teachers
3. Understand children
4. Understand adults The present is
informed by the past
5. Understand the process of development
Discussion
Which reason for studying children is
most meaningful to you?
Why?

The History of Childhood
Periods of enlightenment & ignorance
Medieval times - miniature adults
Reformation - Harsh, restrictive parenting
1632 Locke - tabula rasa
1712 Rousseau - noble savages
Scientific Beginnings
Anthropometric lab
G. Stanley Hall
Baby biographies
Mandatory education
Binet and the testing movement
Norms and Longitudinal Studies
Gesell Institute Norms
Bailey studies of intelligence
McFarland/Honzig studies of personality
Oakland growth studies of adolescence


The Role of Personal
Assumptions
Thought through or automatic
Linked to feeling and action

Think about your own personal
assumptions. How might they affect
your understanding in this class?
Some of My Assumptions
Psychology is both art and science
Psychology has limits as a discipline
Human behavior has multiple causes
Psychology is preparadigmatic
Psychological theories have:
Range of usefulness
Point of maximum applicability
An Example of Three Theories
My Assumptions Continued
All actions have consequences
Human beings have limited freedom
Life involves struggle
Children are robust and vulnerable
Family is powerful (+ & -)
Human beings are unique
Growth can be continual
What are your assumptions?
How do your assumptions effect your
view of children?
Parents?
Teachers?
Compare and contrast your
assumptions with mine
What evidence is there for your
assumptions?



Methods of Child Study

Science
Observation and measurement - The
Challenge
Reliability
Validity
Basic Methods of Research
Case study
Systematic naturalistic observation
Correlational methods
Systems approaches
Experimental methods
Small-n approaches
Time Strategies ** Development
Longitudinal strategies
Cross-Sectional strategies
Sequential strategies
Risk research
Retrospective designs
Prospective designs
Epidemiologic Research
Prevalence or incidence
Multiple Methods
Each method has strengths and weakness
Combining methods adds strength to the
findings
Ethics in Research
Integrity
Openness
Awareness of research effects

Theories of Child
Development

Bricks


Brick Home

What is a theory?
Organizes data
Allows us to see some things more
clearly
Hides other things from view
Classical Theories 1
Psychoanalytic perspective
Theorists: Freud, Erickson, Mahler
Basics
Organismic (active)
Discontinous (stages or periods)
Nature and nurture (bio. & environ.)
New developments
Classical Theories 2
Social learning perspective
Theorists: Skinner, Pavlov, Bandura
Basics
Mechanistic (passive)
Continuous (no stages or periods)
Emphasis on nurture (environment)
New developments
Classical Theories 3
Cognitive Development
Theorists: Piaget, Flavell
Basics
Organismic (active)
Discontinuous (stages or periods)
Nature and nurture (bio. & environ.)
New developments
More Recent Theories 1
Information processing
Basics
Organismic and mechanistic
Continuous (no stages or periods)
Nature and nurture (bio. & environ.)
More Recent Theories 2
Ethology
Theorist: Lorenz
Basics
Organismic (active)
Continuous and discontinuous
Nature and nurture (bio. & environ.)
More Recent Theories 3
Ecological systems
Theorist: Bronfenbrenner
Basics
Organismic (active)
Nature and nurture (bio. & environ.)
More Recent Theories 4
Sociocultural/Linguistic Approach
Theorist: Vygotsky
Basics
Organismic (active)
Continuous (no stages or periods)
Nature and nurture (bio. & environ.)
More Recent Theories 5
Dynamic systems theory (family
systems)
Basics
Organismic (active)
Continuous (no stages or periods)
Nature and nurture (bio. & environ.)
End