PSYC10004 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Tabula Rasa, Compulsory Education, Anger Management
1. Introduction to Human Development
Developmental Psychology
Development: systematic changes and continuities in 3 domains:
1. Physical development: The growth of body and organs
2. Cognitive development: perception, language, learning, memory, problem-solving, mental process
3. Psychosocial development: personal and interpersonal development (motives, emotions, personality
traits)
Why study child development?
• Raising children effectively: eg. Anger management
• Choosing social policies: detection and prevention of developmental problems vs treatment; child
testimony
• Understanding human nature: effects of early deprivation
Historical Foundations
• not perceived as fully fledged members of society or even as genuine human beings
• Medieval times: infants regarded as talented pets, became adults very quickly
• At that time children at year 2 or 3 would already be caring for younger siblings or learn trades
• 19th century: children became more valued and childhood seen as unique time from adulthood
• Industrial Revolution: factories and mining industries set off, coalmines: child labour
• compulsory education
John Locke and John-Jacque Rousseau
• first to study children
• children are born innocent and to be protected by corrupt society
Locke: tabula rasa, parents set good example
Rousseau: children should be allowed to develop at own pace, shielded from a corrupt society and adult
oppression
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Development: systematic changes and continuities in 3 domains: physical development: the growth of body and organs, cognitive development: perception, language, learning, memory, problem-solving, mental process, psychosocial development: personal and interpersonal development (motives, emotions, personality traits) Why study child development: raising children effectively: eg. anger management, choosing social policies: detection and prevention of developmental problems vs treatment; child testimony, understanding human nature: effects of early deprivation. Industrial revolution: factories and mining industries set off, coalmines: child labour: compulsory education. John locke and john-jacque rousseau first to study children: children are born innocent and to be protected by corrupt society. Rousseau: children should be allowed to develop at own pace, shielded from a corrupt society and adult oppression. 19th and 20th centuries: growing recognition of childhood and need to study behaviour, baby biographies: a detailed diary of a child, usually authors" own (charles darwin, descriptive observation, good but could not be generalised. Perspectives on development: psychoanalytic, behavioural/social learning, cognitive, systems.
