Psychology 1000 Lecture Notes - Lecture 12: Observational Learning, Menarche, Social Contract

• School: Western University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: Psychology 1000
• Professor: Dr.Mike

Document Summary

4 broad issues guide developmental research: nature and nurture, critical and sensitive approach a critical period is an age range in which certain experiences must occur for development to proceed normally or along a certain path. A sensitive period is an optimal age range for certain experiences, but if those experiences occur at another time, normal development will still be possible: continuity versus discontinuity, stability versus change. Cross sectional design: we would compare people of different ages at the same point in time. Drawback- different age groups, called cohorts, grew up in diff historical periods. Longitudinal design: repeatedly tests the same cohort as it grows older. Ensures everyone is exposed to the same historical time frame, time consuming though (most comprehensive)sequential design: combines the cross-sectional and longitudinal approaches. Repeatedly test several age cohorts as they grow older and determine whether they follow a similar developmental pattern.