PSYCH-190 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Positive Psychology, Nuclear Family, Cognitive Development
21 Jun 2020
School
Department
Course
Professor
Psych 190
Psych of Adolescence
Spring 2018
Brief History of Childhood
● Ancient Times and Middle Ages
o Children innately evil, age 7 = “age of reason”, miniature adults
o Before 476 infanticide common
● 476-1453 laws against infanticide
o Children evil (no rights other than not to be murdered)
● 1800s- 1st child labor law
● Industrial Revolution
o Nuclear family
o Childhood is recognized as a time period of life
● 20th Century
o Child rights in labor, education, neglect
o 1960- child abuse laws
General Themes
● Nature and Nurture
o Biological and environmental forces that govern developmental
● The Role of Neuroscience
o Study of structure, function of brain and nervous system
● Diversity and Multiculturalism
o Investigating how cultures, cultural values impact society
● Positive Development and Resilience
o Increasing research in positive psychology
The Nature – Nurture Controversy
● To what extent is human behavior the result of
o Nature – heredity
o Nurture- environmental influences
● Orientation toward nature
o Cognitive- development theory
o Biological theorists
● Orientation toward nurture
o Learning theories
● Contemporary view of both nature and nurture
The Continuity – Discontinuity Controversy
● Do developmental changes occur
o Continuously (gradually)
o Discontinuously (qualitative leaps)
● Orientation toward continuity
o Maturational theories
● Orientation toward discontinuity
o Stage theories (Freud, Piaget)
The Active – Passive Controversy
Document Summary
Ancient times and middle ages: children innately evil, age 7 = age of reason , miniature adults, before 476 infanticide common. 476-1453 laws against infanticide: children evil (no rights other than not to be murdered) Industrial revolution: nuclear family, childhood is recognized as a time period of life. 20th century: child rights in labor, education, neglect, 1960- child abuse laws. Nature and nurture: biological and environmental forces that govern developmental. The role of neuroscience: study of structure, function of brain and nervous system. Diversity and multiculturalism: investigating how cultures, cultural values impact society. Positive development and resilience: increasing research in positive psychology. To what extent is human behavior the result of: nature heredity, nurture- environmental influences. Orientation toward nature: cognitive- development theory, biological theorists. Contemporary view of both nature and nurture. Do developmental changes occur: continuously (gradually, discontinuously (qualitative leaps) Orientation toward discontinuity: stage theories (freud, piaget) Both active and passive: bronfenbrenner"s bidirectional influence, bandura"s mutual influencing between people, environment.
