HDF 200 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Erogenous Zone, Electra Complex, Ethology
1 Nov 2016
School
Department
Course
Professor
Theories of Development
Quantitative vs. Qualitative
Growth: Increase in physical size (quant.)
Development: Gaining skills (qual.)
Maturation: Full development of a skill, independent of practice
Major Influences on Growth and Development
Genes
Nature
Culture
Nurture
Theory: a system of ideas intended to explain and predict
Logical and Internally consistent
Testable
New thinking and research
Growth progresses along a predetermined path
1. Which phenomenon is the theory trying to explain?
2. What assumptions does the theory make?
3. What does the theory predict?
Theory of Evolution
Reproductive Success
Born with innate capacities
Evolutionary origins of mental structures, emotions, and social behaviors
survival of the fittest
Ethology:
Aims to understand causes of behavior and their adaptive significance by
studying context
Behavior strongly influenced by biology and evolution
Imprinting: rapid, innate learning within a critical period of times that involved
attachment to the first moving object seen
Evaluating Evolutionary Theories
Contributions
o A focus on the biological and evolutionary basis of development
o Use of careful observations in naturalistic setting
Criticisms
o Too much emphasis on biological foundations
o Critical and sensitive period concepts may be too rigid
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Document Summary
Maturation: full development of a skill, independent of practice. Theory: a system of ideas intended to explain and predict. Evolutionary origins of mental structures, emotions, and social behaviors (cid:498)survival of the fittest(cid:499) Aims to understand causes of behavior and their adaptive significance by studying context. Behavior strongly influenced by biology and evolution. Imprinting: rapid, innate learning within a critical period of times that involved attachment to the first moving object seen. Contributions: a focus on the biological and evolutionary basis of development, use of careful observations in naturalistic setting. Criticisms: too much emphasis on biological foundations, critical and sensitive period concepts may be too rigid. Describe development as primarily unconscious: true understanding requires analyzing the symbolic meanings of behavior, early experiences with parents extensively shape development. Impact of sexual and aggressive drives on psychological functioning (freud) Drives (sexual and aggressive: domains of consciousness, structure of personality. Superego: punishing and reward, morals and judgments of right or wrong: defense mechanisms.
