PSYB32H3 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1: Cultural-Historical Psychology, Operant Conditioning, Social Learning Theory
Document Summary
Child development: attempts to account for changes in children"s abilities and behaviours as they develop by uncovering the processes that underlie these changes. Scientists also study children to develop practical information that can help those who care for children such as parents, teachers, health professionals, and legislators. Maturation: a genetically determined process of growth that unfolds naturally over a period of time. Although in the past, development was held by many to be the result of maturation, most modern developmentalists recognize the importance of both biological and environmental influences. Many psychologists are concerned with discovering the ways in which biological and environmental factors interact to produce developmental differences. Most contemporary developmentalists believe that children actively shape, control, and direct the course of their own development. A number of theorists view development as a continuous process, whereby change takes place smoothly and gradually over time, but others see development as a series of qualitatively different steps or stages.
