AS and A Level: Developmental Psychology
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- Marked by Teachers essays 61
- Peer Reviewed essays 18
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Outline findings and conclusions of research into cross-cultural variations in attachment. (6 marks)
4 star(s)However, an infant?s basic needs are universal and so there should also be some similarities. The ways in which Van Ijzendoorn and Kroonenberg tried to overcome problems by previous studies of cross-cultural patterns were firstly by using large sample sizes that can therefore be better generalised to whole populations and provide more reliable results. They also tried to examine whether or not the differences between cultures were any greater than the existing inter-cultural differences. Finally they used the use of the American ?standard? distribution of attachment types (20% type A, 70% type B, 10% type C)
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Outline and evaluate different types of attachment
4 star(s)Stranger anxiety would be seen, they would be wary and treat the stranger differently. There is a high level of separation protest, distress and crying was shown when the mother left, but they would easily be soothed when the mother was welcomed back on her return. On the other hand, a child with an insecure-avoidant attachment would be happy to explore, and there would be low stranger anxiety, the child would treat the stranger indifferently to the mother. Some separation protest can be shown, and the child may become distressed. However, when the mother returns they will carry on doing what they were before her return as they do not use the caregiver to provide comfort.
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Outline and Evaluate 2 Cognitive Developmental Explanations of Gender Development
4 star(s)In each of these stages, the child grasps increasingly more complex concepts about the nature of gender. Gender Identity: the first and most simple concept the child has to gasp relates to their own sex - that of a girl or boy. Between the age of about two and three-and-a-half, the young child starts to use the label 'boy' or 'girl' to refer to themselves and then to other people. Gender Stability: when the child reaches the age of about three-and-a-half they begin to realise that their own sex will not change.
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Piaget's and Freud's Child development theories
4 star(s)This lead to Piaget's research into young child development. (Vialle & Verenikina, 2000) Through Piaget's research into early childhood development, he focused on how children process and change as they mature and adapt to the environment around them. He came up with the idea that every child has a schema which is a structure in the mind used to store knowledge and ideas of the world. As children develop and learn new information the schema grows, it does this through the process of accommodation and assimilation. Assimilation is when new information is added to the already existing schema.
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Outline and evaluate the evolutionary theory of attachment.
4 star(s)Furthermore, Bowlby proposed that infants develop an Internal Working Model which acts as a template for future relationships. This is based on the relationships between the infant and the primary caregiver. Finally, Bowlby also suggested that there is a critical period of 21/2 years where an attachment has to be formed. If not, the infant will experience social and emotional problems in late life. This theory can be both criticised and supported through studies carried out by several researchers. For instance; Konrad Lorenz (1952) was an ethologist who found that a group of goslings became attached to the first living thing they encountered.
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Dibs In Search of Self:Book Report
4 star(s)One without the other is incomplete. Together, the inch along the road in search of truth, wherever it may be found" (pg. 21) A pioneer of play therapy and a gifted therapist, Virginia Axline, takes you on an incredible journey through the malleable mind of a child. Dibs in Search of Self is the story of the dauntless struggle of a young boy to establish his own identity, enabling him to become the person he is meant to be. His nursery school teachers strive to include Dibs in the classroom activities he is very uncommunicative and withdrawn and will sometimes attack other children if they try to approach him.
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The Theme of Ethics in Psychological Research making reference to Social Psychology and Developmental Psychology research
4 star(s)Has the use of deception in the study been approved by other psychologists or a board of control e.g. the British Psychology Society. * Debriefing - Have the subjects been effectively debriefed. Has any stress psychological or physical been caused by the procedures? * Withdrawal - Are the subjects aware that they have the right to withdraw from the procedure at any time without penalty? * Confidentiality - The subjects taking part in the procedures have the right to expect that the information that they provide will be treated confidentially. * Protection of Participants - Investigators must protect subjects from any physical or mental harm during the research * Observational research - Unless the participants give their informed consent
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CHILD ABUSE, CHILDHOOD & HISTORY
4 star(s)From this point of view Scraton (1997) argues that within the prevailing standards of each age there have been cruel and loving parents and those children who had cruel parents were likely to be abused, but society did not necessarily condone or accept such abuse. VARIOUS VIEWS ON CHILDHOOD The three main theories on the history of childhood have been recapitulated by Orme (2001) as: (a) Aries, Hoyles, Hunt, Shorter, Stone, Tucker, hold the opinion that before the 17th century there was no concept of childhood and children were regarded as being at the very bottom of the social scale and therefore unworthy of consideration.
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How current provision and practice is influenced by the work of the early years educators and approaches to practice.
4 star(s)Genuine relationships: high-scope practitioners aim to bring warmth and trust to the children, respect and value their cultural diversity. Appropriate curriculum: high-scope was developed through observations of the children and was designed to give key learning experiences. High-scope approach has a range of resources similar to the mainstream early years settings. The Reggio Emilia Approach The Reggio approach is child-centred, based on individual children's needs and interests and on educators respect for the differences between individual children. Children are encouraged to develop their own ideas and theories about the world and will use these theories as a starting point for projects with other children and adults.
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Welcome to our private day nursery. The information in this booklet refers to the children within our setting who are 2-3years old, however some of the information may be common throughout the nursery
4 star(s)Our toys and activities are rotated regulary and offered in a variety of ways to offer 'new activities' which encourage experimentation and problem solving. All activities are designed to allow children to succeed at their own level. Activities include sand/water play, painting, drawing, dough, bikes and other outdoor equipment, story, music and singing sessions, imaginative and role play, baking, collage and junk modelling. HYGIENIC AND HEALTHY To keep our environment hygienic we follow strict cleaning and hygiene routines. We maintain a good standard of personal hygiene and provide positive role models for the children to follow.
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THE HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY
4 star(s)but no one actually knows what either persons looks like as you cannot compare them just like the mind no one knows what exactly is in them. The most famous experiment looking into behaviourism is by the Russian scientist I.P Pavlov (1849-1946) in which he found that by ringing a bell every time he fed the dogs in his lab, he realised that the dogs learned to associate the bell with food so therefore salivated, eventually the dogs would salivate without the need for food as the simple ringing of the bell was enough for them to assume that the bell meant food therefore salivation would occur.
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Outline and evaluate research into the effects of deprivation/separation.
4 star(s)(AO1) Robertson's research reliably showed the effects of deprivation over a two-year period. Nevertheless this research used an opportunity sample which was very small consequently it may lack external validity in that it may mean that the findings cannot be generalised to situations other than hospitals or residential nurseries nor situations involving reasons for separation other than hospitalisation of the child or main caregiver. However because this study was a naturalistic observation of children experiencing real deprivation in a real-life situation the study might well have high external validity in that the research situation does represent real life.
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What makes a successful Early Years Practitioner?
4 star(s)There are many courses available today to enhance/ensure early years settings are providing the best possible care to young children. Early years practitioners need to understand the educational guidelines provided by the government. They must be able to teach children each aspect of the curriculum in an enjoyable and stimulating way. Children need support physically, intellectually, emotionally and socially. Young children will not learn if they are not enjoying themselves. Practitioners need to understand what children can and want to do at different stages of growth.
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Bowlby's Attachment Theory
4 star(s)A full evaluation will be made of his deprivation hypothesis, including detailed criticisms of his theory. Finally, conclusions will be drawn to show if Bowlby's deprivation hypothesis can still retain any credibility. The first task is to define the terms attachment and deprivation. In 1973 the leading attachment psychologist, Mary Ainsworth, pointed out that "Attachment is an affectional tie that one person forms to another person, binding them together in space, and enduring over time". Deprivation can occur when there is insufficient opportunity for interaction with a mother figure (privation), when there is insufficient interaction with mother (masked deprivation), or when there are repeated breaches of ties with mother figures.
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What have been the major challenges to Piaget's theory of cognitive development? What aspects of the theory still have value?
4 star(s)Piaget alleged children's thinking goes through changes at each of four stages (sensori motor, concrete operations and formal operations) of development until they can think and reason as an adult. The stages represent qualitatively different ways of thinking, are universal, and children go through each stage in the same order. According to Piaget each stage must be completed before they can move into the next one and involving increasing levels of organisation and increasingly logical underlying structures. Piaget stated that the 'lower stages never disappear; they become integrated into the new stage (hierarchic integration) (Inhelder and Piaget, 1958). Children themselves, through their actions on the environment, interacting with there biologically - determined level of maturation, bring about the cognitive changes, which result in adult thinking.
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Outline and evaluate research into the effects of day-care on childrens social development
3 star(s)The results also show a cut in aggression and a rise in rough and tumble play. The rise in social behaviour seemed more clearly in the infant that attended the nursery 5-days-a-week rather than those who attended 2-days-a-week. The researchers concluded that day care increases the chance of infants to develop into becoming more sociable and less aggressive. In general the study was a naturalistic observation which means that there was no controlled variable therefore the study has high ecological validity due to none of the behaviours being manipulated. Due to the independent variables not being controlled this makes the observation an advantage because in other situations it would be unethical to manipulate the variables and in this study it always the researches the examine what would be unethical for them to control e.g.
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Outline and Evaluate Bowlbys Evolutionary Theory of Attachment. (12mark)
3 star(s)He suggests that infants were born with social releasers (for example: crying/smiling) which encourage caregiving. Bowlby also suggests that there is a best time to form an attachment, this is called the sensitive period where infants are most sensitive to development of attachments and Bowlby would suggest that this is when the child is 3-6 months old. However, attachment can still take place at other times but it becomes increasingly difficult. Attachment acts as a secure base for exploration, which influences independence rather than dependence.
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An investigation into the language acquisition of children
3 star(s)Without experience, children were assumed incapable of reaching their highest cognitive ability. The investigation will focus upon the language learning of a child of different ages; 1. The sensorimotor stage: a child of 0-2 years, this is the first of the four stages in cognitive development which ?extends from birth to the acquisition of language?. 2. The pre-operational stage: a child from the age of 2-7, during this stage, children become increasingly adept at using symbols as evidenced by the increase in playing and pretending. Children of this age are egocentric and cannot mentally manipulate information or understand concrete logic.
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Discuss the affect of early attachment on adult relationships.
3 star(s)They found similarities between childhood and adult relationship experience, with those who are securely attached as a child lasting twice as long there adult relationships. Secure adults reportedly were trusting and had greatest intimacy with their partners; however insecure adults lacked trust and were fearful of intimacy, even doubting the existence of love. However there are many weaknesses of self report research, with demand characteristics, memory issues, cultural bias and how generalisable the results are.
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If a child does not form a significant attachment to a main caregiver within the first five years of life, he/she will grow up to become an affectionless psychopath- Discuss
3 star(s)It describes attachment as having an adaptive nature in that through the successful formation of an attachment, an infant is ensured survival and protection through provision for its emotional and physical needs. This would then give the well off infant an opportunity to reproduce in a later stage of its life. Evolutionary theory states that attachment is a two way process, in that the caregivers sensitivity and level of responsiveness to the infants "social releasers" (which consist of crying or smiling for example), ultimately determine the strength of the attachment bond between the caregiver and the infant.
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Describe the Findings and Conclusions of Gibson and Walks Visual Cliff
3 star(s)Gibson and Walk used 36 participants all between the ages of 6 and 14 months, all of whom were able to crawl. The infants were placed, one at a time, in the centre of the glass on a board. Their mothers stood at one side of the platform, and attempted to coax the child towards them. If the child moved off the centre of the platform onto the "deep" side, this would suggest that the infant had no depth perception and if they appeared to prefer the "shallow side", refusing to cross onto the "deep" side, this would suggest that the infant had developed depth perception.
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Influence of childhood experiences on adult relationships
3 star(s)This behaviour can spread to peer relations and even romantic relationships in adulthood. Children's friendships can act as training grounds for important adult relationships. Close friendships involve affection, a sense of alliance and intimacy, and having someone to confide in. Childhood friendships share important characteristics in later romantic relationships. A02 Despite the criticism there has been some good evidence for this theory. The relationship between early attachment style and later relationships was demonstrated by Fraley (1998). . He conducted a Meta analysis of studies and found correlations between 0.1 and 0.5 between early attachment types and later relationships. He suggested that low correlations are due to the unstable attachment type that is insecure-anxious.
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Describe and evaluate two theories of attachment.
3 star(s)In return, the mother has maternal instincts, which cause her to strive to care for and protect the baby. The concept of an internal working model is also an important one to the child's development and future as these initial attachments that the baby forms in the critical period form the basis for relationships when the child grows older. This is known as the continuity hypothesis. It will guide the individual's feelings, thoughts and expectations. Bowlby argues that without stable, secure attachments in infanthood, they will be unable to socially and emotionally develop normally. Bowlby focuses on the idea of attachment being based on nature, as opposed to nurture - an important argument in psychology.
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Psychology in everyday life
3 star(s)* The public attack recently on Gordon Brown has raised many questions for the public by the media. * People will now know that he has had a rough time and battled to save the sight in one eye and lost it in the other as a result of the rugby accident. * Has he got some sort of dependency or addiction to prescription medication? * This man cannot hold his own in an interview. He has to return to pre-prepared statements and grandstanding in response to almost every question.
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Multi-store model and working memory model
3 star(s)Short-term Memory is the type of memory where information is selected by attention from sensory memory, may pass into short term memory (STM). This allows us to retain information (acoustically) long enough to use it, e.g. looking up a telephone number and remembering it long enough to dial it. Peterson and Peterson (1959) have demonstrated that STM last approximately between 15 and 30 seconds, unless people rehearse the material, while Miller (1956) has found that STM has a limited capacity of around 7+/-2 'chunks' of information.
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