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1: Introduction to Child Development

  • Page ID
    94452
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    Developmental Psychology, also known as Human Development or Lifespan Development, is the scientific study of ways in which people change, as well as stay the same, from conception to death. You will no doubt discover in the course of studying that the field examines change across a broad range of topics. These include physical and other psychophysiological processes, cognition, language, and psychosocial development, including the impact of family and peers.

    • 1.1: Prelude to Lifespan Development
    • 1.2: Lifespan Perspective
      Developmental Psychology, also known as Human Development or Lifespan Development, is the scientific study of ways in which people change, as well as stay the same, from conception to death. You will no doubt discover in the course of studying that the field examines change across a broad range of topics. These include physical and other psychophysiological processes, cognition, language, and psychosocial development, including the impact of family and peers.
    • 1.3: Conceptions of Age
    • 1.4: Periods of Development
    • 1.5: Issues in Lifespan Development
    • 1.6: Historical Theories on Development
    • 1.7: Contemporary Theories on Development
    • 1.8: Research Methods
      Psychologists use three major types of research designs in their research. Descriptive research is research that describes what is occurring at a particular point in time. Correlational research is research designed to discover relationships among variables and to allow the prediction of future events from present knowledge. Experimental research is research in which a researcher manipulates one or more variables to see their effects.
    • 1.9: Research Involving Time-Spans
      Cross-sectional research compares samples that represent a cross-section of the population who vary in age. Participants might be asked to complete a survey or take a test of some physical or cognitive skill. The attitudes or skill levels based on age are compared. In cross-sectional research, respondents are measured only once, and consequently this method is not expensive or time consuming.
    • 1.10: Experimental Research


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