This document is a reviewer made by me (a student) that covers all the lessons we have discussed for the Midterm examinations. Take note that most of the information in this reviewer was taken from the class, presentations and research I have made.
Developmental Psychology
Midterms reviewer Conceptions of Age
• Chronological age – is the number of years that have
Lesson 1: Introduction to Developmental Psychology elapsed since birth.
Nature of development • Biological age – is a person’s age in terms of biological
health.
• Biological processes – these involve changes in an
individual’s physical nature. • Psychological age – is an individual’s adaptive capacities
compared with those of other individuals of the same
• Cognitive processes – this refers to changes in the chronological age.
individual’s thought, intelligence, and language.
• Social age – this refers to connectedness with others and
the social roles individuals adopt.
• Socioemotional processes – this involves changes in the
individual’s relationships with other people, changes in Developmental Issues
emotions, and personality.
• Nature-Nurture issue – this involves the extent to which
development is influenced by nature and by nurture.
Periods of development
- Nature refers to an organism’s biological
inheritance.
- Nurture refers to its environmental experiences.
• Stability-change issue – this involves the degree to which
early traits and characteristics persist through life or
change.
• Continuity-Discontinuity – this focuses on the degree to
which development involves either gradual, cumulative
change(continuity) or distinct stages(discontinuity)
, 2. Anal Stage (1 ½ - 3 years)
Theories of Development - The child’s pleasure focuses on the anus.
- Unresolved conflicts or issues during this stage
• Psychoanalytic theories – these theories describe can lead to problems later, such as excessive
development as primarily unconscious (beyond awareness) cleanliness, stubbornness, or a need for control.
and heavily colored by emotion. a. Early or harsh potty training can lead to
the child becoming an anal-retentive
- psychoanalytic theories stress the importance of personality who hates mess, is obsessively
the unconscious, and cognitive theories tidy, punctual, and respectful of authority.
emphasize conscious thoughts. They can be stubborn and tight-fisted
with their cash and possessions.
b. The anal-expulsive personality underwent
o Freud’s Theory of Psychosexual Development a liberal toilet-training regime during the
anal stage. In adulthood, the anal
1. Oral Stage (birth to 1 ½ years) expulsive is the person who wants to
share things with you. They like giving
- The infant’s pleasure centers on the mouth. things away. An anal-expulsive
- Freud theorized that experiences during the oral personality is also messy, disorganized,
stage significantly influence personality and rebellious.
development.
- He suggested that a child underfed or frustrated
during feedings might become a pessimistic, 3. Phallic Stage (3-6 years)
envious, and suspicious adult. On the other hand,
a child who is overfed or overly gratified could - The child’s pleasure focuses on the genitals.
become optimistic, gullible, and full of - In this stage, children become increasingly aware
admiration. of their bodies, exhibiting a heightened interest
- There are specific personality types in adulthood in their genitals and those of the opposite sex.
that are linked to oral behavior. - Their understanding of anatomical sex
- Examples of oral personalities are smokers, nail- differences begins to form, sparking a complex
biters, over-eaters, and thumb-suckers. mixture of emotions – erotic attraction, rivalry,
- Oral personalities engage in such oral behaviors, jealousy, resentment, and fear – collectively
particularly when under stress. termed the Oedipus complex (castration anxiety)
, in boys and the Electra complex (penis envy) in - During this stage, they focus on developing social
girls. and intellectual skills, including school,
- This period of conflict is resolved through friendships, and hobbies, instead of on sexual or
identification, where children start adopting the romantic interests.
characteristics of their same-sex parent.
- Unresolved conflicts or issues during this stage
- Freud theorized that unresolved conflicts during can lead to problems later, such as difficulty
this stage could potentially lead to future issues expressing emotions or forming healthy
such as sexual dysfunction, problems with relationships.
gender identity, or difficulties in forming
relationships. - This stage ends with the onset of puberty when
- If fixation occurs during this stage may lead to sexual urges resurface, and the individual enters
various issues in adulthood like being overly the final stage of Freud’s psychosexual
vain, exhibitionistic, and sexually aggressive. development, the Genital Stage.
- In men, phallic fixation might result in anxiety 5. Genital Stage (puberty-adulthood)
about sexual performance, the need for
reassurance and validation, or a tendency to be - During this stage, the libido re-emerges after its
overly assertive or aggressive. latent period and is directed toward peers of the
- In women, fixation at the phallic stage could lead other sex, marking the onset of mature adult
to a desire to dominate men, a rivalry with other sexuality.
women, or the need for male attention or - individuals start to become sexually mature and
approval. begin to explore their sexual feelings and desires
more maturely and responsibly.
4. Latency Stage (6 years- puberty) - This period marks the onset of romantic and
sexual emotions, leading to the formation of
- During this stage, children’s sexual impulses intimate relationships.
become suppressed (the libido is dormant), and
no further psychosexual development occurs - The proper outlet of the sexual instinct in adults
(latent means hidden). was through heterosexual intercourse. Fixation
- The focus shifts to other pursuits such as and conflict may prevent this with the
education, social relationships, and other skills consequence that sexual perversions may
necessary for successful adult life. develop.
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