Course Progress
Part of 2 Chapters
Chapter 2
How We Grow: Developmental Psychology
#Developmental Psychology#Libido#Psychosocial Crisis#Cognitive Development#Assimilation & Accommodation#Morality
Chapter 2: How We Grow - Developmental Psychology
Developmental Psychology is the study of the processes of change throughout the human lifespan. We don’t just get older; we mature through complex psychological stages.
1. Theories of Personality and Social Development
(1) Freud’s Psychosexual Development Stages
Freud defined human mental energy as ==Libido== and divided development stages based on where this energy is concentrated.
- Oral → Anal → Phallic → Latent → Genital
- He believed that if needs are not properly met at each stage, “fixation” can occur in adulthood.
(2) Erikson’s Psychosocial Development Stages
Expanding on Freud’s theory, Erikson proposed an 8-stage model spanning the entire life. Each stage involves a ==Psychosocial Crisis== to be resolved.
- Infancy: Trust vs. Mistrust
- Adolescence: Identity vs. Role Confusion (The most critical stage)
- Early Adulthood: Intimacy vs. Isolation
2. Development of Intelligence and Thought: Jean Piaget
Piaget observed that the way children understand the world is fundamentally different from that of adults.
| Development Stage | Key Features | Core Concept |
|---|---|---|
| Sensorimotor | Exploring the world through senses/motor | Object Permanence |
| Preoperational | Beginning of language use, egocentrism | Symbolic Play |
| Concrete Operational | Beginning of logical thinking | Concept of ==Conservation== |
| Formal Operational | Abstract and hypothetical thinking | Deductive Reasoning |
Mechanisms of Knowledge Construction
- Assimilation: Fitting new information into existing frameworks (Schemas).
- Accommodation: Modifying existing frameworks to fit new information.
3. Moral Development: Lawrence Kohlberg
Human moral judgment evolves from “Avoiding Punishment” to “Social Contract” and eventually to “Universal Ethical Principles.”
Key Checklist
- In Erikson’s 8 stages, which period focuses on forming an identity and asking “Who am I?” (Answer: Adolescence)
- In Piaget’s theory, what is the process of taking in new information to fit existing cognitive structures? (Answer: Assimilation)
- What is the concept of understanding that the essential quantity of an object remains the same even if its appearance changes? (Answer: Conservation)