Developmental

BRIEF SUMMARY- Developmental psychology looks at how people change and develop over time. Human development is the interaction and influence of both nature and nurture. 

​Principles of the Developmental Area- 1. Interested in psychological processes of development. Change and development is an on-going process which continues throughout our lifetime. 2. Behaviour may be learned (nurture) or innate (biological / nature) 3. Early experiences affect later development. 4. Development may happen in pre-determined stages.

Links to the nature/nurture debate as it assumes that both the upbringing and genes cause people’s behaviours and both factors interact in a person’s behaviour.

Strengths- 1. Useful – gives an explanation of why people demonstrate different intellectual abilities, social skills and emotions 2. It adds to the nature / nurture debate 3. Gives the opportunity for participant(s) to be studied in their natural environment 4. Easy to apply to everyday life as we are constantly learning and developing due to maturation

 
Weaknesses- 1. Theories about pre-determined stages of development are too rigid 2. Focuses mainly on childhood development and tends to neglect how adults mature 3. Behaviour is determined by upbringing, so suggest less free will