Developmental area

- interested in psychological processes of development. Change and development is an ongoing process which continues throughout our lifetime

- behaviour may be learned (nurture) or innate (nature)

- early experiences effect later development

- development may happen in pre-determined stages

- external influences on our behavior:

     - bandura: bobo doll

     - Chaney: asthma

- moral development:

     - Kohlberg: moral dilemas

     - Lee: truth/lies

- useful - gives an explanation of why people demonstrate different intellectual abilities, social skills and emotions

- it adds to the nature/nurture debate

- gives the opportunity for participants to be studies in the natural environment

- easy to apply everyday life as we are constantly learning and developing due to maturation

- theories about pre-determines stages of development are too rigid

- focuses mainly on childhood development and tends to neglect how adults mature

- behvaiour is determines by upbringin so suggest less free will