ASSUMPTIONS of the Developmental Approach:
- **Children are psychologically different from adults -->Samuel & Bryant's study supports Piaget's theory that children of different ages think differently to each other. E.g children under 8 do not conserve as well as children over 8.
- *Children learn through the behavioural principles of operant & classical conditioning and modelling --> Bandura's Social learning Theory
- Children's development occurs in stages, whose sequence is consistent and common-->E.g Piaget's theory of cognitive development and Freud's theory of psycho-sexual stages of personality development.
- (It assumes there are clearly identifiable systematic changes that occur in an individual’s behaviour from conception to death).
EVALUATION of the Developmental Approach:
Strengths:
1) I- Research from this approach has PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS. E- ...that are useful for BENEFITING SOCIETY shows how individuals of differing ages demonstrate different intellectual abilities, social skills and emotional responses (behaviours). C- Bandura: discovered children would imitate aggressive model behaviour they observed. This lead to the WATERSHED being introduced on TV--> no inappropriate behaviour screened until after 9pm. 2) I- Often uses CASE STUDY METHOD to investigate development. E- you get advantages associated with longitudinal research-RICH DETAILED DATA. C- Freud: great deal of QUAL DATA; full picture of Hans experiences due to him being studied over a long period of time. 3) I- Research has shown that children ARE COGNITIVELY DIFFERENT to adults/Offers an explanation on why individuals of differing ages demonstrate different intellectual abilities, social skills and emotional responses. E- ...which has had a huge impact on HOW CHILDREN ARE TAUGHT at school. C- Samuel & Bryant: confirm Piaget's theory of CHILDREN'S THINKING CHANGES as they age. His work has greatly influenced how the science and maths curriculum is taught. |
Weaknesses:
1) I- have to STUDY CHILDREN E- raises ETHICAL CONCERNS as children can't fully give informed consent/not debriefed/no R to W. Unethical to introduce variables that might HARM THE CHILD. C- Bandura: encouraged aggressive behaviour in children who observed the aggressive model- as the children's behaviour has been impacted they MAY NOT LEAVE THE STUDY IN THE SAME STATE THEY ENTERED IN- an important ethical requirement. 2) I- There are PRACTICAL PROBLEMS TO OVERCOME. E- VALIDITY can be challenged. C- Bandura: children studied alone in a controlled (laboratory) setting, isolated from the typical company of their peers. The findings may not relate to how they would behave in a realistic social setting, so therefore low in ecological valid. Freud: Hans close relationship with his father may have made him more susceptible to leading Q's. E.g Hans agreeing response to his father asking: 'when the horse falling over did you think of your daddy?' may have been to please his father, rather to express what he really thought at the time. |
Similarities & Differences between the Developmental Approach studies summarised below in the Venn diagram: