Developmental Psychology: Theories, Effects, and Nature vs. Nurture Debate

UNIT 11 - DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY i
DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY
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UNIT 11 - DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY ii
Abstract
The aim of this report is to demonstrate clear understanding of developmental psychology.
The report objectives include a study on theories associated with the developmental psychology,
effects of early relationship upon human behavior, individual differences and supportive
evidence on the nature or nurture debate. Research findings on developmental psychology
illuminates that the theories include psychosexual development, psychosocial development,
behavioral development, cognitive development, attachment theory, social cultural, and social
learning theories. Moreover, findings stipulate that human behavior is influenced mainly by the
attachments created during early childhood and that the influence will always impact the social
life of the person’s adult life. Additionally, findings show that individual differences have much
influence on the language acquisition and speech development. On the nature and nurture debate,
findings prove that human beings carry hereditary aspects in their way of living. However,
people can decide what kind of personality they want to acquire through the choices of
interactions they make in their environment. The recommendation based on developmental
psychology is that if we are to live harmoniously, there is need to study the behavior of human so
that we can know how to live and accommodate each other.
Keywords: Theories of developmental psychology, nature or nurture debate, child
development, attachment theory and individual differences, language acquisition

UNIT 11 - DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY iii
Abstract.......................................................................................................................................................ii
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................1
Developmental Psychology.........................................................................................................................1
Discussion....................................................................................................................................................1
Bowlby’s Attachment Developmental Theory.........................................................................................1
Erikson’s Psychosocial Developmental Theory........................................................................................3
Trust verses mistrust...........................................................................................................................3
Autonomy verses shame and doubt....................................................................................................3
Initiative verses guilt............................................................................................................................3
Industry verses inferior........................................................................................................................3
Identity verses confusion.....................................................................................................................4
Intimacy verses isolation.....................................................................................................................4
Generativity verses stagnation............................................................................................................4
Integrity and despair............................................................................................................................4
Piaget’s Cognitive Theory........................................................................................................................5
Sensorimotor stage..........................................................................................................................5
Preoperational stage.......................................................................................................................5
Concrete operational stage.............................................................................................................5
Formal operational stage.................................................................................................................5
Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory..............................................................................................................5
Bandura’s Social Learning Theory............................................................................................................6
Freud’s Psychosexual Development Theory............................................................................................6
Behavioral Child Theory...........................................................................................................................6
Individual Differences and Language Acquisition (IDs)............................................................................7
The Nature and Nurture Debate..............................................................................................................7
The nature theory........................................................................................................................7
The nurture theory......................................................................................................................8
Conclusion...................................................................................................................................................8
Recommendations.......................................................................................................................................8
References...................................................................................................................................................9

UNIT 11 - DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY 1
Introduction
Developmental Psychology
Developmental psychology is the study of mental, emotional, behavioral and physical changes
as they occur in the lifespan of a human being. The study is covered in different theories by
scholars and researchers and focusses on a descriptive illumination of human understanding as
they develop. A study on the developmental psychology is important since it will distinctly
brighten the understanding of human life and behavior through the different stages of life and
how they impact harmonious understanding of human behavior. Moreover, it will illuminate the
importance of genetics and the environment on human behavior.
This report focusses on the study of developmental psychology, mainly on children and
further explains how the effects of children developmental psychology can affect their adult life.
Limitations of this report include the target of study which is the young population. However,
adult life reflections are made based on the children developmental psychology.
Discussion
Bowlby’s Attachment Developmental Theory
Attachment refers to a special emotional closeness between two human beings that brings
about comfort, pleasure and care (Cherry, 2019). John Bowlby attachment theory focusses on the
social development of children with respect to who their caregivers are. He argues that the
interaction and relationship between children and their caregivers has major impact on their
development and will always influence their way of living even in their adult life. In this theory,
he claims that every child is born with the urge to form a bond that normally aids him or her to
survive through getting care and protection. Bowlby explains his theory that every experience