As graduate students of psychology, we want to learn more and more of the subject. In researching the topic, I have determined many ideas in which have helped me the student, understand the development of psychology. In understanding Developmental Psychology, we think about what developmental psychology is, how can it be applied in life, and what are its benefits. Developmental Psychology is the study of one’s behavior throughout a lifetime (McCabe, 2016).
It is an important part of psychology that helps scientist determine what behaviors a human life is experiencing (McCabe, 2016). Psychologist use developmental psychology to determine the cause of a human’s behavior (McCabe, 2016). A human’s behavior changes throughout different age groups, as humans we are learning new things every day (McCabe, 2016). Developmental Psychology is seen as a pattern of temporaral changes in the familial, social and cultural contexts of life (McCabe, 2016).
Changes in life lead into shaping the lives of individuals across their life span (McCabe, 2016). Developmental Psychology is often used to research in child development however, it is important in researching behaviors of the elderly (McCabe, 2016). A person’s behavior changes over time, and developmental psychology researchers give us the outcome and reasoning for those changes (McCabe, 2016). Developmental Psychology is studied by developmental psychologists in attempt to determine the causes of these behavioral changes (McCabe, 2016). Due to changes in behavior we lead into intellectual and cognitive development. Intelligence is the ability of adaptation to an environment because of this ability it depends on psychological organization also known as cognitive (McCabe, 2016).
In children Cognitive changes into perception from infant to the age of 12 years old. As infants they start adapting to intellectual development (McCabe, 2016). As the human develops, the human can experience things better such as the five senses used as examples in the article. As stated in the article, ages 18-24 months, infants become more aware of symbolic of presentation, and that is about thinking about problem solving (McCabe, 2016). Further studies prove that from 7 to 11 years of age reach the consolidation of their mental operations (McCabe, 2016). By the age of 12 years old, the human will have reached the final stage of intellectual development (McCabe, 2016).
In understanding developmental psychology, you are understanding the importance of changes of the human mind and behaviors (McCabe, 2016). Furthermore, how is developmental psychology applicable in life. Developmental Psychology is applicable in life as we are understanding ourselves and the transformations we are going through. As adults understanding developmental psychology is to understand the way we are growing (McCabe, 2016)The goal in understanding developmental psychology as adults is to describe, predict and understand the changes that come with age (McCabe, 2016). As a parent we are understanding the transformation our children are going through. As young children we do not understand the changes we are going through until we see it in our children and our cognitive level as adults has helped us understand those changes.
As adolescence we start understanding the changes we are going through as our cognitive level is at the ability to understand (McCabe, 2016). In a study conducted between children and adult’s psychological development is described to be different (Rowell L. Huesmann, Jessica Moise-Titus, Cheryl-Lynn Podolski, Leonard D. Eron, 2003).
In reading, Longitudal relations between children’s exposure to TV violence and their aggressive and violent behaviors in young adulthood, the study proves that as children we develop and exposure to the violence could in the end affect us long term as adults (Rowell L. Huesmann, Jessica Moise-Titus, Cheryl-Lynn Podolski, Leonard D. Eron, 2003). The study conducted was to prove the understanding the changes we through as young children and the development of psychology into becoming an adult (Rowell L. Huesmann, Jessica Moise-Titus, Cheryl-Lynn Podolski, Leonard D. Eron, 2003).
The study proves that scientists continue to research developmental psychology to help us continue developing. The benefits of understanding developmental psychology is to determine the health and cures for the health issues (Irving B. Weiner, Richard M. Lerner, M. nn Easterbrooks, Jayanthi Mistry, Irving Weiner, 2012). As our minds and bodies age, we have health issues due to growth. Understand the developmental psychology can assist scientist in finding cures for those health issues (Irving B. Weiner, Richard M. Lerner, M. Ann Easterbrooks, Jayanthi Mistry, Irving Weiner, 2012).
In research of developmental psychology, age is seen as more than a marker but more of a place in life where adulthood can be assessed better, and help can be given for health issues. The difficulties of understanding developmental psychology are that no person is the same. It is difficult to understand developmental psychology as the more information we find about development the more we have to find cures as the body and mind age (Irving B. Weiner, Richard M. Lerner, M. Ann Easterbrooks, Jayanthi Mistry, Irving Weiner, 2012). As developing and growing people, it is difficult to understand changes even if there is a cure or an outcome (Irving B. Weiner, Richard M. Lerner, M. Ann Easterbrooks, Jayanthi Mistry, Irving Weiner, 2012). Psychological researchers however, continue to conduct research to find the solution and reasoning of these behaviors.
In conclusion, we have discussed how much developmental psychology is used in our daily life without us knowing. The study of developmental psychology can help a human determine their behaviors. The benefits of understanding developmental psychology is to help us understand changes in behavior, transformation. Understanding Developmental Psychology is beneficial in more ways than one.
References
- McCabe, A. (November 2016). Developmental Psychology. Retrieved from https://www-accessscience-com.contentproxy.phoenix.edu/content/189450
- Weiner, Lerner, Easterbrooks, Mistry, Weiner, Irving B. R. M. M. A. J. Irving. (2012). Handbook of Psychology, Developmental Psychology. Retrieved from https://ebookcentral-proquestcom.contentproxy.phoenix.edu/lib/apollolib/reader.action?docID=918176&query
