Developmental Psychology

Achieve Test Prep: Developmental Psychology

o Psychosocial Theory:

 Erik Erikson proposed the notion that development, inclusive of personality, occurs through various stages of developmental tasks or crisis. During infancy, there are two developmental stages: • Trust versus Mistrust: Occurs from birth until approximately one year of age, when infants learn if they can trust the world. If an infant’s needs are met, they learn to trust. • Autonomy versus Shame and Doubt: Beginning at approximately two years of age and lasting for approximately one year, children explore their desires to become more independent. If toddlers are allowed to explore, they learn to become autonomous; however, if children are punished for their explorations, they will doubt their ability for independence.

Non-Parental Daycare: Another crucial aspect of understanding the psychology of toddlers is to understand where they spend their days. Recent research has shown that quality daycares do not have a detrimental outcome on the development of a child. There has been some research to suggest that the social skills learned in daycare facilities are invaluable. Generally speaking, it appears that children who experience non-parental daycare are often more well-adjusted than their non-daycare attending counterparts. A quality daycare has a low caretaker to child ratio, high levels of sensorimotor involvement, and high levels of health and safety.

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