Theories of attachment
Learning theories including O'Connor et al.’s (2013) study on social learning, parenting and attachment.
Bowlby's maternal deprivation hypothesis and theory of attachment, including the 44 Juvenile Thieves study (1944).
Ainsworth’s work on attachment including types of attachment and care giver sensitivity.
Cross-cultural research into attachment types.
Strange situation procedure.
Theories of cognitive development
Piaget's stages of cognitive and language development.
Vygotsky's zone of proximal development (ZPD).
Stages of language development.
Theories of language: learning including Skinner; nativist including Chomsky's language acquisition device (LAD); interactionist including Vygotsky. Social and emotional development
Erikson's stages of psychosocial development.
Vygotsky's theory of social development.
Mindfulness enhancing social, emotional and cognitive development.
Van iJzendoorn and Kroonenberg (1988) Cross-cultural patterns of attachment: A Meta-Analysis of the Strange Situation.
Cassibba et al. (2013) Attachment the Italian way (Italy).
Ding et al. (2014) The relation of early infant attachment to attachment and cognitive development outcomes in early childhood.
The use of methods in psychology when carrying out research in developmental psychology
Methods from Units 1 and 2, as appropriate, related to developmental psychology.
Clinical interviewing in developmental psychology to understand the world of the child.
Ethnographic field work including Punch in Bolivia (2002) related to developmental psychology and longitudinal/ cross-sectional research in developmental psychology.
Cross-cultural research
The use of the cross-cultural research method, including the Strange Situation, in developmental psychology, including nature-nurture issues.
The use of meta-analysis using cross-cultural research to draw conclusions about the universality of attachment types.
Ethics and the UNCRC (1989)
Participation versus protection rights and research.
Getting data from children.
Ethical issues when children are the participants.
Decision making and interpretation of data:
List A from Topic A (Social), as appropriate
List B from Topic B (Cognitive), as appropriate.
Evaluation of research in developmental psychology
Issues of reliability, validity, generalisability, credibility, objectivity, subjectivity, ethics and practical application of findings as appropriate.
The extent to which psychological research in developmental psychology is scientific, drawing on material from Units 1 and 2.
The strength and weaknesses of psychological research in developmental psychology, drawing on material from Units 1 and 2.
Ethical issues in psychological research as an issue in developmental psychology and drawing on material from Units 1 and 2.