P1.D Development — Topic Overview
Developmental psychology examines how people change across the lifespan, with AQA GCSE focusing on cognitive development and attachment in early childhood.
Piaget's theory of cognitive development
Jean Piaget proposed that children move through four invariant stages of cognitive development, each characterised by qualitatively different thinking:
| Stage | Age | Key feature |
|---|---|---|
| Sensorimotor | 0–2 | Object permanence develops |
| Pre-operational | 2–7 | Egocentrism; no conservation |
| Concrete operational | 7–11 | Conservation; logical thinking with concrete objects |
| Formal operational | 11+ | Abstract reasoning; hypothetical thinking |
Key concepts: conservation (understanding quantity doesn't change with appearance), egocentrism (inability to see from another's perspective), object permanence (things exist when not seen), schemas (mental frameworks), assimilation and accommodation.
Vygotsky's theory
Vygotsky emphasised the social and cultural context of learning. Key ideas:
- Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD): the gap between what a child can do alone and what they can do with guidance.
- Scaffolding: support from a more knowledgeable other that gradually withdraws as competence grows.
- Private speech: children talk to themselves as a thinking tool (internalised later).
Vygotsky contrasts with Piaget: for Vygotsky, social interaction drives development; for Piaget, it is individual active discovery.
Attachment (Bowlby and Ainsworth)
Bowlby's attachment theory: attachment to a caregiver is an evolved, biological need. The primary caregiver provides a secure base. Early attachment patterns form an internal working model for later relationships. The critical period (first 2.5 years) is crucial.
Ainsworth's Strange Situation: classified infants as:
- Secure (~65 %): distressed when left; easily comforted on return; explores freely
- Insecure-avoidant (~20 %): little distress; ignores caregiver on return
- Insecure-ambivalent (~15 %): very distressed; not easily comforted; clingy
Exam focus
- Evaluate Piaget: underestimated children's abilities; ethnocentric; studies are not replicable
- Attachment types and behaviours in the Strange Situation
- Apply ZPD to a classroom scenario
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