Developmental psychology is the scientific study of how people change and grow from conception through adulthood. Developmental psychology is a subfield of psychobiology, which focuses on the biological bases of behavior and mental processes.
Developmental psychology has its roots in philosophy and ethics. Socrates (470–399 BC) proposed that human beings have a purpose or function that they must fulfill. Jean Jacques Rousseau (1712–1778) believed that children should be raised by their parents as much as possible, which would allow them to develop into mature adults with strong moral values. The German philosopher Immanuel Kant (1724–1804) argued that human beings are born with innate knowledge but must learn through experience how to apply this knowledge to specific situations.
Early theories of development were based on the assumption that infants were blank slates upon which parents wrote their beliefs and values during childhood. This idea was popularized by John Locke (1632–1704) in his work Some Thoughts Concerning Education (1693), which recommended that children be raised within a loving family environment rather than in an institution such as a boarding school where they would not receive adequate attention from their parents or other caregivers. Locke also advocated for teaching children about religion as soon as possible so they would develop strong
Scope Of Developmental Psychology
Developmental psychology is the study of mental and physical changes in humans, both within an individual and across the entire lifespan. These changes may occur as a result of biological maturation, psychological experiences, social factors or some combination thereof. Developmental psychologists include developmental psychologists who study children (or infant development), adolescents, and adults; clinical psychologists; and educational psychologists. Developmental psychology is concerned with both typical development and individual differences in behavior and mental processes.
Developmental psychology is concerned with how we develop from conception through to old age. It looks at how we change as individuals over time and why certain things happen at certain times in our lives. It also looks at how our lives are influenced by our experiences as children and how this can affect us as adults. It looks at ways to prevent people from being disadvantaged by their experiences when they were young so that they can have better lives when they grow up.
Developmental psychologists are interested in why people behave like they do, especially when they become teenagers or adults (see Adulthood). They want to know what makes people behave differently from each other, even if they come from similar backgrounds (see Gender differences). They also want to know what makes children behave differently from
