Essays and Research Papers on Developmental Psychology

An 8 page discussion of behavioral evolution and the role of behavioral science in that evolution. Notes that behavioral changes occur over time on both an individual level and a cultural level. Compares these changes with biological evolution through the process of natural selection. Warns that while the intervention of behavioral science ...

This 15 page paper explores the public and private personality and behaviors of the popular singer, Madonna, in terms of the theories presented by B. F. Skinner and Carl Jung. Bibliography lists 7 sources.

A five page paper which considers the extent to which birth order influences a child’s development of cognitive skills, personality and self-perception, in relation to other factors such as parental socio-economic status and sibship size. Bibliography lists 7 sources

This 7 page paper is based on the supposition that it is how the individual perceives the world as well as the way in which the people around them respond that provides the impetus for change and development. Seen in this manner, development theory is closely aligned with the theory of attribution. Bibliography lists 8 sources.

A 7 page paper that discusses the theory of modularity, cognitive bias and adaptability, and Gilovich's book, How We Know What Isn't So: The Fallibility of Human Reason in Everyday Life. Examples of faulty reasoning and cognitive bias are included. Bibliography lists 4 sources.

This 9 page paper looks at the way that self image, body esteem, body satisfaction, weight satisfaction, self esteem and depression can be seen as precursors to an eating disorder. By looking at the existing evidence and studies the paper draws together evidence that suggest the hypothesis of eating disorders being a symptom of anxiety ...

A 9 page paper. This is an interview with a woman who is over 60 years old. Specific questions that were addressed included: a general chronological overview of her life, including major transitions; major events during the phases of her life and the effects they had on her; her reactions to the events as well ...

A 21 page paper discussing aggression from a personality perspective, including using personality as predicting potential aggression. There have been countless studies linking excessive aggression with personality, most of which have concluded that heightened aggression can be positively linked with some personality types. Others have used specific personality traits as predictors of aggressive behavior. The paper ...

This 14 page report discusses meditation. Virtually all of the world’s religious traditions incorporate some form of meditative practice. Whether it is in the form of prayer, contemplation, or conscious meditation, it serves as a process that assists in clarity and understanding as well as a greater connection to spiritual awareness. The spiritual leaders of religions which have not defined ...

6 pages in length. Many adults do not possess the ability to recall childhood experiences, which social psychologists have termed as episodic or recollective memory. The aspect of selective remembering has been the subject of myriad scientific studies, inasmuch as researchers want to understand more fully the reasons behind childhood amnesia. Adults ...

11 pages in length. Considered for decades to be a disease of the insane, Schizotypal Personality Disorder has finally been recognized for the debilitating and emotionally unbalancing illness it truly is. The symptoms of Schizotypal Personality Disorder can include such things as delusions, hallucinations and difficulty in concentrating. Some think that they ...

An 18 page discussion of the etiologies and causes of these types of eating disorders. Describes each condition noting the frequency of its occurrence. Emphasizes that the impact of these conditions can range from maladaptive social behavior to severe physical consequence, even death. Differences in cognitive processing mechanisms are believed to exist ...

This 8 page paper takes a look at the inner psyche of Ally and Ling of the situation comedy Ally McBeal and what the kiss they shared meant psychologically. Freudian theory is used as well as work done by Nancy Chodorow. Bisexuality in society is explored. Bibliography lists 4 sources.

An 8 page discussion of the neurological and environmental processes involved in memory formation and utilization. Emphasizes that the physiology of the phenomena of memory formation is extremely complex. It is a process which is directly associated with the hippocampus area of the brain and involves a number of neurological interactions between the ...

This 7 page report discusses the fact that thinking, sensation, and perception are intimately linked and yet undeniably distinct from one another. One influences the other but one does not necessarily define the objective reality of the other. One of the most amazing examples is that in which an individual feels a great deal of pain in a ...

This 9 page paper examines the identity crisis in adolescence and compares and contrasts it to the midlife crisis. The fact that many parents go through their crises at the same time as their adolescents is also discussed. Bibliography lists 10 sources.

An 8 page overview of the physiological basis of our perceptions. Discusses the phenomenon of phantom limbs in depth and relates this phenomenon to neurological processes and the structure of the brain itself. Suggests that given the number of physiological processes which can lead to false perceptions it difficult to trust even our ...

Behaviorist and Cognitive Theories on Childhood Aggression:This 8-page analytical essay compares the subject of childhood aggression relevant to the theories espoused by B. F. Skinner, John B. Watson and Jean Piaget. The merits and insufficiencies of each school of thought is examined. Childhood aggression and subsequent violence: Is there any one definitive solution? ...

A 10 page paper which discusses Erik Erikson's eight developmental stages and then applies each one to a character in the movies or on television. Bibliography lists 3 sources.

A 5 page paper which presents an examination of love and relationships. The paper focuses on the psychological, as well as social, aspects of love and relationships. Bibliography lists 3 sources.

(8 pp) Probably the first thing that needs to be examined in the partnership of students, parents, and school staff is the need for a multi-pronged approach to this nationwide problem. The group should be commended for recognizing that this is a societal problem, not one that can be solved by any individual or ...

A 9 page discussion of the contention that cognition, the process by which learning occurs, accounts for most, if not all, of human functioning. Indeed, most aspects of our lives involve an individual being cognizant of his or her environment and gaining knowledge from that environment. This involves both thinking and problem solving ...

A 5 page discussion of techniques for achieving behavioral modification. Spanking as a form of correction is viewed very differently by different people. The more traditional approach to child rearing incorporates spanking as a mild form of punishment. Spanking is employed as a means of correcting inappropriate behavior. The more contemporary ...

A 12 page overview of the relative importance of nature verses nurture, genetics verses environment, on a child’s temperament and motivation. Emphasizes that research does indeed support the contention of a genetic predisposition toward certain behaviors but that this research does not dismiss the need to constructively format a child’s environment to enhance both ...

This 11 page paper considers the concerns of a mother who has just been told her child has been diagnosed as suffering form ADHD (attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder). The paper is written in the form of a letter addressed to her own mother, in which she discusses her concerns and information she has discovered about the ...