After yesterday’s input we were asked for our TDT, to look at the timeline of brain development in the 20th century. I am really fascinated to learn about psychology not only as a practitioner but as a mother with a young child. Imprinting, attachment theory, cognitive development are all quite sensitive subjects to me because, without this course, I already have the constant worry of “Am I doing a good job?”, “Is she received enough stimulation?”, “Is she developing properly?” Research into brain development is important as we know that a child develops most in the first seven years of their lives. As practitioners, we will play no part on the child’s first four or five years of life, however, as I have my own young child I feel immense pressure to give her the best possible childhood with emphasis to the psychology we are learning about. Understanding the brain development is paramount when it comes to teaching as we have to understand what is playing a part in a child’s learning and how to help them as individuals.
Looking through the time line, Sigmund Freud is featured heavily during the early part of the 20th century. He developed some controversial theories including a structured model of the mind and psychosexual stages to explain personality development. Psychoanalytical theories give us a better understanding of the complexities of personality development and focus on the importance of the emotional quality given by caregivers to the children. Freud is still regarded as one of the most influential minds of the 20th century.
1929 John Watson and Rosalie Rayner’s classic conditioning of “Little Albert” was an example of stimulus generalisation. They conditioned Albert to be fearful of white rabbits by exposing him to loud noises and rabbits together.
1963 Stanley Milgram published his study on obedience to authority which showed high obedience rates of someone to hurt another after being given instruction by someone they perceived to be an authority figure.
1971 Philip Zimbardo’s Stanford Prison Experience studied human response to captivity which quickly got out hand and had to be ended early.
The three studies mentioned above were highly unethical due to the distress participants experienced. Other researchers which I’ve chosen not include, due to its disturbing nature, carried out atrocious research but if I can take anything from this, it is that we wouldn’t know what we do today without this research. I find it interesting that on the timeline, where I gathered the above information, the number of research listed reduces over time to present day. There are over thirty studies from 1950’s, over twenty from the 1990’s and only six from 2000’s. Is this due to ethical approaches changing, research not yet being concluded or is it something else?
