Process
OCR GCSE Psychology J203
Criminal Psychology
Development
Psychological Problems
Social Influence
Memory
Sleep and Dreaming
Development
- 5 subtopics
- 15 things to know
- Component 01
What Development covers
Development is examined in Component 01, Studies and applications in psychology 1. It covers stages of development, the brain and IQ tests, Piaget's theory of cognitive development, Piaget's conservation of number study and education and Dweck's mindsets, Willingham and Blackwell's study.
Where it is assessed
Component 01
Studies and applications in psychology 1, a 1 hour 30 minute paper worth 50% of the GCSE.
Check the OCR specification ↗The 5 subtopics
Each one has its own page.
- Stages of development, the brain and IQ testsThe pre-natal, childhood, adolescent and adult stages, neurons and synapses, synaptic pruning and myelination, and IQ tests, how their scores are worked out, and their criticisms.Open →
- Structure of the brainThe cerebrum, cerebral cortex and two hemispheres, the four lobes and their functions, the limbic system and hypothalamus, the cerebellum, and the brainstem and reticular activating system.Open →
- Piaget's theory of cognitive developmentInvariant stages, schemas, assimilation and accommodation, object permanence, animism and egocentrism, decentration, reversibility and conservation, and reductionist and holistic views.Open →
- Piaget's conservation of number study and educationPiaget's counters task and its three stages of number conservation, McGarrigle and Donaldson's challenge, and key stages, readiness and active learning in schools.Open →
- Dweck's mindsets, Willingham and Blackwell's studyFixed and growth mindsets, praise for effort, Willingham on learning styles and meaning, and Blackwell's study of mindsets and maths grades with its intervention.Open →
What you need to know
Answer each one before you reveal it.
Your recallNot started
Evaluation
What are the criticisms of Piaget's conservation of number study?
Process
What is the pre-natal stage of development?
Process
What did Piaget mean by four invariant stages of development?
Key term
What is a fixed mindset?
Process
Why is the pre-natal stage important for brain development?
Key term
What is a schema in Piaget's theory?
Key term
What is a growth mindset?
Process
What is the childhood stage of development?
Key term
What are the four lobes of the cerebrum?
Process
Where is the occipital lobe, and what is its function?
Process
Which structures make up the limbic system, and what does the amygdala do?
Key term
What is assimilation?
Key term
What was the aim of Piaget's (1952) study of the conservation of number?
Key term
What are Dweck's ideas on praise for effort?
Take Development further
The same content, four other ways.
Commonly confused
Pairs that lose marks when they are blurred together.
Assimilation vs Accommodation
Assimilation: fitting new information into an existing mental framework unchanged. Accommodation: changing a mental framework, or building a new one, to fit new information.
Fixed mindset vs Growth mindset
Fixed mindset: the belief that intelligence and ability cannot be changed. Growth mindset: the belief that intelligence and ability can be developed through effort.
Egocentrism vs Animism
Egocentrism: an inability to see the world from another person's viewpoint. Animism: the belief that lifeless things are alive and have feelings.
Questions from this topic
Each one with the model answer underneath.
- 1
What is the pre-natal stage of development?
Model answer
The pre-natal stage runs from conception to birth, a period of about nine months. The brain and nervous system begin to form within the first few weeks.
- 2
Why is the pre-natal stage important for brain development?
Model answer
Most of the brain's neurons are produced before birth. Alcohol, drugs or poor nutrition during pregnancy can harm the developing brain.
- 3
What is the childhood stage of development?
Model answer
Childhood runs from birth to the start of adolescence, at around 12. The brain forms huge numbers of new synapses in the early years, as language, movement and thinking develop.
- 4
What is adolescence?
Model answer
Adolescence is the stage between childhood and adulthood, beginning with puberty at around 10 to 13. Hormonal changes bring physical growth and sexual maturity.
- 5
How does the brain change during adolescence?
Model answer
The prefrontal cortex, which controls planning and self-control, is still maturing in adolescence. Emotional areas such as the limbic system mature earlier, which may help explain teenage risk-taking.
- 6
What is adulthood?
Model answer
Adulthood is the stage from about 18 onwards, when physical growth is complete. The brain is usually fully mature by the mid-twenties.
What is inside Levo
Six ways to work the same material.
Development revision questions
- What does Development cover in OCR GCSE Psychology?
- 5 subtopics: stages of development, the brain and iq tests, structure of the brain, piaget's theory of cognitive development, piaget's conservation of number study and education and dweck's mindsets, willingham and blackwell's study. Each one has its own page with questions and model answers.
- How is Development organised?
- By the OCR J203 specification, subtopic by subtopic, so it matches the order you are taught it in.
Every question in Development, on a schedule.
Attempt a question from memory, write the correct version, then attempt it again. Levo records the jump between your first attempt and your last, and brings each question back on the day you are due to forget it.
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