Final answer:
In the 20th century, developmental psychology concentrated on the study of human development across the lifespan, including physical, cognitive, and social changes. Influential theories from figures like Freud and Piaget emerged, and the cognitive revolution refocused attention on mental processes.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Focus of Developmental Psychology in the 20th Century
During the 20th century, developmental psychology was primarily focused on the scientific study of human development across the lifespan. Significant emphasis was placed on physical maturation and the psychological changes associated with aging, including cognitive skills,
moral reasoning, social behavior, and other psychological attributes. Early in the century, the field also saw influences from industrial and organizational psychology, which investigated workplace-related psychological phenomena.
Influential figures like Sigmund Freud and Jean Piaget contributed to theories about personality and cognitive development from their individual perspectives. Freud proposed that personality developed through various psychosexual stages,
while Piaget focused on cognitive changes in infancy and childhood. The 20th century also witnessed the cognitive revolution, which shifted the scientific community's focus back to mental processes from a behaviorist perspective.
Furthermore, developmental psychology began to address issues of change examining whether development is continuous or discontinuous, the varying patterns of development across individuals, and the role of genetics versus environment in influencing development.