Methodology in Human Developmental Psychology
Keywords:
Methodology, Human development, MethodAbstract
The present paper aims at presenting and discussing the main characteristics and contemporary tendencies
concerning methodological issues related to scientific research in developmental psychology. From a sociocultural constructivist
critical perspective, we argue that methodological issues necessarily imply in complex interconnections between theory and
methods, as well as point at the fundamental role played by epistemological assumptions. Therefore, constructs traditionally
used in psychology such as "data" and "variables" are here analyzed in terms of their contribution to knowledge construction
within the realms of developmental psychology, particularly when development is defined as change processes instead of
change outcomes. We propose that the traditional dichotomy between quantitative and qualitative methods should be overcome,
due to the necessary intrinsic connections between research questions and methodological options. The potential represented
by microgenetic methodologies to approach the investigation of developmental processes is here emphasized, and
illustrated by references to an empirical study carried out by our research team.
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References
Branco, A.U. (1998, julho). Metacommunication within diverse
relational frames: A microgenetic approach. Trabalho apresentado
na XV Reunião Bienal (Biennal Meetings) da International
Society for the Study of Behavioral Development, ISSBD,
Berna, Suíça.
Branco, A.U. & Melo, С. (по prelo). Adaptação à pré-escola: uma
análise co-construtivista das negociações adulto-criança. Em
T.L. Winegar & A.J. Santos (Orgs.), Development of Early
Communication and Sociality (Número Especial). Lisboa: Análise
Psicológica.
Branco, A.U. & Valsiner, J. (1992, julho). From competitive social
contexts to the development of cooperation in preschool children.
Trabalho apresentado no XXV International Congress
of Psychology, Bruxelas, Bélgica.
Branco, A.U. & Valsiner, J. (1993, julho). The emergence of cooperative
and competitive strategies of interaction in young children.
Trabalho apresentado na XII Reunião Bienal (Biennial
Meetings) da International Society for the Study of Behavioural
Development, ISSBD, Recife, PE.
Branco, A.U. & Valsiner, J. (1997). Changing methodologies: A
co-constructivist study of goal orientations in social interactions.
Psychology and Developing Societies, 9(1), 35-64.
Branco, A., Junqueira, L., Melo, С. & Valsiner, J. (1994, julho). An
experimental study of the role of context structure in the development
of cooperation among children. Trabalho apresentado
na XIII Reunião Bienal (Biennial Meetings) da International
Society for the Study of Behavioural Development, ISSBD,
Amsterdã, Holanda.
Branco, A.U., Parro, С, Costa, V. & Queiroga, V. (1996). Estudo
microgenético de episódios de metacomunicação em crianças
pequenas: uma contribuição metodológica. [Resumo] Em Sociedade
Brasileira de Psicologia (Org.), Resumos de comunicações
científicas, XXVI Reunião Anual de Psicologia, Ribeirão
Preto, SP.
Branco, A.U., Flores, A., Ferreira, M. & Pessina, L. (1997, julho).
Metacomunicação entre crianças: estudo microgenético em
contexto estruturado. Trabalho apresentado no XXVI Congresso
Interamericano de Psicologia, São Paulo, SP.
Bornstein, M.H. & Bruner, J.S. (1989). Interaction in human development.
NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Bronfenbrenner, U. (1989). Ecological systems theory. Annais of
Child Development, 6, 185-246.
Catán, L. (1986). The dynamic display of process: Historical development
and contemporary uses of the microgenetic method.
Human Development, 29, 252-263.
Chen, V. & Pearce, W.B. (1995). Even if a thing of beauty, can a
case study be a joy forever? A social constructionist approach
to theory and research. Em W. Leeds- Hurwizt (Org.), Social
approaches to communication (pp. 135-154). New York: The
Guilford Press.
Cole, M. (1992). Culture in development. Em M.H. Bornstein &
M.E. Lamb (Orgs.), Developmental psychology: An advanced
textbook (pp.731-788). New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates
Publishers.
Cole, M., Engestrom, Y. & Vasquez, O. (1997). Mind, culture and
activity: Seminal papers from the Laboratory of' Comparative
Human Cognition. Cambridge, MA: Cambridge University
Press.
Danziger, K. (1996). The practice pychological discourse. Em C.F.
Graumann & K.J. Gergen (Orgs.), Historical dimension of psychological
discourse (pp. 17-35). New York: Cambridge University
Press.
Dewey, J. (1896). The reflex arc concept in psychology. The Psychological
Review, 3(4), 357-370.
Fogel, A. (1993). Developing through relationships: Origins of
communication, self and culture. Chicago: The University of
Chicago.
Ford, D.H. & Lemer, R.M. (1992). Developmental systems theory:
An integrative approach. London: Sage Publications.
Gaskins, S., Miller, P.J. & Corsaro, W.A. (1992). Theoretical and
methodological perspectives in the interpretative study of children.
Em W.A. Corsaro & P.J. Miller (Orgs.), Interpretive
approaches to children's socialization (New Directions for Child Development, Número 58, pp. 5-24). San Francisco, CA:
Jossey-Bass Publishers.
Gergen, K.G. (1982). Toward transformation in social knowledge.
New York: Springer-Verlag.
Gigerenzer, G. (1991). From tools to theories: A heuristic of discovery
in cognitive psychology. Psychological Review, 98(2),
254-267.
Kindermann, T. & Valsiner, J. (1989). Research strategies in culture-
inclusive developmental psychology. Em J. Valsiner (Org.),
Child development in cultural context (pp. 13-50). Toronto:
Hogrefe & Huber.
Leeds-Hurwitz, W. (1993). Semiotics and communication: Signs,
codes, cultures. Hillsdale, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Leeds-Hurwitz, W. (1995). Social approaches to communication.
New York: The Guilford Press.
Maciel, D. (1996). Análise das interações professora-criança em
situação de ensino- aprendizagem da leitura e escrita. Tese de
doutorado, Universidade de São Paulo, SP.
Maciel, D. & Branco, A.U. (1997, julho). Interação professor-aluno:
uma análise co-construtivista. Trabalho apresentado no
XXVI Congresso Interamericano de Psicologia, São Paulo, SP.
Maciel, D. Branco, A.U. & Valsiner, J. (no prelo). Bi-directional
process of knowledge construction in teacher-student relations:
A microgenetic analysis. Madrid: Infância у Aprendizaje.
Magnusson, D. (1995). Individual development: A holistic, integrated
model. Em P. Moen, G.H. Elder & K. Luscher (Orgs.),
Examining lives in context: Perspectives on the ecology of human
development (pp. 19-60). Washington, DC: American Psychological
Association.
Pearce, W B. (1995). A sailing guide for social constructionists.
Em W. Leeds-Hurwizt (Org.), Social approaches to communication
(pp. 88-113). New York: The Guilford Press.
Prigogine, I. & Stengers, I. (1991). A nova aliança - metarmofose
da ciência. (M. Faria & M.J. Machado Trincheira, Trads.)
Brasília, DF: Editora da UnB. (Trabalho original publicado em
1979)
Rey, F.G. (1997). Epistemología cualitativa у subjetividad. São
Paulo: EDUC, Editora da PUC/SP.
Sander, F. (1930). Structure, totality of experience and gestalt. Em
С Murchinson (Org.), Psychologies of 1930 (pp. 188-204).
Worcester, MA: Clark University Press.
Schnitman, D.F. (1996). Novos paradigmas, cultura e subjetividade.
Porto Alegre: Artes Médicas.
Shweder, R.A. & Much, N.C. (1987). Determinations of meaning:
Discourse and moral socialization. Em W.M. Kurtines & J.L.
Gewirtz (Orgs.), Moral development through social interaction
(pp. 197-244). New York: Wiley.
Siegler, R.S. & Crowley, K. (1991). The microgenetic method.
American Psychologist, 46(6), 606-620.
Smedslund, J. (1994). What kind of propositions are set forth in
developmental research? Five case studies. Human Development,
37, 280-292
Stewart, J. (1995). Philosophical features of social approaches to
interpersonal communication. Em Leeds-Hurwizt, W. (Org.),
Social approaches to communication (pp. 23-45). New York:
The Guilford Press.
Stewart, J. (1996). Beyond the symbol mode: Reflections on the
representational nature of language. NY: State University of
New York Press.
Valsiner, J. (1997). Culture and the development of children's actions
(2a ed.) New York: Wiley.
Von Bertalanffy, L. (1977). Teoria geral dos sistemas. (F.M. Guimarães,
Trad.) Petrópolis: Ed. Vozes. (Trabalho original publicado
em 1968).
Vygotsky, L.S. (1984). A formação social da mente. Em M. Cole,
V. John-Steiner, S. Scribner & E. Souberman (Orgs.). (J. Cipolla Neto, L.S.M. Barreto & S.C. Afeche, Trads.) São Paulo: Martins
Fontes. (Trabalho original publicado em 1978).
Wertsch, J.V. (1989). Semiotic mechanisms in joint cognitive activity.
Infância y Aprendizaje, 47, 3-36.
Werner, H. (1954). Change of meaning: A study of semantic processes
through the experimental method. The Journal of General
Psychology, 50, 181-208.
Winegar, L.T. (1997). Developmental research and comparative
perspectives: Applications to developmental science. Em J.
Tudge, M.J. Shanahan, & J. Valsiner (Orgs.), Comparisons in
human development: Understanding time and context (pp. 13-
33). Cambridge, MA: Cambridge University Press.
relational frames: A microgenetic approach. Trabalho apresentado
na XV Reunião Bienal (Biennal Meetings) da International
Society for the Study of Behavioral Development, ISSBD,
Berna, Suíça.
Branco, A.U. & Melo, С. (по prelo). Adaptação à pré-escola: uma
análise co-construtivista das negociações adulto-criança. Em
T.L. Winegar & A.J. Santos (Orgs.), Development of Early
Communication and Sociality (Número Especial). Lisboa: Análise
Psicológica.
Branco, A.U. & Valsiner, J. (1992, julho). From competitive social
contexts to the development of cooperation in preschool children.
Trabalho apresentado no XXV International Congress
of Psychology, Bruxelas, Bélgica.
Branco, A.U. & Valsiner, J. (1993, julho). The emergence of cooperative
and competitive strategies of interaction in young children.
Trabalho apresentado na XII Reunião Bienal (Biennial
Meetings) da International Society for the Study of Behavioural
Development, ISSBD, Recife, PE.
Branco, A.U. & Valsiner, J. (1997). Changing methodologies: A
co-constructivist study of goal orientations in social interactions.
Psychology and Developing Societies, 9(1), 35-64.
Branco, A., Junqueira, L., Melo, С. & Valsiner, J. (1994, julho). An
experimental study of the role of context structure in the development
of cooperation among children. Trabalho apresentado
na XIII Reunião Bienal (Biennial Meetings) da International
Society for the Study of Behavioural Development, ISSBD,
Amsterdã, Holanda.
Branco, A.U., Parro, С, Costa, V. & Queiroga, V. (1996). Estudo
microgenético de episódios de metacomunicação em crianças
pequenas: uma contribuição metodológica. [Resumo] Em Sociedade
Brasileira de Psicologia (Org.), Resumos de comunicações
científicas, XXVI Reunião Anual de Psicologia, Ribeirão
Preto, SP.
Branco, A.U., Flores, A., Ferreira, M. & Pessina, L. (1997, julho).
Metacomunicação entre crianças: estudo microgenético em
contexto estruturado. Trabalho apresentado no XXVI Congresso
Interamericano de Psicologia, São Paulo, SP.
Bornstein, M.H. & Bruner, J.S. (1989). Interaction in human development.
NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Bronfenbrenner, U. (1989). Ecological systems theory. Annais of
Child Development, 6, 185-246.
Catán, L. (1986). The dynamic display of process: Historical development
and contemporary uses of the microgenetic method.
Human Development, 29, 252-263.
Chen, V. & Pearce, W.B. (1995). Even if a thing of beauty, can a
case study be a joy forever? A social constructionist approach
to theory and research. Em W. Leeds- Hurwizt (Org.), Social
approaches to communication (pp. 135-154). New York: The
Guilford Press.
Cole, M. (1992). Culture in development. Em M.H. Bornstein &
M.E. Lamb (Orgs.), Developmental psychology: An advanced
textbook (pp.731-788). New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates
Publishers.
Cole, M., Engestrom, Y. & Vasquez, O. (1997). Mind, culture and
activity: Seminal papers from the Laboratory of' Comparative
Human Cognition. Cambridge, MA: Cambridge University
Press.
Danziger, K. (1996). The practice pychological discourse. Em C.F.
Graumann & K.J. Gergen (Orgs.), Historical dimension of psychological
discourse (pp. 17-35). New York: Cambridge University
Press.
Dewey, J. (1896). The reflex arc concept in psychology. The Psychological
Review, 3(4), 357-370.
Fogel, A. (1993). Developing through relationships: Origins of
communication, self and culture. Chicago: The University of
Chicago.
Ford, D.H. & Lemer, R.M. (1992). Developmental systems theory:
An integrative approach. London: Sage Publications.
Gaskins, S., Miller, P.J. & Corsaro, W.A. (1992). Theoretical and
methodological perspectives in the interpretative study of children.
Em W.A. Corsaro & P.J. Miller (Orgs.), Interpretive
approaches to children's socialization (New Directions for Child Development, Número 58, pp. 5-24). San Francisco, CA:
Jossey-Bass Publishers.
Gergen, K.G. (1982). Toward transformation in social knowledge.
New York: Springer-Verlag.
Gigerenzer, G. (1991). From tools to theories: A heuristic of discovery
in cognitive psychology. Psychological Review, 98(2),
254-267.
Kindermann, T. & Valsiner, J. (1989). Research strategies in culture-
inclusive developmental psychology. Em J. Valsiner (Org.),
Child development in cultural context (pp. 13-50). Toronto:
Hogrefe & Huber.
Leeds-Hurwitz, W. (1993). Semiotics and communication: Signs,
codes, cultures. Hillsdale, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Leeds-Hurwitz, W. (1995). Social approaches to communication.
New York: The Guilford Press.
Maciel, D. (1996). Análise das interações professora-criança em
situação de ensino- aprendizagem da leitura e escrita. Tese de
doutorado, Universidade de São Paulo, SP.
Maciel, D. & Branco, A.U. (1997, julho). Interação professor-aluno:
uma análise co-construtivista. Trabalho apresentado no
XXVI Congresso Interamericano de Psicologia, São Paulo, SP.
Maciel, D. Branco, A.U. & Valsiner, J. (no prelo). Bi-directional
process of knowledge construction in teacher-student relations:
A microgenetic analysis. Madrid: Infância у Aprendizaje.
Magnusson, D. (1995). Individual development: A holistic, integrated
model. Em P. Moen, G.H. Elder & K. Luscher (Orgs.),
Examining lives in context: Perspectives on the ecology of human
development (pp. 19-60). Washington, DC: American Psychological
Association.
Pearce, W B. (1995). A sailing guide for social constructionists.
Em W. Leeds-Hurwizt (Org.), Social approaches to communication
(pp. 88-113). New York: The Guilford Press.
Prigogine, I. & Stengers, I. (1991). A nova aliança - metarmofose
da ciência. (M. Faria & M.J. Machado Trincheira, Trads.)
Brasília, DF: Editora da UnB. (Trabalho original publicado em
1979)
Rey, F.G. (1997). Epistemología cualitativa у subjetividad. São
Paulo: EDUC, Editora da PUC/SP.
Sander, F. (1930). Structure, totality of experience and gestalt. Em
С Murchinson (Org.), Psychologies of 1930 (pp. 188-204).
Worcester, MA: Clark University Press.
Schnitman, D.F. (1996). Novos paradigmas, cultura e subjetividade.
Porto Alegre: Artes Médicas.
Shweder, R.A. & Much, N.C. (1987). Determinations of meaning:
Discourse and moral socialization. Em W.M. Kurtines & J.L.
Gewirtz (Orgs.), Moral development through social interaction
(pp. 197-244). New York: Wiley.
Siegler, R.S. & Crowley, K. (1991). The microgenetic method.
American Psychologist, 46(6), 606-620.
Smedslund, J. (1994). What kind of propositions are set forth in
developmental research? Five case studies. Human Development,
37, 280-292
Stewart, J. (1995). Philosophical features of social approaches to
interpersonal communication. Em Leeds-Hurwizt, W. (Org.),
Social approaches to communication (pp. 23-45). New York:
The Guilford Press.
Stewart, J. (1996). Beyond the symbol mode: Reflections on the
representational nature of language. NY: State University of
New York Press.
Valsiner, J. (1997). Culture and the development of children's actions
(2a ed.) New York: Wiley.
Von Bertalanffy, L. (1977). Teoria geral dos sistemas. (F.M. Guimarães,
Trad.) Petrópolis: Ed. Vozes. (Trabalho original publicado
em 1968).
Vygotsky, L.S. (1984). A formação social da mente. Em M. Cole,
V. John-Steiner, S. Scribner & E. Souberman (Orgs.). (J. Cipolla Neto, L.S.M. Barreto & S.C. Afeche, Trads.) São Paulo: Martins
Fontes. (Trabalho original publicado em 1978).
Wertsch, J.V. (1989). Semiotic mechanisms in joint cognitive activity.
Infância y Aprendizaje, 47, 3-36.
Werner, H. (1954). Change of meaning: A study of semantic processes
through the experimental method. The Journal of General
Psychology, 50, 181-208.
Winegar, L.T. (1997). Developmental research and comparative
perspectives: Applications to developmental science. Em J.
Tudge, M.J. Shanahan, & J. Valsiner (Orgs.), Comparisons in
human development: Understanding time and context (pp. 13-
33). Cambridge, MA: Cambridge University Press.
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Published
2012-09-05
How to Cite
Branco, A., & Ferraz da Rocha, R. (2012). Methodology in Human Developmental Psychology. Psicologia: Teoria E Pesquisa, 14(3), 251–258. Retrieved from https://periodicos.unb.br/index.php/revistaptp/article/view/17331
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