Developmental psychology is the study of how our behaviors and thoughts change over our entire life.

• A. Cognitive Psychology
• B. Social Psychology
• C. Developmental Psychology
• D. Clinical Psychology

Answer: (C)

Development across the lifespan is the focus of developmental psychology. This field examines how thinking, feeling, and behavior change from infancy through old age, across physical, cognitive, and social domains. That broad, life-span perspective is what distinguishes it from other subfields. For example, cognitive psychology zeroes in on mental processes like memory and problem-solving, often in controlled tasks, rather than tracking changes across all stages of life. Social psychology looks at how people influence and are influenced by others in specific contexts, not the overall trajectory of development. Clinical psychology concentrates on diagnosing and treating mental health issues rather than studying long-term developmental changes.