Final answer:
In developmental psychology, continuity and discontinuity theories provide different perspectives on how development occurs. Nurturists, who focus on nurture, prefer continuity and believe development is a gradual process. Discontinuity theorists argue that development occurs in distinct stages.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the context of developmental psychology, the terms continuity and discontinuity refer to different views on how development occurs. Nurturists, who focus on nurture (environmental factors), tend to prefer continuity in development. They believe that development is a gradual and cumulative process, where skills and abilities build on one another over time. For example, a nurturist would argue that a child's language acquisition skills develop gradually through exposure to language and social interaction.
On the other hand, discontinuity theorists argue that development occurs in distinct stages or discontinuous steps. These theorists believe that children go through specific and separate cognitive, emotional, and social changes at different ages. For example, a discontinuity theorist might argue that a child's transition from concrete operational thinking to formal operational thinking represents a clear and sudden change in cognitive abilities.
It is important to note that both continuity and discontinuity theories have their merits and are valid in different contexts. Developmental psychology researchers often consider a combination of both perspectives to gain a comprehensive understanding of human development.