Introduction to Developmental Psychology

Introduction to Developmental Psychology Learning Objectives: •Describe human development and how its study has evolved •Describe the development domains and periods of human •Give examples of the influences that make one person different from one another •Discuss the principles of life span perspective Human Development •Refers to the physical, cognitive and psychosocial development of a person throughout his/her lifespan. •Research findings often have applications to education and social policy. Human Development Physical Domain includes: ◦Height ◦Weight ◦Fine and gross motor skills ◦Brain development ◦Puberty ◦Sexual health ◦Fertility and menopause ◦Changes in our senses ◦Primary and secondary aging Human Development Cognitive Domain includes: ◦Language development ◦Thinking (e.g., logical thinking, abstract reasoning) ◦Learning and understanding ◦Memory abilities ◦Moral reasoning ◦Practical intelligence ◦Wisdom Human Development Psychosocial Domain includes: ◦Psychological and social development ◦Temperament and attachment ◦Emotions ◦Personality ◦Self-esteem ◦Relationships ◦Identity development ◦Dating, romance, cohabitation, marriage, and having children ◦Finding work or a career ◦Caregiving, retirement, coping with losses, and death and dying Domains of Development •Physical Development – growth of the body and brain, sensory capacities, motor skills, and health. •Cognitive Development – learning, attention, memory, language, thinking, reasoning, and creativity. •Psychosocial Development – emotions, personality and social relationships. ◦*These domains are intricately interconnected Life Span Development •It is a concept of human development as a life-long process which can be studied scientifically. •From “womb to tomb” comprising the entire life span from conception to death. •Events such as the timing of parenthood, maternal employment and marital satisfaction are now also studied as part of developmental psychology. Goals of Studying Human Development To describe, explain, predict and intervene ◦Describe the typical pattern of development ◦Explain why a child has a delayed language acquisition ◦Predict the likelihood that the child will develop speech problems ◦Intervene by giving speech therapy Human Development Basic Concepts Periods of the Life Span Division of the life span into periods is a social construction. • A concept of or practice that is an invention of a particular culture or society • Social clock Developmentalists suggest that certain basic needs must be met and certain tasks mastered for typical development to occur. Basic Periods of Human Development Prenatal Development: germinal, embryonic, and fetal periods Infancy and Toddlerhood: the first two years Early Childhood: Ages 2 to 5 or 6 Middle Childhood: Ages 6 to 11 Adolescence: Ages 12 to 18 Early Adulthood: late teens, twenties and thirties Middle Adulthood: late thirties (or age 40) through the mid-60s Late Adulthood: ◦ “young old” (65-74 years old) ◦ “old old” (75-84 years old) ◦ “oldest old” (85+ years old) Life Span Developmentalist Life-span developmentalists who focus on adult development and aging increasingly describe life-span development in terms of four “ages” • First Age – Childhood to adolescence • Second Age – Prime adulthood, 20s through 50s • Third Age – 60s to 79 years old • Fourth Age – 80 years old up to death A key aspect in the study of life-span development is how development in one period is connected to development in another period. Practice Question #1 The _______ of human development involves one’s feelings, relationships, identity, and personality. A. physical domain B. cognitive domain C. psychosocial domain D. lifespan domain Practice Question #2 Which period of development involves developing independence and feeling like an adult? A. Adolescence B. Early adulthood C. Middle adulthood D. Late adulthood Influences in Development Nature vs Nurture •Heredity - can be conceptualized as the genetic roll of the dice. It consists of the inborn traits and characteristics provided by a child’s biological parents. •Environment – influences stem from outside the body, starting at conception with the prenatal environment in the womb and continuing throughout life. *Epigenetics – the tendency of our genes to “change” as we develop or due to the influence of the environment. Stability vs Change •Stability-change issue – involves the degree to which early traits and characteristics persist through life or change. *is the most active kid who sings and dances in all family reunions will become an actor/actress someday? • Many developmentalists argue that stability in development is the result of heredity and possibly early experiences in life Continuity vs Discontinuity •Continuity-discontinuity issue – focuses on the degree to which development involves either gradual, cumulative change (continuity) or distinct stages (discontinuity). •Continuity – gradual, continues •Discontinuity – distinct stages Evaluating Developmental Issues •Although most developmentalists do not take extreme positions on these important issues, there’s spirited debate regarding how strongly development is influenced by each of these factors. •Nature and nurture, stability and change, continuity and discontinuity characterize development throughout the human life span. Maturation •The unfolding of a natural sequence of physical changes and behavior patterns. •As children grow into adolescents and then into adults, individual differences in innate characteristics and life experiences play a greater role. •Throughout life, however, maturation continues to influence certain biological processes such as brain development. •All people undergo rates and timing of development vary.