Introduction to Human Development

The Major Concerns of Science

• Human Development– Opposing processes of being becoming

someone different– While remaining in some respects that same

person over an extended period of time

continue

• Continuity and Change in Development– Nature has no fixed entities, only transitions

and transformations– Change – biological, psychological, and

emotional-social– Life-span and human development

• Long-term sequence and patterns of change

– Life is also continuity• Same gender, biological, gender-roles, thought

process gives us identity and stability

The Study of Human Development

• Development– Orderly and sequential change that occur

with the passage of time as an organism moves from conception to death

• Human development– Becoming something different while

remaining the same• Developmental Psychology

– Individual change with time while remaining in some respects the same

The Goal of Developmental Psychologist

1. To describe changes that typically occur across the lifespan

2. To explain these changes, to specify the determinants of developmental change

3. To predict developmental changes

4. To be able to use their knowledge to intervene in the course of events in order to control them

Framework for Studying Development

• Divided into categories by clustering components

1. The Major Domain of development

2. The Process of Development

3. The Context of Development

4. The Timing of Development

The Major Domains of Development

• Physical Development – changes in the body

• Cognitive Development – change in mental activity

Emotional-Social Development –

changes in individual's personality, emotions, and relationships

The Process of Development

Growth• Metabolic process

with in us – increase in size, increase in cells

Learning• Preprogra

mming of pattern of behaviors

Maturation• Permanent

modification in behavior that

results from the individual’s

experience in the environment

The Context of Development

• Ecological approach (definition)• 4 levels

– Microsystem – network of social relationships and physical setting

– Mesosystem – interrelationship among the various settings in which the developing person lives

– Exosystem – external environment– Macrosystem – cultural patterns of a society that are

expressed in family, education, economic, political, and religious system

– Look at samples

The Timing of Developmental Events

1. Normative – age graded influences

2. Normative history – graded influences historical factors that occurred

3. Nonnormative life events – turning points at which people change some direction in their lives

Generational activity

Partitioning the Life Span: Cultural and Historical Perspectives

• Divided into age strata– Reflect social definition– Vary by culture– Historical period

• Age is master status– Changes in roles accompanied by age– Social responsibility

• Behavioral expectations from society for age strata are social norms

United States Life-Span Development

• Prenatal development• Infancy• Childhood• Adolescence• Adulthood

– Emerging adult (new one just being added)– Early Adult– Middle Adult– Late Adult

• Old age– Young-old age (newly divided)– Old-old age

Theories of Development

• Psychoanalytic Theories– Sigmund Freud

• Psychosexual Theory• Structure of Personality

– Erik Erikson• Psychosocial Theory

• Behavioral Theories– Ivan Pavlov

• Classical Conditioning• Operant Conditioning

– B.F. Skinner• Classical Conditioning• Operant Conditioning

• Humanistic Theory– Abraham Maslow

• Hierarchy of Needs

– Lawrence Kohlberg• Stages of Moral Reasoning

• Cognitive Theories– Jean Piaget

• Cognitive stages

– Albert Bandura• Cognitive Learning

• Sociocultural Theory– Lev Vygotsky

• Sociocultural theory

Assignment

• Choose 1 theorists to research and present– Prepare a presentation about the theorist

and theory– Prepare a graphic organizer or outline

describing the theory– Include vocabulary (see me for words

associated with theorist)– Be ready to present on time.– If you have questions, ask. Don’t wait.