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Unit 1: Chapters 1 and 2

______________________Copyright © 2018

Dr. Joseph A. Mayo

Chapter 1: Foundations of Human Development

► Developmental psychology

- changes and constancies measured over time

* child psychology gerontology

life span

►3 domains of development

1. Physical

* bodily changes and motor skills

* heredity, nutrition, and health

* social and cultural factors (biosocial)

* disciplines of study = biology, medicine, genetics, sociology, & anthropology

2. Cognitive

* mental processes

* disciplines of study = psychology and education

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3. Socioemotional

* social, emotional, and personality development

* disciplines of study = education & the social sciences

* agents of socialization

~ family

~ peers

~ schools

~ community groups

~ mass media

►Historical roots

- children as “miniature adults”

- John Locke’s tabula rasa

- “baby biographers”

- G. Stanley Hall ( “father of dev. psychology”)

* moved us from traditional perspective

~ much change early

~ little change in adulthood

~ inevitable decline late

to contemporary life-span perspective (development is…)

~ lifelong

~ multidirectional

~ multidimensional

~ multidisciplinary

►Contemporary issues (Zeitgeist) include:

- “graying of America”

* chronological age (calendar time)

* biological (or functional )age

* personal (or psychological )age

* social (or sociocultural) age

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►Longstanding developmental issues

1. nature (heredity)

vs.

nurture (environment)

2. continuity (continuous-growth theory)

vs.

discontinuity (stage theory)

►2 basic research designs

1. cross-sectional

* representative sampling

* different groups of various ages

* examine simultaneously

* quick data collection for large number

* generational bias

2. longitudinal * single group of same-age cohorts

* examine repeatedly over extended time period

* high risk for subject “drop out”

* highlights individual differences

►Major developmental theories (theoretical eclecticism)

Theory focusing on biological processes

1. ethology►instincts and genetics

►critical or sensitive periods

►imprinting (Konrad Lorenz)

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Theories focusing on cognitive processes1. Jean Piaget’s stage theory

naturalistic observation

“cognitive map”

schema

adaptation:

►assimilation (no changes)

►accommodation (restructuring)

operation (reversibility)

conservation skills

2. Lev Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory loosely structured stage theory (birth to 7 years)

language

social interaction

multicultural perspective

zone of proximal development (assisted discovery based on child’s current developmental level)

guided participation

►“apprenticeship in thinking”

►scaffolding (Jerome Bruner)

3. Information-processing theory overarching term for a group of theories

cognitive development as a self-modifying, continuous process

Theories focusing on socioemotional processes1. Psychodynamic theories Sigmund Freud

►unconscious motives

►early life experiences

►psychosexual stages

libido

fixation

id, ego, and superego

Erik Erikson

►neo-Freudian

►psychosocial stages

►life span

►reversible development

►dynamic personality

►developmental “life crises”

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2. Humanistic theories►basic principles

born good

striving for personal growth

unique human potential

self-determination

►pioneers

Carl Rogers

►psychotherapist

►unconditional positive regard

Abraham Maslow

►personality and motivation theorist

►self-actualization

Theories focusing on context or environment1. Behavioral (or learning) theory behaviorism (heyday through 1950s)

►observable and measurable behavior only►ignores cognition ►tabula rasa►classical conditioning

stimulus associations producing responses Ivan Pavlov John B. Watson

►operant conditioning reinforcing or punishing consequences of our actions B. F. Skinner

2. Social cognitive theory ► cognitive-behavioral perspective (1960s)

► Albert Bandura

► observational learning

► modeling (“examples speak louder than words”)

3. Bioecological theory►individual society

►Urie Bronfenbrenner

►systems model

individual ‘s biology (e.g., genetics, sex, age)

microsystem (immediate settings)

mesosystem (links microsystems)

exosystem (neighborhood and community)

macrosystem (broader culture and social institutions)

chronosystem (sociohistorical forces)

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4. Family systems theory► family as a social system

► maintaining dynamic equilibrium over time

► adapting as a group to changing individual roles

Chapter 2: Prenatal Development and Birth

► Genetic interactions:

- polygenic

- multifactorial

- genotype (genetic potential)

- phenotype (actual expression of genetic

inheritance)

►Hereditary-environmental interactions:

* genetic predispositions combine with environmental factors (e. g., identical twins more similar early in life)

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►3 periods of prenatal development:

1. germinal period (period of the ovum or zygotic period):

* weeks 1 and 2

* conception to implantation

* 58% of all conceptions fail to implant properly

2. period of the embryo :

* weeks 3-8:

~ cephalocaudal (head to toe)

~ proximodistal (center to periphery)

* cardiovascular system (first to work)

* organogenesis:

~ most prone to teratogens

(explore prenatal risks)

~ timing & exposure

3. period of the fetus:

* week 9 through birth

* week 38 = full-term

* preterm = 3 + weeks premature(respiratory distress syndrome)

* all other major organ systems complete formation

* age of viability (weeks 20-26; approximate average = 24 weeks)

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►Birth (neonate = newborn):

- measuring health and responsiveness:

* Apgar Scale:

~ given twice shortly after birth

~ identifies high-risk infants

~ assign score of 0, 1, or 2 to each of five characteristics

< 4 = critical condition

4-6 = some help for normal breathing

7+ = normal

* Brazelton Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale:

~ assesses neurological development hours after birth

►Postpartum period:

- 6 weeks + after delivery

- return to pre-pregnant state

- physical adjustments:

* hormonal changes

-emotional adjustments:

* postpartum depression (reported

by as many as 70% of women)