UNIT 1 PSYCHOLOGY

L I F E S PA N D E V E L O P M E N T

DEFINING LIFESPAN DEVELOPMENT

Lifespan development refers to age-related changes that occur

from birth, throughout a persons life, into and during old age. Though there are many changes that occur during fetal development, psychologists do not focus on this; rather, only the development after birth. In studying lifespan development, the aim is to understand, describe, explain and predict the many ways in which our thoughts, feelings and behaviour change throughout our lives.

DEFINING LIFESPAN DEVELOPMENT

A change must be relatively permanent to be considered a

developmental change. Knowing the kinds of changes that might be expected at different times of life helps us understand what is normal, what is not normal and consequently when professional assistance may be helpful.

Learning activity 4.1 pg 147.

STAGES OF LIFESPAN DEVELOPMENT

Stage Infancy Childhood Adolescence Early adulthood Middle age Older age Approximate ages Birth to two years Two years to 10 years 10 years to 20 years 20 years to 40 years 40 years to 65 years 65 years and beyond

STAGES OF LIFESPAN DEVELOPMENT

Infancy:

Infant is dependent on adults for most things Psychological characteristics are developing (perceptual abilities, thinking, language and social skills) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jG5rQ3D_Zrw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KemI9zU1Qbc

Childhood:

Children become increasingly independent from their parents acquire basic skills of reading, writing and mathematics time spent on play and social learning cognitive skills develop understanding of right and wrong
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVRD05Hc3Eg

STAGES OF LIFESPAN DEVELOPMENT

Adolescence:
The onset of puberty marks the start of adolescence http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfpz9uEH-fQ (stop at 2.05min)

Dominated by seeking independence from parents and developing ones own identity The adolescents thought processes are more logical, complex and idealistic; they also have a greater capacity to reason, problem solve and understand abstract concepts Early adulthood: Establishing personal and financial independence Establishing and consolidating a career Selecting a partner, and starting a family
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3G3fILPQAU

STAGES OF LIFESPAN DEVELOPMENT

Middle age:

Expanding social and personal involvements and responsibilities Advancing a career Supporting offspring in their development http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onunI7e5DpE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbvnDlu_Zjc

Older age:

Retirement Decreasing strength and stamina, declining health http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARXfQzfl9EQ

Billy Crystal on the purpose of life: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PgbhbkSnbc

AREAS OF LIFESPAN DEVELOPMENT

Developmental changes are classified into four main areas:
Physical (or biological):

Involves changes in the body and its systems

Social:

Involves changes in an individuals relationships with other people, and their skills in interacting with others

AREAS OF LIFESPAN DEVELOPMENT

Cognitive:

Involves changes in an individuals mental abilities - thinking, perceiving, remembering, language etc.

Emotional:

Involves changes in how an individual experiences, expresses, interprets and deals with different emotions

AREAS OF LIFESPAN DEVELOPMENT

Social, cognitive and emotional development are often referred to collectively as psychological development and are not directly observable. Though there is a distinction between psychological and physical development, they do not occur independently of each other.
Learning Activity 4.3 pg 150

AREAS OF LIFESPAN DEVELOPMENT

How Development Proceeds

Development occurs in an orderly way and in different areas simultaneously Among psychologist, there are varying views on development:

Continuous development involves ongoing changes without sudden shifts. (like a smooth line) Discontinuous development involves distinct and separate stages, with different abilities occurring in each stage (like steps)

An orderly sequence of change is observable in many areas of

psychological development, such as in the use of language and the development of social play. Development generally follows a particular order; eg an individual can usually count before they can add numbers.

AREAS OF LIFESPAN DEVELOPMENT

How Development Proceeds

Developmental changes may be described as either quantitative or

qualitative:
Qualitative change: change in quality, kind or type

eg. thinking differently, expressing emotions differently, interest in boys or girls.

Quantitative change: change in quantity, or amount

eg. number of words spoken, how many colours are known, number of decibels at which sound is perceived.

AREAS OF LIFESPAN DEVELOPMENT

How Development Proceeds
Developmental norms describe the usual

development of various human characteristics and abilities. They show the patterns of development and the approximate ages at which a characteristic or ability appears in the average child. Norms do not tell us what is ideal development rather what is the average developmental tendency for a large number of people. SAM: Activity 3.5 pg 84-86

AREAS OF LIFESPAN DEVELOPMENT

How Development Proceeds
There are many differences between individuals in their development, and also

many differences within individuals in their development. No two individuals develop at exactly the same rate or in exactly the same way, even if they are identical twins. Differences between individuals in their development eg. some individuals develop more slowly or more quickly than others, in some, most or all areas of development. Development can vary within individuals eg. some individuals are slow to talk at first then language development proceeds at a rapid rate; change in different areas occurs at its own pace in the same individual.
Change in different areas occurs at its own pace within an individual.

Learning Activity 4.5 pg 154

SHAPING PSYCHOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT:

Nature and Nurture

The various factors influencing the development of our

psychological characteristics can be classified into one of two broad areas Heredity (nature) and Environment (nurture). Heredity involves genetics. Nearly every cell in our body contains a nucleus which holds chromosomes which carry genes that give us our characteristics. At conception, the sperm (with chromosomes from the male) and the ovum (with chromosomes from the female) combine to give the offspring a unique combination of genes. Genes influence many aspects of our physical development such as eye colour, body shape and the rate our brain develops. Our genes also influence our psychological characteristics such as intelligence and personality.
http://www.5min.com/Video/What-Determinesour-Destiny-175264298

SHAPING PSYCHOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT:

Nature and Nurture
Environment refers to all the experiences, objects and events that we are

exposed to throughout our entire lifetime that influence our psychological development. Examples of environmental factors are: brothers and sisters, schooling, religion and major stressful life events. It is neither Nature nor Nurture that is solely responsible for shaping development but both Hereditary and Environmental factors that interact to shape human development.

SAM: Activity 3.7 pg 88-89

SHAPING PSYCHOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT: Role of maturation in development

Maturation refers to the orderly and sequential developmental changes which

occur in the nervous system and other bodily structures controlled by our genes. For example, we crawl before we walk, we count before we add, we gurgle before we talk.

The principle of readiness states that unless necessary

bodily structures are sufficiently mature, then no amount of practice will produce the particular behaviour. While there are individual variations as to when each developmental milestone occurs, the order in which these milestones occur seems connected to the process of maturation.

SHAPING PSYCHOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT: Sensitive periods in development

Sensitive periods are periods of rapid change when individuals seem to be

more vulnerable to influences from their environment. Events that occur during a sensitive period can permanently alter the course of development. Many of these sensitive periods, such as forming attachments to other humans, toilet training and language development, occur in the first years of life. If and individual were deprived of the nurture (environment) with which to thrive or there were problems with the nature (genetic) component of an individual, then development might not follow the norm.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0yGZnJqMXY

DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY FROM DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES

Biological Perspective: focuses on the biological or physiological basis of

development. Eg. How genes influence the development of intelligence; the role of the brain in development;
Behavioural Perspective: focuses on how behaviour

is acquired or changed as a result of the environment. Eg. The role of parenting styles on the development of the child; how learning occurs during a particular lifespan stage.

DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY FROM DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES

Cognitive Perspective: focuses on changes in how we acquire, process,

remember and use information throughout the lifespan. Eg. The factors that influence cognitive development; how to minimise the age-related deterioration of cognitive abilities.

Socio-cultural Perspective: looks at the roles of social and cultural influence

on human behaviour and mental processes. Eg. The effect of gender, age, race, income and culture on development; differences across cultures and the individuals development.

RESEARCH METHODS FOR STUDYING DEVELOPMENT

Longitudinal Study:

In an attempt to understand the relative influences of heredity and

environment, psychologists have used a number of different research methods to assist in their investigations.
Study Longitudinal Study Description A long-term investigation that follows the same group of people over an extended period of time, observing any changes in their thoughts, feelings or behaviour that occur at different ages Advantages Useful in examining consistencies and inconsistencies in behaviour over time. Show ways in which early development may affect later development. Disadvantages Expensive, and difficult to keep in touch with the same group over a long period of time.

RESEARCH METHODS FOR STUDYING DEVELOPMENT

Study Crosssectional Study

Description A study performed at one set period in time, comparing a number of different participants of different ages. Combines the crosssectional and longitudinal study. Eg. Figure 4.21 pg 167 (see next slide)

Advantages Relatively inexpensive, easy to undertake, not too time-consuming

Disadvantages Differences between age groups may be due to factors other than age, eg background. Generational influence due to different childhood experiences.

Cohort sequential method

Enables psychologists Eliminates many of the to identify social and disadvantages of both historical factors that above. may influence agerelated differences.

Figure 4.21 Key features of a cohort sequential method

RESEARCH METHODS FOR STUDYING DEVELOPMENT

Study Twin studies Description Studies using identical (monozygotic) and fraternal (dizygotic) twins. Advantages If a characteristic is mainly heredity, monozygotic twins are likely to be similar in that characteristic. Disadvantages Identical twins are often treated in a similar manner, therefore they are exposed to the same environmental factors. This means that some similarities could also be attributed to environmental factors.

Learning Activity 4.17 pg 169

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yTCShemS_0&feature=related

RESEARCH METHODS FOR STUDYING DEVELOPMENT

Study Adoption studies Description Studies comparing the traits of a child with their biological and adoptive parents, in order to observe the effects of genetics and environment. Advantages Similarities between children and their adoptive parents would suggest environmental influence is greater, whereas similarities between adopted children and their biological parents would indicate inherited influence is greater. Disadvantages It can be difficult to obtain information from biological parents (for comparison purposes) when children have been adopted

RESEARCH METHODS FOR STUDYING DEVELOPMENT

Study Selective breeding experiments Description Animal breeders selectively mate males and females with desired characteristics to increase the likelihood that the offspring will have these same characteristics. Advantages Animal breeders have achieved a great deal of success in producing certain physical and psychological characteristics. Disadvantages Selective breeding experiments with humans would be unethical. Family trees are studies to look for patterns of inherited characteristics.

ETHICS ASSOCIATED WITH STUDYING DEVELOPMENT

Ethical standards and practices apply to all human participants, regardless of

their age or lifespan stage. Participants rights must be respected at all times. The psychologist must ensure that any participant will not be exposed to any physical or psychological harm (either short or long term). Confidentiality must be maintained and participation must be voluntary. If a participant is either too young (or old) to understand, the parent or guardian must give their informed consent for participation, and they have the right to withdraw their child from the research at any time.
True/False Quiz pg 174 and Chapter Test pg 175-176