PART ONE THE BEGINNINGS The Developing Person Through the Life Span 8e by Kathleen Stassen Berger Chapter 1: Introduction Chapter 2: Theories of Development

PART ONETHE BEGINNINGS

The Developing Person Through the Life Span 8e

by Kathleen Stassen Berger

Chapter 1: IntroductionChapter 2: Theories of DevelopmentChapter 3: Heredity & EnvironmentChapter 4: Prenatal Development & Birth

Chapter 1– Introduction

The Developing Person Through the Life Span 8e

by Kathleen Stassen Berger

Defining DevelopmentThe Life-Span PerspectiveThe Scientific Method

Defining Development

The science of human development…

seeks to understand

how and why people—

all kinds of people, everywhere, of every age

change over time.

The Nature-Nurture Debate

Nature inherited genetically from

parents Nurture environmental influences• health and diet of the embryo’s

mother • community• family• society• diet• school

Critical and Sensitive Periods

Critical Periodis a time when certain things must occur for normal development.

- 1957-1961 Newly pregnant women took thalidomide

- Between days 28-54 Fetus develops arms, legs, hands, feet, fingers, toes

Sensitive period is when a particular development occurs most easily.- Language 1-3 years

Observing Changes Over Time

Dynamic-Systems Theory

A view of human development as an ongoing,

ever-changing interaction between the

physical and emotional being and between the

person and every aspect of his or her environment,

including the family and society.

The Life-Span Perspective

Human Development is:

Multidirectional MulticontextualMulticulturalMultidisciplinaryPlastic

An approach to the study of human development that takes into account all phases of life, not just childhood or adulthood.


Development is Multidirectional

Contrary to traditional view development advanced until 18 then level off to 50

Some describe as age-related steps – Piaget, Erickson, Freud

others such as Skinner & Maslow do not


Development is MulticontextualBronfenbrenner’s Ecological-Systems Approach - Bioecological


Socioeconomic Contextsocioeconomic status (SES)

A person’s position in society as determined by income, wealth, occupation, education, and place of residence.


Development is Multicontextual

Let’s look an example of how the context in which you have developed can affect you by looking at common cohort names…

Cohort – Persons born within a few years of each other. A group who travel through life together experiencing similar circumstances.

Which First Names for U.S. Girls & Boys Were Most Popular in

1922, 1952, 1982, and 2012?

Year Top 5 Girls’ Names / Top 5 Boys Names

____ Mary, Dorothy, Helen, Margaret, Ruth / John, Robert, William, James, Charles

____ Sophia, Isabella, Emma, Olivia, Ava / Jacob, Mason, William, Jayden, Noah

____ Linda, Mary, Patricia, Deborah, Susan / James, Robert, John, Michael, David

____ Jennifer, Jessica, Amanda, Sarah, Melissa / Michael, Christopher, Matthew,

Jason, David

Which First Names for U.S. Girls & Boys Were Most Popular in

1922, 1952, 1982, and 2012?

Year Top 5 Girls’ Names / Top 5 Boys Names

1922 Mary, Dorothy, Helen, Margaret, Ruth / John, Robert, William, James, Charles

2012 Sophia, Isabella, Emma, Olivia, Ava / Jacob, Mason, William, Jayden, Noah

1952 Linda, Mary, Patricia, Deborah, Susan / James, Robert, John, Michael, David

1982 Jennifer, Jessica, Amanda, Sarah, Melissa / Michael, Christopher, Matthew,

Jason, David


Development is Multicultural Culture a meaning and information system shared by a

group and transmitted across generations, that allows the

group to meet basic needs of survival…pursue happiness

and well-being, and derive meaning from life.

Ethnicity, Race, and Culture Ethnic Group share certain attributes, almost always including

ancestral heritage and usually national origin

Leo Vygotsky


Ethnicity, Race, and Culture Ethnic Group share certain attributes, almost always including ancestral heritage and usually national origin, religion, language

(Hispanic, Asian American, Native American, etc…)NOT the same as cultural group

Some people of a particular ethnic group may not share a culture.Some cultures are followed by people of several ethnic groups. (A person of Jewish Ethnicity does not necessarily practice Judaism or follow Jewish culture, but instead may practice Buddhism and follow Asian culture) RaceA social construction wherein individuals who are labeled as being of different races on the basis of physical characteristics are treated as though they belong to biologically defined groups.

Development is Multicultural

Study on the effects cultural differencesChan, Brandone, and Tardif-

Participants: 49 mother/toddler pairs. 25 Middle America/ 24 Beijing, China: Comparable age/educationDesign: 3 10-min. play sessions. 1)mechanical toys 2)regular toys 3)reading picture bookData /Conclusions:Similarities:

Influenced by context- used more verbs w/mechanical toysDifferences:

U.S. less commands “sit down” “listen” allowed children to add irrelevant commentsChina 20% more verbs than nouns

Why?

Development is Multicultural

Chinese Culture:Encourages people to see themselves in relation to others rather than as isolated individualSee objects in context rather than detached from uses and surroundings

‘The nail that sticks up will be hammered down.”

American Culture:Encourages people to see themselves as individualsSee objects as detached

“The squeaky wheel get the oil”


Development is Multidisciplinary Lifespan development involves interdisciplinary

collaborations & multiple methodological approaches to understand how and why individuals change

Segmented in three domains: biological, cognitive, and social

Segmented age divisions childhood, adolescence, and adulthood


Development is Plastic Human traits can be molded, yet maintain a certain durability of identity

The Scientific Method

Answering questions using empirical research and data-based conclusions

Empirical Research: based on scientific observations, repeated

experiences, verifiable experiments (not theoretical)

Scientific Observation: recording behavior systematically and objectively

Five Basic Steps of the Scientific Method

1. Begin with curiosity.Pose a question.

2. Develop a hypothesis, a specific prediction that can be tested.

3. Test the hypothesis. Design & conduct research to gather empirical evidence (data)

4. Draw conclusion

5. Report the results.

Often a sixth step is required before the scientific community accepts your results..

6. Replication of research & results.


Before the mid-1990s, Thousands of 2-4 month olds died of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) each year.

1. “Begin with curiosity” – Why do so many infants die suddenly in their sleep?

… cat? brain damage? covers?


Scientist Susan Beal looked for factors that increased the risk of SIDS in South Australia.Babies of Chinese parents died of SIDS less often. Unlike European customs, Chinese babies slept on their backs.

2. “Develop a Hypothesis”

Babies are less likely to

die of SIDS when they

sleep on their backs without loose

blankets


3. “Test the Hypothesis”

Gathered data from over 500 parents who lost babies to SIDS

Convinced many parents in Australia to place babies on backs

4. “Draw Conclusions” Back-sleeping infants survive SIDS more

often


5. “Report Results”

6. Replicate Results Thousands of parents in Holland placed babies on their backs to sleep… SIDS reduced by 40% in one year.


Three major types of research:

Scientific Observation

The Experiment

The Survey


Scientific Observation

A research method of testing a hypothesis by unobtrusively watching and recording

participants behavior in a systematic and objective manner –

in a natural setting, in a laboratory, or searches of archival data.


The Survey

A research method in which information is collected from a large number of

people by interviews, written questionnaires, or some other means

Considerations of researcher:Survey wordingSequence of questionsSelective memoryPersonality differences relating to speaking with strangersPeople change their minds

The Scientific Method: Survey

Study by Quoidbach, Gilbert, Wilson

Rate how much you think you will change over the next

ten years in your:

Personality, Core Values, and Preferences

The End of History Illusion


The Experiment

A research method used to determine a cause-and-effect relationship

between two variables (independent and dependent) by manipulating the independent variable

and then observing and recording changes

this causes to the dependent variable.


The Experiment

Participants

(Sample Size)

Participants

(Sample Size)

Experimental

Group

ControlGroup

Treatment:Independe

ntVariable

No Treatment

Significant

ChangeDepende

nt Variable

No ChangeDepende

ntVariable

Predicted Outcome

Causation vs. Correlation

A correlation exists between two variables if one variable is

more (or less) likely to occur when the other does.

Positive correlation - both variables tend to increase or decrease together.

Negative correlation - one variable tends to increase while the other decreases.

Zero correlation - no connection is evident.

Correlation is not causation

Correlation

Positive CorrelationBoth variable increase or decrease together

Correlation

Negative CorrelationOne variable increases one variable decreases

Correlation

Zero CorrelationNo connection between variables

Correlation

For each pair of variable,

1. Decide whether you think there is a positive, negative, or zero correlation.

2. Try to think of third variable explaining why that correlation may/may not exist.

Correlation

Two Variables Positive/Negative/Zero Why? Correlation? (Third Variable)

1. Ice Cream Sales/ Murder Rate

2. Learning to Read/ # of Baby Teeth

3.Sex of Adult (m/f) # of Children

Positive Heat

Negative

Age

Zero None

Studying Development over the Life Span

Cross-sectional Research Groups of people of one age are compared with people of another age

Longitudinal Research Collecting data repeatedly on the same individuals as

they age

Cross-sequential Research Study several groups of people of different ages (a cross-

sectional approach) and follow them over the years (a longitudinal approach).

Using the Scientific Method

Quantitative vs. Qualitative

Quantity and QualityQuantitative research

Provides data that can be expressed with numbers, such as ranks or scales.

Qualitative research Considers qualities instead of quantities.

-Descriptions of particular conditions and participants’ expressed ideas are often part of qualitative studies.

Ethics

Each academic discipline and professional society involved in the study of human development has a code of ethics.

An Institutional Review Board (IRB) ensures that research follows established guidelines and remains ethical.

Participation is voluntary, confidential, and harmless.

Research subjects must give informed consent- understand the research procedures and any risks involved.

Documents

PART ONE THE BEGINNINGS The Developing Person Through the Life Span 8e by Kathleen Stassen Berger Chapter 1: Introduction Chapter 2: Theories of Development