Psychology in Action (8e)

by Karen Huffman

Chapter 9: Life Span Development I

Presented by:Mani Rafiee

Lecture Overview

Studying Development

Physical Development

Cognitive Development

Social-Emotional Development

Developmental Psychology (studies age-related changes in behavior and mental processes from conception to death)

Studying Development– Key Theoretical Debates

Nature vs. Nurture-

heredity vs. environment. Continuity vs. Stages-

continuous and gradual

vs. periods of abrupt

change and then periods of little change. Stability vs. Change- characteristics maintained

vs. characteristics different.

Studying Development (Continued)

Social

What position on these debates is correct? The interactionist perspective, which recently evolved into the biopsychosocial model.

Psychological

Biological

Studying Development—Research Methods

Studying Development—Research Methods

©John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2007 Huffman: Psychology in

Action (8e)

Studying Development—Cultural Guidelines for Developmental Research Culture may be the most

important determinant. Development cannot be studied

outside its sociocultural context. Each culture’s ethnotheories

are important determinants. Culture is largely invisible to participants.

Physical Development—Three Stages of Prenatal Development1. Germinal Period

(conception to implantation in the uterus)

2. Embryonic Period (uterine implantation through the eighth week)

3. Fetal Period (eighth week until birth)

Physical Development—Three Stages of Prenatal Development

Physical Development—Hazards to Prenatal Development Teratogens (environmental agents that

cause damage during prenatal development by crossing the placenta barrier)

• Categories of teratogens include:– Legal and illegal drugs– Diseases and malnutrition– Exposure to X-rays and stress exposure

Physical Development—Hazards to Prenatal Development

Physical Development—Early Childhood

Three key areas of change in early childhood: Brain Motor Sensory/perceptual

development

Physical Development—Brain Development

• As child grows, neurons grow in size and the number of dendrites and axons increase.

Physical Development- Lifespan Changes in Body Proportions

Physical Development—Early Childhood

• Milestones in motor development

Physical Development—Sensory and Perceptual Development

• Senses of smell, taste, touch and hearing are quite developed at birth.

• Sense of vision is poorly developed at birth.

Physical Development- Adulthood Adolescence and Puberty Middle Age: • For women menopause

is an important life milestone.

• For men male climacteric occurs.

Late Adulthood:• Primary aging—

gradual, inevitable changes versus changes due to disease, disuse, or neglect.

Cognitive Development

Jean Piaget believed infants begin at a cognitively “primitive” level and progress in distinct stages.

Piaget’s schemas are the most basic unit of intellect, which act as patterns that organize interactions with the environment.

Cognitive Development (Continued)

Schemas grow and change due to:

Assimilation (absorbing new information into existing schemas)

Accommodation (adjusting old schemas or developing new ones to better fit with new information)

Cognitive Development—Piaget’s Four Stages

Sensorimotor: birth to 2 years Preoperational: 2 to 7 years Concrete Operational: 7 to 11 years Formal Operational: 11 years and up

Social-Emotional Development Social Development Attachment (strong

affectional bond with special others that endures over time) Attachment and

Harlow’s work with monkeys--feeding or contact comfort?

Social-Emotional Development—Three Levels of Attachment Ainsworth’s strange situation

procedure identified three types of attachment in children:

1. Securely attached: child stays close to mother, shows moderate distress when separated, and is happy when mother returns.

2. Avoidant: child treats mother and stranger the same and rarely cries when mother leaves.

3. Anxious/Ambivalent: child is upset as mother leaves. When mother returns, child seeks closeness, but also squirms away.

Social-Emotional Development—Three Levels of Attachment (Continued)

Social-Emotional Development—Romantic Love and Infant Attachment

Research suggests that early infant to caregiver attachment patterns may carry over into adult romantic relationships.

Social-Emotional Development—Baumrind’s Three Parenting Styles

1. Permissive

a. Permissive indifferent parents set few limits and give little attention or support.

b. Permissive indulgent parents are highly involved but set few demands or controls.

Social-Emotional Development—Baumrind’s Three Parenting Styles2. Authoritarian

parents are rigid and punitive.

3. Authoritative parents are tender and caring.

Psychology in Action (8e)

by Karen Huffman

End of Chapter 9: Life Span Development I

Presented by:Mani Rafiee