Chapter 1: The Study of Human Development

Study Notes

Human Development: An Ever-Evolving Field

Human development is the scientific study of the systematic processes of change and stability in people from conception to maturity.

Study of Human Development

Developmental scientists focus on how people change and what remains stable throughout their lives.
The goals of human development include description, explanation, prediction, and intervention.

Life-Span Development

Life-span development is the concept of human development as a lifelong process that can be studied scientifically.
Development can be either positive or negative, and is often complex and messy.
It is best understood through input from various theoretical and research orientations and multiple disciplines.

Domains of Development

Physical development: growth of the body and brain, including patterns of change in sensory capacities, motor skills, and health.
Cognitive development: pattern of change in mental abilities, such as learning, attention, memory, language, thinking, reasoning, and creativity.
Psychosocial development: pattern of change in emotions, personality, and social relationships.

Periods of the Life Span

Social construction: the division of the lifespan into periods, which is an invention of a particular culture or society.

Basic Concepts

Individual differences: differences in characteristics, influences, or developmental outcomes.
Heredity: inborn traits or characteristics inherited from biological parents.
Environment: the totality of non-hereditary, or experiential, influences on development.
Context of development: includes nuclear family, extended family, socioeconomic status (SES), risk factors, culture, and ethnic group.

Context of Development

Nuclear family: two-generational kinship, economic, and household unit consisting of one or two parents and their biological children.
Extended family: multigenerational kinship network of parents, children, and other relatives, sometimes living together.
Socioeconomic status (SES): combination of economic and social factors describing an individual or family, including income, education, and occupation.
Culture: a society's or group's total way of life, including customs, traditions, beliefs, values, language, and physical products.
Ethnic group: a group united by ancestry, race, religion, language, or national origins, which contribute to a sense of shared identity.

Description

Explore the key concepts and theories related to human development, from conception through maturity. Learn about the systematic processes of change and stability in individuals, as studied by developmental scientists.