Human Behavior and Social Environment Lecture 1

Human Development

• Systematic study of human development processes from conception to death, focusing on change and stability.
• Development is both structured and adaptive to internal and external conditions.

Relevance for Social Workers

• Normalization of development assists with social adjustment and adaptation.
• Empowers preventive measures and understanding of changes through casework.
• Fosters professional communication across disciplines like psychology, occupational therapy, and physiotherapy.

Importance of Study

• Descriptive contexts, such as interpreting a child's crying through attachment theory.
• Predictive behaviors linked to secure attachments, e.g., a secure child not crying when seeing their mother.
• Parenting styles can impact attachment patterns.

Domains of Development

• Physical: Body growth, brain development, sensory capabilities, motor skills, and health.
• Cognitive: Learning, memory, language, reasoning, and creativity.
• Psychosocial: Emotional development, interpersonal relationships, personality, and overall well-being.

Environmental Influences

• Family, peers, school, societal norms, socioeconomic status, and historical contexts play crucial roles in development.

Normative vs. Non-Normative Influences

• Normative: Standardized experiences shared by many, such as age-graded or history-graded events.
• Non-Normative: Unique, atypical events impacting development.

Core Concepts of Development

• Life stages are social constructs, influenced by culture and language rather than strict partitions.
• Individual differences arise from genetic factors and natural maturation processes.

Theoretical Perspectives on Development

• Psychoanalytic: Early experiences mold unconscious motives (Freud, Jung).
• Behavioral: Emphasis on environmental factors shaping visible behavior (Skinner, Watson).
• Humanistic: Focus on personal growth and freedom (Maslow, Rogers).
• Cognitive: Exploration of mental processes concerning information acquisition (Ellis).
• Biological: Physiological underpinnings of behavior.
• Contextual: Behavioral interactions shaped by social contexts.

Freud's Contribution

• Development is driven by unconscious forces and instincts.
• Components include Id (pleasure-driven), Superego (moral constructs), and Ego (mediator).

Behaviorism

• Emphasizes observable behaviors rather than internal processes.
• Operant Conditioning: Learning through reinforcement and punishment; shaping behavior through gradual approximation.
• Social Learning Theory (Bandura): Emphasizes observational learning and reciprocal determinism.

Piaget's Cognitive Development Theory

• Focuses on stages of cognitive growth:
  • Sensorimotor: Learning through sensory and motor interactions (0-2 years).
  • Preoperational: Symbolic thought and imaginative play (2-7 years).
  • Concrete Operational: Logical problem-solving without abstract reasoning (7-11 years).
  • Formal Operational: Ability to think abstractly and hypothetically (11 years onward).

Vygotsky's Sociocultural Theory

• Highlights active engagement between children and their social environments.
• Introduces concepts like the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) and scaffolding for learning independence.

Brofenbrenner's Bioecological Theory

• Comprehensive interaction model between individuals and their environments.
• Environmental influences vary across levels:
  • Microsystem: Immediate environments (family, school).
  • Mesosystem: Interactions between different microsystems.
  • Exosystem: External environments indirectly impacting the individual (workplace influences on family dynamics).

Summary

• Human development is multifaceted and influenced by a combination of biology, environment, and individual experiences. Understanding these factors through various theoretical lenses is crucial for professionals working in social services and psychology.