Introduction to Lifespan Development

• Lifespan development is the study of how humans grow and change from conception to death.
• The three domains of development are physical, cognitive, and psychosocial.
  • Physical development involves biological growth, motor skills, puberty, and aging.
  • Cognitive development involves learning, memory, problem-solving, and language.
  • Psychosocial development involves emotions, personality, and social relationships.
• Three key issues in development are nature vs. nurture, continuous vs. discontinuous development, and universal vs. individual development.
  • Nature vs. nurture considers the influence of biological inheritance versus the environment.
  • Continuous vs. discontinuous development considers gradual change versus stage-like change.
  • Universal vs. individual development considers aspects that are the same for everyone, versus aspects that are different.

Theories of Development

• Sigmund Freud's psychosexual theory includes five stages which are oral, anal, phallic, latency, and genital.
• This theory emphasizes unconscious desires and early childhood experiences.
• Erik Erikson's psychosocial theory includes eight stages of development
  • Trust vs. Mistrust happens during infancy and involves secure attachment vs. fear
  • Autonomy vs. Shame & Doubt happens during toddlerhood and involves independence
  • Initiative vs. Guilt happens during early childhood and involves exploring and decision-making
  • Industry vs. Inferiority happens during middle childhood and involves competence and skill-building
  • Identity vs. Role Confusion happens during adolescence and involves finding a sense of self
  • Intimacy vs. Isolation happens during early adulthood and involves forming close relationships
  • Generativity vs. Stagnation happens during middle adulthood and involves contributing to society
  • Integrity vs. Despair happens during late adulthood and involves reflecting on life
• Jean Piaget's cognitive development theory includes four stages
  • Sensorimotor stage includes ages 0-2 years and is focused on object permanence and sensory exploration
  • Preoperational stage includes ages 2-7 years and is focused on egocentrism and symbolic thinking
  • Concrete Operational stage includes ages 7-11 years and is focused on logical thought and conservation
  • Formal Operational stage includes ages 12+ years and is focused on abstract reasoning
• Lawrence Kohlberg's moral development theory includes three levels:
  • Preconventional, which is focused on self-interest and avoiding punishment
  • Conventional, which is focused on social rules and approval from others
  • Postconventional, which is focused on ethical principles and justice
• Lev Vygotsky's sociocultural theory focuses on the importance of social interaction and culture in development.

Prenatal Development

• Germinal stage, from 0-2 weeks, involves zygote formation and cell division.
• Embryonic stage, from 3-8 weeks, involves organ development and is most vulnerable to teratogens.
• Fetal stage, from 9 weeks to birth, involves growth and brain development.
• Teratogens are harmful substances that can negatively impact prenatal development and include alcohol, drugs, smoking, and infections.

Infancy and Childhood

• Newborn reflexes include rooting, sucking, grasping, and the Moro reflex.
• Mary Ainsworth's attachment theory includes
  • Secure attachment, where the child is comforted by the caregiver
  • Avoidant attachment, where the child is distant and unresponsive
  • Resistant (ambivalent) attachment, where the child is clingy but resistant
  • Disorganized attachment, where the child shows inconsistent behavior
• Diana Baumrind's parenting styles include
  • Authoritative, which is high warmth and high control and has the best outcomes
  • Authoritarian, which is low warmth and high control and is strict
  • Permissive, which is high warmth and low control and is lax
  • Uninvolved, which is low warmth and low control and is neglectful

Adolescence

• This stage involves physical and hormonal changes associated with puberty.
• This is also when the prefrontal cortex is still developing, which results in more risk-taking behavior.
• Erikson's stage of identity formation, which is Identity vs. Role Confusion, takes place during Adolescence
• Peer and social influence have a greater impact on behavior and choices throughout this stage.

Adulthood

• Early adulthood (20s-40s) includes
  • The Intimacy vs. Isolation stage of which is part of Erikson's stages
  • Forming meaningful relationships
  • Career and family decisions
• Middle adulthood (40s-60s) includes
  • The Generativity vs. Stagnation stage of Erikson's stages in which you are contributing to next generation
  • Physical and cognitive changes, which include a slower metabolism and a possible decline in memory
• Late adulthood (60+) includes
  • The Integrity vs. Despair stage of Erikson's stages in which you Reflecting on life
  • Cognitive Changes, which include some decline in processing speed but preserved knowledge
  • Social Changes, which include retirement, loss of loved ones

Death and Dying

• Elisabeth Kübler-Ross's five stages of grief are denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.
• Cultural attitudes toward death vary across societies.
• Hospice and palliative care focus on quality of life at the end.