Human Development - Theories and Influences

Developmental Psychology Human Development Definition of Human Development Human Development from Life Span Perspective Domains and Period of Development Influences on Development Context of Development Human Development Cell -> Babies -> Children -> Adole...

Developmental Psychology Human Development Definition of Human Development Human Development from Life Span Perspective Domains and Period of Development Influences on Development Context of Development Human Development Cell -> Babies -> Children -> Adolescents -> Adults Some people are shy from childhood to adulthood. Some can overcome their shyness.  Systematic Human Development Adaptive The scientific study of ways in which people change, as well as stay the same, from conception to death. “womb to tomb”  Systematic Human Development Adaptive Systematic: coherent and organized. Adaptive: deals with internal and external conditions of existence. Human Development The goal is to provide a description, explanation, prediction, and intervention. Human Development A life-long process -- a life span development. (Baltes, 1987; Baltes et al., 2006) Human development as a life span development: Lifelong Lifelong process of change. What happened before can influence what is to come. Each period is unique; no period is more or less important than the other.  Human development as a life span development: Multidimensional Cognitive (learning, attention, memory, language, thinking, reasoning, and creativity) Physical (growth of the body and brain, sensory capacities, motor skills, and health) Psychosocial (emotions, personality, and social relationships) Human development as a life span development: Multidirectional Can gain and lose at the same time. For example, adolescents' ability to solve complex problems increases, but their ability to learn new languages declines.  Human development as a life span development. Influenced by biology and culture shift across life span. Involves resource allocation. Ability to change; characteristics are malleable. Characterised by plasticity. Ability to change; Characterised by plasticity. characteristics are Influenced cultural context. by historical and malleable. Influenced by historical and cultural context.  Domains of Development Physical Cognitive Socioemotional  Domains of Development Physical: growth of the Cognitive: learning, body and brain, sensory attention, memory, language, capacities, motor skills, thinking, reasoning, creativity and health. Socioemotional: emotions, personality, social relationships/interaction Periods of Life Span Did you know that some cultures have no concept of adolescence? Socially construed : invented by society or culture. Periods of Life Span Follow a sequence generally accepted in different societies: - Conception, Prenatal, Infancy, Toddlerhood, Early Childhood, Middle and Late Childhood, Adolescence, Young Adulthood, Middle Adulthood, Late Adulthood Influences on Development (Individual differences) Heredity Environment Maturation Influences on Development (Normative and nonnormative) Normative: events that affect many or most people in similar ways. Age-graded: The timing of biological events is predictable within the normal range. History-graded: Significant environmental events that shape the behavior and attitudes of cohort, or historical generation. Influences on Development (Normative and nonnormative) Normative: events that affect many or most people in similar ways. Cohort: a group of people born at the same time. Historical generation: a group of people who experienced a life-changing event in their lives. Influences on Development (Normative and nonnormative) Nonnormative: unusual events that have a major impact on an individual’s life. Typical events happening at an atypical time: death of a parent when the child is still young. Atypical events (e.g., winning the lottery) Context of Development Nuclear, extended, Family single-parent, adoptive The quality of family relationships, rather than the specific family structure, is the most critical factor in influencing development.  Context of Development The family provides the initial and most significant social and emotional environment for human development. It shapes individuals' personalities, beliefs, Primary socialization, emotional development, cognitive development, and behaviors throughout their physical development, identity formation lives. Context of Development Socioeconomic status Based on family income, and educational and occupational levels of adults in the family. Context of Development Culture and Race/ethnicity Culture: refers to a society’s or group’s total way of life, including customs, traditions, laws, knowledge, beliefs, values, and language. Context of Development Culture and Race/ethnicity Ethnic groups: consist of people united by a distinctive culture, ancestry, religion, language, and/or national origin contributing to a shared identity, attitudes, beliefs, and values. Context of Development Historical