Introduction to Lifespan Developmental Psychology
Ethel Cantu
Associate Professor
Behavioral Sciences
Based on Development Across the Life Span, by
Robert Feldman, Prentice-Hall
Introduction
Lifespan developmental psychology focuses on the scientific study of the ways people change or stay the same from conception through death
Your Cohort
In what year were you born?
Which historical events affected you and your classmates during your school years?
(assassinations, space exploration, political upheavals or wars, natural disasters…..)
How did these events influence your development?
When you were in the
fifth grade, what attitude did most people you knew have toward the following?
Mothers who worked outside the home
Fathers’ roles in childrearing
People of other ethnic groups
Couples without children
Only children
Handicapped children
Birth control
Overview
Change occurs in
many aspects
physical development
cognitive development
personality development
social development
These aspects of
development interact with each other within a social context over time
Individual
differences must be respected
concern only when deviation from norm is extreme
Overview
Developmental change spans human life
prenatal
infancy and toddlerhood
early childhood (preschool)
middle childhood
adolescence
early adulthood
middle adulthood
late adulthood
Developmental Change
Change is systematic
organized, coherent (logically connected)
adaptive (deals with changing conditions)
Language as an example
Children learn language in a predictable sequence: from sounds to words to sentences
Use of language(s) varies depending on context
use formal language in work and academic settings
use informal language with family and friends
Developmental Change
Continuous
Gradual change, building on previous levels
Quantitative change
Number of teeth, amount of vocabulary
Discontinuous
Distinct change in steps or stages
Qualitative change
Concrete vs abstract thinking
Developmental Change
Scientific study of change has four goals
description
How large is the vocabulary of a 4 year old?
explanation
How do children learn language?
prediction
Are reading problems likely if language is delayed?
modification
How can we treat language delay?
Influences on Development
Heredity
Environment
Normative Influences
Nonnormative Influences
Timing: Critical Periods
Context Influences
Heredity and Environment
Heredity
genetic endowment received from biological parents
strongest influence is over physical changes
maturation is unfolding of genetic plan
Environment
world outside the self
strongest influence is over personality & social changes
Normative Influences
Event occurs similarly for most people of group
normative history-graded influence
historical events that affect people of a cohort
Great Depression, Vietnam War, Women’s Lib
normative age-graded influence
biological & environmental influences that affect most people at @ the same age
puberty, menopause, starting school @ age 6
Normative Influences
normative sociocultural-graded influence
affects most people
of a culture or social class
Quincenara, Bar/Bat
Mitzfah, poverty, low socioeconomic status
NonNormative Influences
Unusual events that have major impact on individuals
typical events that happen at unusual time
death of a parent when child is young
atypical events
accidents, birth defects, adoption, skydiving
Timing: Critical Periods
Critical period is specific time when event has greatest impact
critical period for learning language(s) is before puberty
prenatal period most vulnerable to birth defects is period of the embryo (2-8 weeks)
Timing: Sensitive Periods
Sensitive period is time of particular susceptibility, but absence does not produce irreversible consequences
Music ability influenced by early exposure to music
Second language learning easier during childhood
Context Influences
Ecological approach studies multiple environments that influence development
Microsystem
face to face everyday environment
home, caregivers, friends, teachers
Mesosystem
linkages between parts of microsystem
home, school, work, peers, etc
Exosystem
Broad influences of of social institutions
indirect linkages of settings: workplace, community
Macrosystem
larger cultural influences
religion, politics, economics, etc
Chronosystem
changes over time: residence, employment, wars, etc
Context Influences
Influence of culture
Variety from culture to culture shows influence of learning within a specific context
Similarity from culture to culture shows influence of universal biological processes
Summary
Lifespan development is scientific study of change over time
Various aspects of development affect each other
Major influences on development are heredity and environment
Research Methods
Scientific principles and processes produce sound conclusions that describe, predict and explain behavior
Basic research designs
Studying age effects
Basic Research Designs
Correlational Studies
Experiment
Basic Research Designs
Correlational Studies
Case Study
study of a single person
limited generalizability
Naturalistic Observation
observe behavior as it occurs naturally without any intervention
no control over factors
behavior may be modified when watched
Basic Research Designs
Correlational Studies
Survey
Representative
sample asked questions on topic
Infer thinking of
larger population
Basic Research Designs
Correlation
statistical relationship between variables
direction
positive
as one variable increases, the other also increases
negative
as one variable increases, the other decreases
strength
close to +1 or close to -1 is strong
close to zero is weak
allows prediction
Basic Research Designs
Experiment
manipulate the independent variable (IV)
only the experimental group(s) receive the IV
the IV is thought to be the cause of a behavior (DV)
measure the dependent variable (DV)
both the experimental group(s) and the control group(s) have behavior measured
this behavior (DV) is thought to be the effect of the IV
allows conclusions of cause and effect
Studying Age Effects
Longitudinal Studies
Cross-sectional Studies
Cross-sequential Studies
Studying Age Effects
Longitudinal studies measure the same people repeatedly, often several years apart
advantages
gives information about changes in individuals
controls for cohort effects within the study
disadvantages
more time consuming and expensive
attrition: people die or drop out
practice effects; more familiar with test
Studying Age Effects
Cross-sectional studies measure people of different ages at the same time
advantages
data gathered quickly from large group of people
no attrition
disadvantages
susceptible to cohort differences
mask individual differences by focusing on averages
Studying Age Effects
Cross-sequential study assesses a cross section sample several times
advantages
provides more accurate assessment
provides clear evidence of cohort effects
disadvantages
involves more time, effort, and complexity
requires more participants and more data analysis
Questions
What can be concluded from group differences in a cross-sectional study? What cannot be concluded?
What can be concluded from change over time in a longitudinal study? What cannot be concluded?
What problems are likely in a longitudinal study of personality development between the ages of 20 and 80?
Theoretical Perspectives
Psychodynamic
Behavioral
Cognitive
Humanistic
Evolutionary
Psychodynamic
Concerned with unconscious forces that motivate human behavior
describes qualitative change
development occurs in stages
Freud: maturation-based sequence of stages of psychosexual development
early childhood permanently shapes personality
Erikson: crises in personality over eight stages of the lifespan
personality development continues throughout life
Behavioral
Concerned with
observable behavior that is based on experience
describes quantitative change
development is continuous
Behaviorism:
consequences influence behavior
individual responds to environment
pleasurable behaviors repeated, painful behaviors avoided
Social-Cognitive Learning: learn behaviors by observing and imitating models
individual acts on environment and even creates environment
cognitive processes influence which behaviors are imitated
Cognitive
Concerned with thought processes and consequent influence on behavior
Piaget: four stages of cognitive growth
describes qualitative changes in thinking
development is in stages based on maturation
Information-processing: analyzes mental processes of perception, memory, etc
describes quantitative changes
development is continuous; become proficient
Cognitive
Concerned with social context that development takes place in
emphasizes individual differences
development takes place in interaction with the environment
Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory emphasizes social interaction of children with adults
comparisons between different cultural groups seen as inappropriate and unfair
Humanistic
Concerned about potential for self-development
emphasizes that humans are basically good and motivated to become self-actualized
change comes from freedom to choose
Evolutionary
Concerned with biological and evolutionary bases of behavior
concerned with how how biology influences our behavior
relies on naturalistic observation
studies innate, species-specific behaviors
emphasizes biological predisposition to acquire certain information during a critical period
more suited to study of animals
Questions
In which theory is the role of the environment given the greatest stress? Give specific reasons.
In which theory is the individual accorded the greatest role in affecting his/her own development? Give specific reasons.
Which theory places the greatest responsibility on parents for the way their children develop? Give specific reasons.