Human Development Overview HDF 501: Lifespan Development Wheelock College Boston, MA

Four Questions of Developmental Science Plasticity Individual Differences Continuity Sources of Development

Stages of Development Shift Points Domains of Development Is Development Continuous? Note – Image source: Cole, M., Cole, S., and Lightfoot, C. (2008). The development of children (6th ed.). New York: Worth Publishers.

Stages of Development

Shift Points

Domains of Development

Ages and Stages Adolescence Adulthood Middle Childhood Early Childhood Later Infancy Early Infancy Prenatal Cognitive Language Emotional Social Physical

What are the Sources of Development? What roles do biology, environment, and culture play? Nature vs. Nurture? Note – Image source: Cole, M., Cole, S., and Lightfoot, C. (2008). The development of children (6th ed.). New York: Worth Publishers.

What roles do biology, environment, and culture play?

Nature vs. Nurture?

Ecological Model of Sources of Development Sources and Systems of Development Note – Image source: Cole, M., Cole, S., and Lightfoot, C. (2008). The development of children (6th ed.). New York: Worth Publishers.

Sources and Systems of Development

Is Development Plastic? Are there critical periods of development? How is development affected by injury? Note – Image source: http://neuroscience.ucdavis.edu/grad/research

Are there critical periods of development?

How is development affected by injury?

What is the Meaning of Individual Differences? What is the nature of difference between people? Do people’s characteristics remain constant throughout the lifespan? Note – Image source: Cole, M., Cole, S., and Lightfoot, C. (2008). The development of children (6th ed.). New York: Worth Publishers.

What is the nature of difference between people?

Do people’s characteristics remain constant throughout the lifespan?

Ages and Stages Adolescence Adulthood Middle Childhood Early Childhood Later Infancy Early Infancy Prenatal Cognitive Language Emotional Social Physical Continuity Sources of Development Plasticity Individual Differences

Primary Objectives Compare and contrast theories of development, using the 4 essential questions to guide this analysis. Conduct objective, naturalistic observations of young children. Identify evidence of a child’s development from observations and relate it to theory. Examine the development of adults through a case study analysis.

Compare and contrast theories of development, using the 4 essential questions to guide this analysis.

Conduct objective, naturalistic observations of young children.

Identify evidence of a child’s development from observations and relate it to theory.

Examine the development of adults through a case study analysis.

“The principle goal of education in the schools should be creating men and women who are capable of doing new things, not simply repeating what other generations have done.” –Jean Piaget

“The principle goal of education in the schools should be creating men and women who are capable of doing new things, not simply repeating what other generations have done.” –Jean Piaget