This document provides an overview of lifespan development from a psychological perspective. It discusses that lifespan development is lifelong, multidimensional, multidisciplinary process influenced by biology, culture and individual factors. It also summarizes different topical areas studied by developmental psychologists, including physical, cognitive, personality and social development. Finally, it outlines some key theoretical perspectives on development such as psychodynamic, behavioral, social-cognitive and cognitive theories.

1. Welcome to
Psychology 41
Lifespan
Development
1-1
A pattern of change involving
growth and decline, from the
womb to the tomb.

2. Lifespan Development
Lifespan Development is
Lifelong
Multidimensional
Multidirectional
Plastic
Contextual
Multidisciplinary
Biology, culture, and individual
factors all work together. [next]

3. Bronfenbrenner and the ecological approach
Four major levels:
1) Microsystem
2) Mesosystem
3) Exosystem
4) Macrosystem
5) Chronosystem

4. Developmentalists focus on different topics…
1. Physical Development
Including the brain, nervous system, muscles,
and senses, and the need for food, drink, and
sleep
Malnutrition, declining athletic performance
“How does malnutrition affect the growth of
children?”
“How does an athlete’s physical performance
decline during adulthood?”

5. Topical areas studied by developmentalists
2. Cognitive Development
Growth and change in intellectual
capabilities influence a person’s
behavior
Learning, memory, problem solving skills, and
intelligence across the lifespan
How do you explain academic successes and failures?
When are first memories solidified?
How does mental capacity change as
we age?

6. Topical areas studied by developmentalists
3a. Personality Development (part of psychosocial)
Enduring characteristics that differentiate one
person from another; remain stable or change
over the life span
Does personality change?
How do patterns of activities change as we age?

7. Topical areas studied by developmentalists
3b. Social Development (part of socioemotional/psychosocial)
–Interactions and social
relationships; how they
grow, change, and remain
stable
How does poverty, racism, and divorce affect development?
How are one’s peers predictive of future successes and failures?
Who fares better when an older spouse dies?

8. People mature at different rates and reach
developmental milestones at different points
So how do you measure stages of
development?
A 13-year-old boy waits to leave on patrol in
Nicaragua

9. Developmental Changes Are a Result of the
Interaction of Physical, Cognitive, and
Socioemotional Processes
Biological
processes
Socioemotional
processes
Cognitive
processes

10. Developmental Changes Are a Result of the
Interaction of Physical, Cognitive, and
Socioemotional Processes
Biological
processes
Socioemotional
processes
Cognitive
processes

11. The lifespan is usually
divided into broad age
ranges.

12. Emerging Adulthood 19 to middle 20s

13. Key Issues in Lifespan Development
Continuous vs. Discontinuous Change

14. Key Issues in Lifespan Development
Ethological Theory and
Critical/Sensitive Periods
Nature vs. Nurture
Stability vs. Change

15. Theoretical Perspectives
Psychodynamic
Freud – Psychoanalytic Theory
Erikson – Psychosocial Development

16. Behavioral Perspective
(Skinner)
We can only accurately
study what can be observed.

17. Social-Cognitive Perspective
(Bandura)
Person
Behavior
Environment

18. Cognitive Perspectives
Piaget
Vygotsky
• Socio-cultural (contextual) theory

19. Information-Processing Theory