This document provides an introduction to developmental science, outlining five key characteristics: 1) It is multidisciplinary, drawing from many academic fields. 2) It studies people of all kinds, everywhere, seeking universal patterns as well as individual differences. 3) Development is studied across multiple contexts like family, culture, and history. 4) Developmental science recognizes cultural diversity and the social construction of concepts like race and ethnicity. 5) Human traits demonstrate plasticity and change over time rather than being fixed. The scientific method is applied through hypotheses testing using methods like observation, experimentation, surveys and case studies.

1. 1Part IChapter OneThe Beginnings - IntroductionDefining Development

2. Zooming In and Zooming Out

3. Applying the Scientific Method

4. Cautions from Science2The Beginnings

5. 3Defining Development“The science of human developmentseeks to understand how and why people– all kinds of people, everywhere, of every age– change or remain the same over time.”

6. 4Understanding How and WhyFirst Element: Developmental study is a science…theoriesdataanalysis critical thinkingsound methodologyempirical is based on dataempirical evidence is followed by applications… not theoretical

7. 5Thescientific method is a way to answer questions that requires empirical research and data-based conclusions.scientific method:begins with curiositydevelop a hypothesistest the hypothesisdraw conclusions

8. 6Including All Kinds of PeopleSecond element in Developmental Science: studying all kinds of peopleyoung and oldrich and poorevery ethnicity, backgroundsexual orientation

9. 7“Both the universal and the unique areevident in each developing person.”

10. 8The Nature-Nurture ControversyNature refers to the influence of genes that people inherit.Nurture refers to environmental influences that affect development after an individual is conceived.

11. 9The Nature-Nurture Controversy has many other names:heredity versus environmentmaturation versus learning…the basic question…“How much of any characteristic, behavior, or pattern of development is the result of genes and how much is the result of experience?”

12. 10Difference Is Not Necessarily Deficitdifference-equals-deficit errorthe mistaken belief that a deviation from some norm is necessarily inferior to behavioral or characteristics that meet the standard

13. 11Observing Changes over TimeThird Element in Developmental Science:Are individuals changing or remaining the same over time?transformationsconsistencies of human lifebeginning to endunderstanding each segment of life

14. 12Observing Changes over Time

15. 13Dynamic SystemsThe dynamic-systems approachis a view of human development as an ongoing, every changing interaction between the physical and emotional being and between the person and every aspect of his or her environment, including the family and society.

16. 14Dynamic Systemsstresses the fluctuations and transitions throughout lifethe dynamic synthesis of multiple levels of analysisthe interaction between people and within each personparent and childprenatal and postnatal lifebetween ages 2 and 102

17. 15Five Characteristics of DevelopmentMultidirectional - changes in direction; development is dynamic, not staticeach fraction of a secondyears are analyzed, revealing unexpected twist and turns

18. 16Development follows many paths, and one way to express the variability….continuity refers to characteristics that are stable over time (e.g., biological sex).discontinuity refers to characteristics unlike those than came before (e.g., speaking a new language, quitting a drug).

19. 17A critical period refers to a time when a particular type of developmental growth (in the body or behavior) must happen.A fetus develops leg and arms between 21 and 50 days after conception.

20. 18A sensitive period refers to a time when a certain type of development is most likely to happen and happens most easily. early childhood is considered a sensitiveperiod for language learning.

21. 19Developmentalists are delving deeper into persons and looking more broadly at their contexts.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder (DMS)The American Psychiatric Association’s official guide to the diagnosis (not treatment) of mental disorders.

22. 20Five Characteristics of Development2. MultidisciplinaryScientists from many academic disciplines, each with their unique perspective contributing to the study of human development—together their contributions providing a full view of the whole person

23. 21The ecological-systems approachisthe view that in the study of human development, the person should be considered in all the contexts and interactions that constitute a life.

24. 22Urie Bronfenbrenner a leader in understanding the ecological systems approach, he believed that developmentalists need to examine all systems surrounding the development of each personmicrosysemsexosystemsmacrosystems

25. 23The Ecological Modelmicrosysemsa person’s immediate surroundingsexosystemslocal institutions, such as schools and churchesmacrosystemslarger social setting, including cultural values, economic polices, and political processes

26. 243. Multicontextual “…humans develop in dozens of contexts that profoundly affect their development…”FamilyHistoricalEconomicalFive Characteristics of Development

27. 25Historical Context A cohort isa group of people who were born at about the same time and thus move though life together, experiencing the same historical events and cultural shifts.

28. 26Socioeconomic Contextsocioeconomic status (SES) (“social class”) is a person’s position in society as determined by income, wealth, occupation, education, place of residence, and other factors.Example: middle class

29. 27Culture and Development“People in different cultures hold varied views of development, and from the very beginning humans are profoundly affected by the cultures that surround them.”

30. 28Five Characteristics of Development4. Multiculturalthe patterns of behavior that are passed from one generation to the nextany group may have its own culture—valuescustomsclothesdwellingscuisineassumptionspeople are influenced by more than one culture

31. 29Ethnicity and RaceAn ethnic group is a group whose ancestors were born in the same region and who often share a language, culture, and religion. Race refers to a group of people who are regarded by themselves or by others as genetically distinct from other groups on the basis of physical appearance.Social Construction is an idea that is built more on shared perceptions than on objective reality. Examples..YuppieSenior citizenchildhood

32. 30Ethnicity and RaceEthnic categories arise from history, sociology, and psychology, not from biology.ethnic groups share certain attributes:ancestral heritagenational originReligionCulturelanguage

33. 31Ethnicity and RaceRace is used to categorize groups of people based on appearance.95% of the genetic differences between one person and another occur within, not between, supposed racial groups.race is misleading as a biological categoryrace = social constructionan idea created by societyperceived racial differences lead to discrimination affect cognition

34. 32Genetic Codes and Brain ActivityGenes affect everything, including most psychological disorders. So does the individual’s environment.zooming out – developmental researchers can shed light on the effects of nurturezooming in – researchers can add to our understanding of nature

35. 33Mirror Neuronsmirror neuronsare brain cells that respond to actions performed by someone else in the same way they would if the observer had done that action.

36. 34Five Characteristics of Development5. Plasticityis the idea that abilities, personality, and other human traits can change over time.Plasticity is particularly evident during childhood, but even older adults are not always “set in their ways”.35Applying the Scientific MethodTesting HypothesesOnce an individual poses a question or issue to study, the next step is to form a hypothesis.An hypothesis is an explicit idea to be tested. Tests may either confirm or refute the hypotheses.36Testing HypothesesFour common ways to test hypotheses:ObservationThe ExperimentThe SurveyThe Case Study

37. 37ObservationScientific observation is a method of testing a hypothesis by unobtrusively watching and recording participants’ behavior in a systematic objective manner, in a natural setting, in a laboratory or in a searches of archival data.

38. 38The ExperimentExperiment: a research method in which the researcher tries to determine the cause-and-effect relationships between two variables by manipulating one (called the independent variable) and then observing and recording the resulting changes in the other (called the dependent variable).

39. 39The Experimentindependent variable: the variable that is introduced to see what effect it has on the dependent variable (Also called experimental variable) dependent variable: the variable in an experiment that may change as a result of whatever new condition or situation the experimenter ads. In other words, the dependent variable depends on the independent variable.

40. 40The Experimentexperimental group: is a group of participants in a research study who experience some special treatment or condition (the independent variable).control group: a group of participants in a research study who are similar to the experimental group in all relevant ways but they do not experience the experimental condition (the independent variable).

41. 41A survey is a research method in which information is collected from a large number of people by interviews, written questionnaires, or some other means.A case study is a research method in which one individual is studied intensively.42Cross-Sectional ResearchCross-sectional research is a research design that compares groups of people who differ in age but are similar in other important characteristics.

42. 43Longitudinal ResearchLongitudinal research is a research design in which the same individuals are followed over time and their development is repeatedly assessed.312

43. 44Some Findings from Longitudinal Research

44. 45Cross-Sequential ResearchCross-sequential research is a hybrid research method in which researchers first study several groups of people of different ages (a cross-sectional groups over the years (a longitudinal approach). Allows researchers to disentangle differences related to age and to the historic period.

45. 46Applying the Scientific Method

46. 47Correlation and Causation Correlation the relationship between two variables, if one is more (or less) likely to occur when the other variable does. Positive= both variables increase or decreaseNegative= one variable increases while the other decreasesZero= if no correlation is evident

47. 48Quantity and QualityQuantitative research provides data that can be expressed with numbers, such as ranks or scales.Qualitative research considers qualities instead of quantities. Descriptions of particular conditions and participants’ expressed ideas are often part of qualitative studies.

48. 49Ethics in ResearchCode of ethics is aset of moral principles that members of a profession or group are expected to follow.Meeting ethical standards is very important, especially when working with children.

49. 50Protection of Research ParticipantsResearchers must ensure that participation is voluntary, confidential, and harmless. Scientists are obligated to report research as accurately and complete as possible.cannot distort the results to support any political, economic, or cultural position.