The document provides an overview of key concepts in life-span development from a psychological perspective. It discusses that development is lifelong, multidimensional process involving biological, cognitive and socioemotional changes. Development occurs through distinct periods and can be influenced by both nature and nurture. Several major theories of development are also summarized, including psychoanalytic, cognitive, behavioral, and ethological approaches. The cognitive theories of Piaget and Vygotsky are highlighted, focusing on stages of cognitive growth and the role of social learning.

1. Chapter 1
Introduction to Life-span
Development
Jenni Fauchier
Butchered by Professor Carney

2. Life-span Perspective

Development
– The pattern of movement or change
that begins at conception & continues
through the human life span.
– Each of us develops
 Partly like
–
–
–
All others
Some others
No other individuals

3. Each of us develops
Partly like:

4. Characteristics of LifeSpan Perspective

Development involves
– Growth
– Decline

5. Characteristics of Life-Span
Perspective
 Traditional
–
–
–
approach emphasizes
Extensive change birth to adolescence
Little or no change in adulthood
Decline in old age

6. Characteristics of LifeSpan Perspective
 Life-span
approach emphasizes
– Developmental change throughout
 Childhood
 Adulthood

7. Life Span vs Life Expectancy
 Human
Life Span
– Oldest age documented -- 122 yrs
 Maximum life span of humans
– Not changed since beginning of recorded history

Life Expectancy
– “ Average number of years that a
person born in a particular year can
expect to live.”
 Life expectancy increased 30 yrs in 20 th century

9. Characteristics of Life-Span
Perspective

Life-span perspective views
development as:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Lifelong
Multidimensional
Multidirectional
Plastic
Multidisciplinary
Contextual
Involves growth, maintenance & regulation
of loss
8. Construction of biology, culture & the
individual

10. Life-Span Perspective Views
Development as:
1. Lifelong
– No age period dominates

11. Life-Span Perspective Views
Development as:

12. Life-Span Perspective Views
Development as:
2. Multidimensional
– These change & affect each
other
 Biological
– Nature
 Cognitive
– Thinking
 Emotions
 Relationships

13. Life-Span Perspective Views
Development as:
3. Multidirectional
 Expansion & shrinkage
– Older
– Card game
 Skill increases
 Processing speed declines

14. Life-span perspective views
development as:
4. Plastic
– Changeable
 Meth addiction changes someone's
life?
 Brain injury

15. Life-span perspective views
development as:
5. Multidisciplinary
– Studied by:
 Psychologists
 Sociologists
 Anthropologists
 Neuroscientists
 Medical researchers

16. Life-span perspective views
development as:
6. Contextual

3 Types of Influences: Normative (normal)
1. Normative Age -graded Influences
2. Normative History -graded Influences
3. Non-normative or Highly Individualized Life Events

17. Life-span perspective views
development as:
7. Involves growth, maintenance &
regulation of loss

18. Life-span perspective views
development as:
8.
Combination of biology, culture &
the individual
–
Example:
–
Shaped by experiences that individuals have
or pursue.

19. We are shaped by:

20. Culture Shapes our Brain
Example

American & Chinese students
– Placed in an MRI
– Shown images
 Example on previous slide

Americans primary attention
– On “object” in the picture

Chinese
– Context of picture—the lobby
– Greater level of anxiety regarding the
incongruence of a sheep standing in a lobby

21. The Nature Of
Development
Changes in:

22. The Nature Of
Development
1. Biological processes
– Changes in an individual’s physical
nature
 Hormonal
 Brain
 Height & weight gains

23. The Nature Of
Development
2. Cognitive processes
– Changes in the individual’s
 Thought
 Intelligence
 Language

24. The Nature Of
Development
3. Socioemotional processes
– Changes in individual’s:
 Relationships with others
 Emotions
 Personality

25. Periods of Development

Developmental period
– Time frame in a person’s life that is
characterized by certain features
 Prenatal period
– Conception to birth
 Infancy
– Birth to 18 or 24 months
 Early childhood
– End of infancy to age 5 or 6
 Middle and late childhood
– 6 to 11 years of age

26. Periods of Development Cont.
– Adolescence
 Transition from childhood to early
adulthood
 Approximately 10 - 12 to 18 - 22 years
– Early adulthood
 Late teens or early twenties through the
thirties
– Middle adulthood
 Approximately 40 - 60 years
– Late adulthood
 60’s or 70’s until death

27. Conceptualizing Age
 Chronological
 Biological
age
age
 Psychological age
 Social age

28. Conceptualizing Age
 Chronological
age
– # of years since birth

29. Conceptualizing Age
 Biological
age
– Age in terms of biological health
– People you know very healthy or
unhealthy for their age?

30. Conceptualizing Age
 Psychological
age
– Individual’s adaptive capacities
 Changes in technology
– Maturity

31. Conceptualizing Age
 Social
age
– Society’s age expectations
– Example:
 What are expectations for a 10 yr.
old
– In our culture?
– Another culture?

32. Nature-Nurture Issue

Nature
– Biological inheritance

Nurture
– Environmental experiences


Which has the greatest influence?
How do they interact?

33. Class Exercise
 Nature
versus Nurture in Your Life

34. Scientific Method
 4-step
process:
– 1. Conceptualize a process or
problem to be studied
– 2. Collect research information
(data)
– 3. Analyze data
– 4. Draw conclusions

35. Theories of Development
 Psychoanalytic
Theory
 Cognitive Theory
 Behavioral & Social Theory
 Ethological Theory
 Ecological Theory
 Eclectic
Theoretical Orientation

36. Psychoanalytic Theory
 Sigmund
Freud’s theory
– Behavior & problems result of
experiences early in life
 Mainly first 5 years
 Adult personality
– Resolution of conflicts between sources of
pleasure at each stage & the demands of reality

37. Freud’s Psychosexual Stages

38. Psychosocial Theory

Erik Erikson
– Primary motivation for human behavior
 Social
– Developmental change
 Occurs throughout life span

39. Erikson’s Psychosocial Stages

40. Erikson & Freud

41. Erikson’s Psychosocial Stages
1. Trust Versus Mistrust (Hope)

42. Erikson’s Psychosocial Stages
 1.
Trust Versus Mistrust (Hope)
–
–
Infancy - 1
Does child believe caregivers are
reliable?
– Successful
 Develops trust & security & a basic
optimism.
– Badly handled
 Becomes insecure & mistrustful.

43. Erikson’s Psychosocial Stages
2. Autonomy Versus Shame & Doubt (Will)

44. Erikson’s Psychosocial Stages
 2.
Autonomy Versus Shame &
Doubt (Will)
– Infancy: 1 – 3
– Early part of crisis
 Stormy self – will
 Tantrums
 Stubbornness
 Negativism
– "well - parented" child
 Confident
 Happy with new found control
 Proud

45. Erikson’s Psychosocial Stages
3. Initiative Versus Guilt (Purpose)

46. Erikson’s Psychosocial Stages

3. Initiative Versus Guilt (Purpose)
– 3 – 5 yrs.
– Child learns to:
– Imagine
 Broaden skills through active play, fantasy
 Cooperate
 Lead & follow
– Immobilized by guilt:




Fearful
Hangs on fringes of groups
Too dependent on adults
Restricted in development of play skills & imagination.

47. Erikson’s Psychosocial Stages
4. Industry Versus Inferiority (Competence)

48. Erikson’s Psychosocial Stages

4. Industry Versus Inferiority (Competence)
– 6- puberty
– Learns to master more formal skills of life:
 (1) Relating with peers according to rules
 (2) Progressing from free play - structured play
– Rules & teamwork
 (3) Mastering social studies, reading, arithmetic.
– Trusting
 Autonomous
 Full of initiative
 Easily learn to be industrious
– Mistrusting child
 Doubt future
 Shame & guilt, experiences defeat & inferiority.

49. Erikson’s Psychosocial Stages
5. Identity Versus Identity Confusion
(Fidelity)

50. Erikson’s Psychosocial Stages
 5.
Identity Versus Identity
Confusion (Fidelity)
– 10 – 20 yrs.
– "Who am I?“
 Learns answer satisfactorily &
happily
 Role identity confusion
– Most experiment with minor delinquency
– Rebellion
– Self - doubts

51. Erikson’s Psychosocial Stages

5. Identity Versus Identity Confusion
(Fidelity) cont.
– Successful early adolescence
 Mature time perspective developed
 Self-certainty
 Experiments with different usually constructive
roles
 Anticipates achievement & achieves
 Later adolescence
– Clear sexual identity
 Seeks leadership (someone to inspire him)
 Develops a set of ideals socially congruent &
desirable
 Can experiment
– Try various roles, & find one most suitable

52. Erikson’s Psychosocial Stages
6. Intimacy Vs Isolation (Love)

53. Erikson’s Psychosocial Stages
 6.
Intimacy Vs Isolation (Love)
 20’s,
30’s
– Successful young adult
 1 st time, can experience true intimacy
– Makes possible good marriage or a genuine &
enduring friendship.

54. Erikson’s Psychosocial Stages
7. Generativity Vs Stagnation (Care)

55. Erikson’s Psychosocial Stages
 7.
Generativity Vs Stagnation (Care)
 40’s, 50’s
– "Generativity"
 Term coined by Erikson
– Creativity between generations.
– Can be expressed in many ways
– Try to "make a difference" with your life, to "give back”
 From raising a child to stopping a tradition of abuse
 From writing a family history to starting a new
organization.

56. Erikson’s Psychosocial Stages
8. Integrity Versus Despair (Wisdom)

57. Erikson’s Psychosocial Stages


8. Integrity Versus Despair (Wisdom)
60’s onward
– If other 7 psychosocial crisis have been successfully resolved:






Develops peak of adjustment; integrity.
Trusts
Independent
Works hard
Well defined role in life
Happy with self-concept
– Can be intimate without strain, guilt, regret, or lack of realism
– Proud of what you create



Children
Work
Hobbies
– 1 or more earlier psychosocial crises unresolved
 May view self & his life with disgust & despair.

58. Cognitive Theory
 Emphasis
on conscious thoughts
– 3 important cognitive theories
 Piaget’s cognitive developmental
theory
 Vygotsky’s sociocultural cognitive
theory
 Information-processing theory

59. Piaget’s Cognitive
Developmental Theory


Child: 4 stages of cognitive development
Each stage
–
–
–
Age-related
Distinct way of thinking
Different way of understanding

60. Jean Piaget, Swiss Pychologist,
1896 - 1980

61. Cognitive Development
In Childhood
 Jean
Piaget
– 50 yrs observed children’s intellectual
functioning.
– Cognitive development progresses in
stages.
– All children progress through these
stages
 Same sequence.

62. Sensorimotor Stage
 Sensorimotor
stage
– Birth – 2
 Learn to coordinate senses & motor
behavior.
 Organize world into schemas:
– What
– What
– What
can I put in my mouth
is graspable
makes noise

63. Sensorimotor Stage
 Object
permanence
– Perception that objects continue to
exist even when out of sight.
– Baby’s favorite game?
 Why?

64. Sensorimotor Stage
 Self-recognition
–
–
–
–
Towards end of stage
Rouge test Lewis & Brooks 1979
Placed in front of mirror
Touched nose at 18 – 24 months

65. Preoperational Stage

Ages 2 to 7
– Able to use mental representations &
language to



Describe
Remember
Reason
– about the world, though only an egocentric fashion

Egocentrism
– Inability to see things from another person's
point of view.

66. Preoperational Stage

Animistic Thinking
– Imagining that inanimate objects have life &
mental processes.
 Child tripped over coffee table, what will they say?

Fantasy Play
– Believe they are Batman

Symbolic Gestures
– Stick becomes a gun

67. Cognitive Development
In Childhood
 Conservation
– Understanding
that a change
in the size or
shape of a
substance
does not
change the
amount of that
substance.

68. Concrete Operational







Ages 7 - 11
Can attend to more than 1 thing at a x.
Can understand another's point of view.
In the now
Understand conservation
Parent can be more than just your parent
Thought more logical
– Thinking limited to concert matters
 Mystery Garden

69. Thought
more logical
Thinking limited
to concert
matters
Mystery Garden

70. Formal Operational Stage
 Ages
11 & above
 Capable of abstract thought
 Formulate hypothesis & test it
 Beyond here & now
 Cause & effect
 Consider possibilities

71. Vygotsky’s Sociocultural
Cognitive Theory

Emphasizes how culture & social
interaction guide cognitive development

72. The Information-Processing
Theory
 Thinking
–
–
–
–
–
is information processing
Perceive
Encode
Represent
Store
Retrieve

73. The InformationProcessing Theory
 Emphasis
–
–
–
on ways individuals
Manipulate information
Monitor information
Strategize information
 Develop
a gradually increasing
capacity for processing information
– Allows for acquisition of increasingly
complex knowledge & skills

74. Behavioral & Social Cognitive
Theories
 Behaviorism
– Scientifically study only what can be
directly observed & measured
2
versions of behaviorism
– B.F. Skinner’s operant conditioning
– Albert Bandura’s social cognitive
theory

75. Mrs. Garrison’s Theory of Evolution

76. Behavioral Theories

Skinner’s Operant Conditioning
– Consequences of a behavior produce
changes in the probability of the
behavior’s occurrence
 Rewards & punishments shape
development

77. Behavioral Theories
 Rewards
& punishments shape
development
– What happens if you get in trouble with
your parents for shooting a someone
with your sling shot?

78. Social Cognitive Theories
 Bandura’s
Social Cognitive Theory
– Key factors in development
 Behavior
 Environment
 Cognition
– Observational learning (also
called imitation or modeling)
 Cognitively represent behavior of others
 Sometimes adopt behavior themselves

79. Ethological Theory

Ethology (Comparative Psychology)
– Examines:
 Origins or causes of behavior
 Evolutionary Psychologists use this information to
attempt to compare our behavior to other species
 Behavior strongly influenced by biology

– Tied to evolution
– Characterized by critical or sensitive periods
Noted ethologists
– Konrad Lorenz
– John Bowlby
– {Mrs. Garrison}

80. Eclectic Theoretical
Orientation

No single theory
– Explains complexity of life-span development

Each contributes to understanding
development

81. Research in Life-Span
Development


Application of scientific method
Methods for collecting data
– Observation
 Laboratory
 Naturalistic
–
–
–
–
Survey & interview
Standardized testing
Case study
Physiological measures

82. Research Designs
 Descriptive
research
– Observe & record behavior
 Correlational
research
– Describe strength of relationship
between 2 or more events or
characteristics
 Experiment
– 1 or more variables manipulated while
all other factors held constant

83. Experimental & Control
Groups
 Experimental
group
– Experience manipulated
 Control
group
– Comparison group

84. Time Span of Research
 Cross-sectional
approach
– Simultaneously compares individuals
of different ages

Longitudinal approach
– Same persons studied over a period of
x
 Usually several years
 Cohort
(PeerEffects
– How same event affects peers
 Holocaust
– Effect on teens

85. Research Ethics
 Addresses:
– Rights of participant
– Responsibilities of researchers
– APA’s guidelines address 4
important issues
 Informed consent
 Confidentiality
 Debriefing
 Deception