Unit Three: Developmental and Learning Domain
Chapter 5: Development Across the Life Span
DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY: ISSUES
ACROSS SPECIES
CONTINUITY or DISCONTINUITY?
STABILITY or CHANGE?
do we develop in a smooth, continuous
progression, or in a serious of clear-cut stages?
what remains stable in human
development? What changes?
Cognitive Development
Physical Development
fairly discontinuous; physical characteristics
and skills change over time
fairly continuous; changes over time, but
certain reasoning skills needed before
advancing to next step
Psychosocial Development
temperament
enduring, innate personality and
emotional characteristics from birth
attachment
emotional bond developed with first
caregiver
DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY: ISSUES
CRITICAL PERIODS
reaction to presence or absence of stimuli
from environment as part of development
from one stage to the next
SENSITIVE PERIODS
Receptive to stimuli and learning from
particular types of experiences
DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS
What About Development Within A Species?
development within a species is orderly and specific
its own timetable and pattern
related to complexity of the mature organism
Imprinting
A critical period when attachment to mother is established;
identify formation
DEVELOPMENTAL PATTERNS
Is the Kellogg chimp smarter than
the Kellogg baby?
Integration of extraordinary brains
with our bodies
Kellogg Monkey
THE FAMILY AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Nuclear Family
Modern Family
THE FAMILY AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT: ISSUES
Mothers Working Outside the Home
Divorce
mothers still do majority of child rearing
what are children learning about how
to deal with conflict?
can impact emotional security
economic
Fathers and Children
fathers spend less time with children
impact of absent fathers?
love; communication; validation; quality time
THE FAMILY AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT: ISSUES
Other Influences
Tiger Moms
Amy Chua Interview
THE FAMILY AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT:
PARENTING STYLES
Permissive: parents allow kids to do
as they wish; few rules
Authoritarian: parents are rigid;
demand obedience
Authoritative: parents seek input from kids;
parents are consistent, but flexible in
enforcing rules
Kids learn little about unacceptable behavior and its
consequences; impulsive and irresponsible; little
self-discipline; lack self-confidence; trouble making
decisions; dependent; not get along well with others
Kids not good at making decisions for themselves;
moody, poor self-esteem; difficulty in getting along
with others
Kids tend to be self-reliant; friendly; self-confident;
take responsibility for themselves; maintain stable
relationships. Well-adjusted and psychologically
healthy
Benjamin Spock, World's Pediatrician, Dies at 94
By ERIC PACE
Dr. Benjamin Spock, the pediatrician who gently coached anxious postwar
parents to trust their ''own common sense,'' only to be blamed by some
critics for the self-indulgence of those parents' children, the 60's
generation, died on Sunday at his home in San Diego. He was 94.
Over half a century, Dr. Spock's homey handbook on child care, now titled
''Dr. Spock's Baby and Child Care,'' became one of the best sellers of all
time.
Dr. Spock also became well known as an antiwar demonstrator in the
1960's, as he campaigned for nuclear disarmament and against the war in
Vietnam and was arrested in protest demonstrations. ''There's no point in
raising children if they're going to be burned alive,'' was how he made the
connection between parents, pediatricians and politics.
''John Dewey and Freud said that kids don't have to be disciplined into
adulthood but can direct themselves toward adulthood by following their
own will,'' he observed in 1972.
'Don't be afraid to trust your own common sense,'' he wrote. ''What good
mothers and fathers instinctively feel like doing for their babies is usually
best.”
Dr. Benjamin Spock
1903-1998
Rules for Parents to Live By As Written by Their Kids
DEVELOPMENTAL PATTERNS: Newborns
Maturational Processes (programming)
the automatic, orderly, sequential process of physical and mental development
Newborn Reflexes
Rooting
Palmer
Babiniski
Moro
Tonic Neck
Stepping
Sucking
DEVELOPMENTAL PATTERNS: Newborns
Maturational Processes (programming)
Motor Milestones
Lifting head and chest
Rolling over
Sitting up with help
Sitting up without help
Walking
DEVELOPMENTAL PATTERNS: Newborns
Growth Cycles
Orderly development; but different aspects develop at different rates.
Do parents teach their
baby to walk?
Can parents create the next Einstein?
PIAGET’S THEORY OF COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT
Sensorimotor Stage: (birth to 2 years)
moves from a world of sensations to a word of thought
object permanence develops
separation anxiety develops
Preoperational Stage: (2 to 7 years)
growing awareness of reversibility and conservation
Concrete Operations Stage: (7 to 11 years)
reversibility and conservation established
begin to view world more and more from another’s point of view
Formal Operations Stage: (11 years +)
development of skills to think abstractly and symbolically
Jean Piaget
1896-1980
ADOLESCENCE: MATURATION TIMETABLES
EARLY MATURERS
LATE MATURERS
BOYS
GIRLS
BOYS
GIRLS
high self esteem
low self-esteem
low self-esteem
high self-esteem
satisfied with physical
appearance
dissatisfied with physical
appearance
Dissatisfied with overall
appearance
Satisfied with physical
appearance
highly self-conscious
Highly self-conscious
PSYCHOLOGICAL ISSUES
who is an adolescent?
Rite of Passage
Socially recognized and ritualized change in status
what
“
do you want TO BE
when you
grow up?”
PSYCHOLOGICAL ISSUES
Cliques and Gangs
Adolescents socially are left to defend themselves; “exclusive” groups
develop as form of self-protection
Crowds
Large groups, high turnover, loose rules
Cliques
Books for Teens
Tightly knit group, limited membership, strict rules
Gangs
Rebellious group, antisocial, strict rules
Personal Fable
Common adolescent thought that they are
unique and protected from harm.
Imaginary Audience
Common Adolescents thought that others
are concerned about adolescent
thoughts as themselves.
PSYCHOLOGICAL ISSUES
Group Identity vs. Alienation
Adolescents who fail to get a sense of belonging by identifying with a
group will feel alienated from others of same age
those may have trouble finding an identity by end of adolescence
Erik Erikson
(1902-1994)
Parent/Teen Conflict
Peer Pressure
A certain amount of “rebellion” is part of development
the pressure/need to “fit in”
trivial issues are source of most conflicts
teens who do not develop trust
with others early are most
susceptible to guilt, low self-esteem,
dependence, bad choices, etc.
Parents/teens usually share similar moral/political values
How do you act at home? With teachers? With your friends?
Your neighbor and best friend since elementary school might
not graduate unless your friend passes math class.
The two of you are going to the same college and have even
made plans to room together.
To celebrate your pending graduation, a car trip is planned for
both of you to travel to the Jersey Shore in July. This won’t
happen if your friend has to go to summer school.
You are empathetic to your friend’s plight as you have been
very supportive of the associated stress your friend has
experienced all semester.
You sit next to her in class. On the final exam, she wants to
sneak a peek at your answers. What do you do? How do you
justify your action?
KOHLBERG’S THEORY OF MORAL DEVELOPMENT
Ideas of “right from wrong” develops a maturation sequence, too.
Preconventional Level ( < 6 years)
Morality is determined by power of outside authority
Conventional Level (7 – 11 years)
Morality based on expectations of others
Lawrence Kohlberg
(1927-1987)
Postconventional Level (11 years +)
Personal ethics and human rights come into play
“How old would you be if you didn’t know
how old you was?”
Satchel Paige
Pitched his last major league game in 1965 –
at about age 59
THE AGING PROCESS
AGING ISSUES: 20-39
NEW RESPONSIBILITIES
marriage, career and children; a new sense of identity
more stable and less insecure than adolescents
more invested emotionally in the welfare of others,
especially spouse and children
AGING ISSUES: 40-59
ROLES
Early Adulthood
most women involved early in their families
most men involved early in their careers
Midlife Reassessment (Transition): males and females reverse
their focus; discover new aspects of themselves previously
neglected – best times of life
Middle Adulthood
most women become more independent, assertive;
marriage at low point.
most men become more warm, giving; marriage at low
point.
MORETORIUM OR FORECLOSURE?
AGING ISSUES: 60+
REFLECTION
We grow more philosophical with age
Reflect on our accomplishments and role we play in
the circle of life
Major Tasks: deaths of friends and family
acceptance of uncompleted agendas/failures
our own mortality
Are we satisfied with what we will leave behind?
THE AGING PROCESS: THEORIES
CELLULAR CLOCK THEORY
Cells are limited in times they can reproduce or repair damage
About 110 years
WEAR-and-TEAR THEORY
Physical break down of body from outside factors:
stress, physical exertion, body damage, etc.
ACTIVITY THEORY
More productivity in old age = more satisfaction
physical and mental skills: “use it or lose it”
Jack Lalane
THE AGING PROCESS
PHYSCIAL CHANGES
Menopause
Andropause
MENTAL CHANGES
Decline in mental ability and memory are NOT inevitable
Brain shrinks 8% by age 75; BUT we may not be doing the right things
caring for our brain.
Intelligence and Aging
Older people do not score as well on IQ test than
younger people
What can change is TYPE of intelligence
fluid: reaction time, rapid recall, perceptual flexibility
crystallized: verbal skills and knowledge accumulated;
real-world experiences for problem solving can
compensate for declining speed/recall issues.
THE AGING PROCESS
Senile Dementia
dementia: loss of mental faculties in old age
Alzheimer’s Disease
disease of chemical nerve cell transmitters and nerve
transmission leading to mental deterioration
Reagan’s Last Letter
DEALING WITH YOUR MORTALITY
Elisabeth Kübler-Ross
(1926-2004)