Life-Span Development Lecture 4 Life-Span Development

Outline Introduction Early Motor and Perceptual Development Child Development Cognitive development Social development Adolescence, Adulthood and Aging

What is Developmental Psychology? The study of the processes and patterns of change that occur within an individual over life’s course. Includes the study of physical, cognitive, emotional and social development.

Research Methods in Developmental Psychology Cross-sectional research Longitudinal research

Early Motor and Perceptual Development Motor Development milestones in motor development Perceptual Development perception of patterns perception of space

Cognitive Development: Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development Sensorimotor Stage (0-2years) Preoperational Stage (2-6 years) Concrete Operational Stage (7 to 11 years) Formal Operational Stage (12 through adulthood)

Sensorimotor Stage Object permanence Deferred imitation The idea that objects do not disappear when they are out of sight Deferred imitation Can imitate the actions of others; imagination

Preoperational Stage Increased ability to think symbolically and logically Egocentricity Can see the world only from their own perspective Cannot master conservation tasks Conservation: Understanding that specific properties of objects (height, weight, volume, length) remain the same despite apparent changes in the shape or arrangement of those objects

Concrete Operational Stage Masters conservation tasks Cannot think abstractly

Formal Operational Stage Thinks abstractly and hypothetically

Cognitive Development: Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory Children develop in a sociocultural milieu in which they interact constantly with other people. Their thinking is a product of their sociocultural history. Piaget: child is a scientist acting on the physical world versus Vygotsky: child is an apprentice acting in the social world

Cognitive Development: Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory Verbal thought Communicative and noncommunicative speech Inner speech Zone of proximal development “Scaffolding”

Social Development: Attachment Theory Affectional bond and attachment A relatively long-enduring tie in which the partner is important as a unique individual and is interchangeable with none other. Attachment is one affectional bond in which a person’s sense of security is bound up in the relationship. Parent’s bond to the infant Infant’s bond to the parent

Social Development: Attachment Theory, cont. Stranger Anxiety Separation anxiety Strange situation paradigm (Ainsworth et al., 1978)

Social Development: Attachment Theory, cont. Secure and insecure attachment Securely attached Insecurely attached: detached/avoidant Insecurely attached: resistant/ambivalent Insecurely attached: disorganized/disoriented

Social Development: Attachment Theory, cont. Parenting style Authoritarian Permissive Authoritative

Social Development: Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Development Preconventional Punishment and obedience Naïve instrumental hedonism Conventional Maintaining good relations Maintaining social order (law and order) Postconventional Social contracts Universal ethical principles Cosmic orientation

Erikson’s Theory of Psychosocial Development Childhood Trust vs. mistrust Autonomy vs. self-doubt Initiative vs. guilt Competence vs. inferiority Adolescence Identity vs. role confusion Adulthood Intimacy vs. isolation Generativity vs. stagnation Integrity vs. despair

Adolescence: Marcia’s Theory of Identity Formation Crisis Yes No Identity Achieved Foreclosure Moratorium Diffusion Commitment