Lifespan Human Development PSY 223 Dr. Nicole Alea MTWR 10:15-12:20 SB 106

Syllabus & Course Materials available online at: http://people.uncw.edu/alean/PSY223.htm

Lifespan human development A field of study that aims to understand constancy & change in physical, cognitive, social, & emotional factors throughout the lifespan.

What do you think? Development is continuous, gradual progression, with new abilities, skills, & knowledge gradually added at a relatively uniform pace. OR Development occurs at different rates, alternating between periods of little change and periods of abrupt, rapid change.

Basic issues Continuous or discontinuous development? Quantitative - adding on more or more complex skills Qualitative – new skills emerge at particular periods

What do you think? Humans everywhere follow the same general sequence of development. OR Each human passes through a unique course of development.

Basic issues One course of development or many? Universal – basic process for everyone; differences are simply variations in basic process Context-specific - unique process for everyone; differences result from different environments

What do you think? Human intelligence is determined almost exclusively by genetic factors. OR Human intelligence is largely the result of experiential factors.

Basic issues Nature or Nurture? Are kids born bad? Nature – human development is biologically (genetically) determined Nurture - the physical and social environment influence human development Contemporary developmental psychologists say “both”

When do humans stop developing? Traditional population pyramid: more children & young Projected population pyramid: equal young & old

Lifespan Perspective Paul Baltes (1987) Max Planck Institute for Human Development http://www.mpib-berlin.mpg.de/ **Table 1.5: Major Theories of Human Development**

Development as lifelong (**Table 1.1**) Period Approximate age range Prenatal Conception to birth Infancy & toddlerhood birth – 2 years Early childhood 2-6 years Middle childhood 6-11 years Adolescence 11-20 years Early adulthood 20-40 years Middle adulthood 40-60 years Late adulthood 60 years-death

What abilities increase with age? What abilities decline with age?

Multidirectional & multidimensional Multidirectionality: decline & growth at all points in lifespan development doesn’t occur in one direction ratio shifts with age

ratio between gains & losses shifts across lifespan Losses > Gains

Multidirectional & multidimensional Multidirectionality: decline & growth at all points in lifespan development doesn’t occur in one direction ratio shifts with age Multidimensionality: pattern of decline & growth varies across & within domains

gains & losses depend on domain Emotional understanding Vocabulary Memory Ability to learn foreign language

Plasticity Humans have a range of functioning Natural occurring plasticity through compensation Plasticity through training Less plasticity with increasing age

Embedded in multiple contexts Age-graded influences: related to chronological age History-graded influences: related to generational (cohort) events Nonnormative influences: related to unique experiences

Research Methods

Developmental psychology in the news… A scene from the violent video game Grand Theft Auto. January 18, 2006 Can a violent video game called Grand Theft Auto be responsible for an 18-year-old, Devin Moore, murdering three people?

“Playing violent video games, like Grand Theft Auto, leads to increased aggression in adolescents.”

General Research Designs Correlational design: see how two (or more) pre-existing variables are related +.20 Sign: direction of relation + variables move in same direction - variables move in opposite direction Correlation coefficient r = Number: strength of relation +.20 -.09 +.46 Ranges 0 to 1: Closer to 1 stronger the relation

Cannot make cause & effect conclusion What conclusions can we make? Cannot make cause & effect conclusion Video Games Aggressive Behavior r = +.20 Personality Peer pressure directionality problem: do not know the direction of relation third variable problem: other variable might account for relation

“Playing violent video games, like Grand Theft Auto, leads to (i. e “Playing violent video games, like Grand Theft Auto, leads to (i.e., causes) increased aggression in adolescents.”

General Research Designs Experimental design: manipulate variable to test the effects on outcome variable Variables Dependent (DV) Outcome variable (Aggressive behavior)

General Research Designs Experimental design: manipulate variable to test the effects on outcome variable Independent (IV) Manipulated variable Variables Group 1: nonviolent game Group 2: violent game Dependent (DV) Outcome variable (Aggressive behavior)

How do I know if experiment worked?

What conclusions can we make? Independent (IV) Dependent (DV) Can make cause & effect conclusion Because have random assignment to IV rules out confounds – other explanations without it, do not have a “true” experiment

“Playing violent video games, like Grand Theft Auto, leads to increased aggression in adolescents.”

Developmental Research Designs Building blocks of ALL developmental research Variables Measure Effects from… chronological age Age Changes in a person experiences unique to a generation birth year Cohort time of measurement Time circumstances during data collection

Developmental Research Designs Cross-sectional: age & cohort vary, time constant Time Cohort 2005 1995 10 1990 15 1985 20 r = +.30 r = +.20 r = +.10 Can only conclude age differences

Developmental Research Designs Longitudinal: age & time vary, cohort constant Time Cohort 1995 2000 2005 1985 10 15 20 r = +.30 r = +.20 r = +.10 Can conclude age change

Advantages & Disadvantages Longitudinal Disadvantages Design Advantages Cross-sectional Practical & quick Age differences Cohort effect Time effects Practice effects Nonrandom drop-out Lack of generalizability Measures age change With all the problems, what should researchers do?

Developmental Research Designs Sequential: combine cross-sectional & longitudinal designs Time Cohort 2005 2010 1995 10 15 1990 20 1985 25 Age change that generalizes to other cohorts Age & cohort effects can be teased apart

Considered the “best” developmental research design…but hardly ever done?

In-class Assignment 1 The purpose of this assignment is to give you an opportunity to apply and practice what you have learned about general and developmental research designs.