1 The Study of Human Development Chapter 1 © 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc

2 Did you know? In some societies there is no concept of adolescence or middle age? Within the next 50 years, it has been estimated that half the US population will be Hispanic, black, or Asian? More than 36 million people still live in poverty? According to research, children who have been exposed to television and computers from an early age develop differently than children who grew up without them? © 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc

3 Human Development Human Development: the scientific study of processes of change and stability throughout the human life span Developmental Scientists: professionals who study the science of development – Their work can have a drastic impact on human lives Example: Researchers in Boston found that children who went to school hungry or lacked essential nutrients in their diets had poorer grades and more emotional or behavioral problems © 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc

4 Formal Study of Human Development The Scientific Study of How Humans Develop – Development is systematic (coherent and organized) – Development is adaptive (it is aimed at dealing with internal and external conditions of existence) – Development is life-long (i.e. life-span development) Stanford Studies of Gifted Children

5 © 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc Four Goals of Developmental Psychology ● Describe  Example: When do children say their first words? ● Explain  Example: How do children learn to use language? Predict  Example: Will delayed language development affect speech? ● Modify  Example: Can therapy help speech delays? A better understanding of these concepts allows us to know when to intervene

6 © 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc Domains of Development Change & Stability Developmental Scientists study the following 3 main domains: – Physical Development  Body, brain, senses, motor skills, & health – Cognitive Development  Learning, memory, moral reasoning, language, thinking, & creativity – Psychosocial Development  Personality, emotional life, & relationships

7 3 Domains Although we speak of each of these domains as if they were separate, they all impact each other. “Our brains work better, our thinking is sharper, our moods are brighter, and our vulnerability to disease diminishes if we are physically fit.” For example, a child who develops an ear infection may have delayed speech. © 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc

8 Periods of the Life Span: A Social Construction Based on subjective perceptions or assumptions Varies among cultures Changes over generations  Adolescence only recently introduced in industrial societies  In the past people were considered children until they left school. Adolescence was developed as a concept when formal high schools were developed and more families become financially capable of providing increased schooling to children

9 © 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc Periods of the Life Span Prenatal PeriodConception – Birth Infancy and ToddlerhoodBirth – 3 years Early Childhood3 - 6 years Middle Childhood years Adolescence years Young Adulthood20 – 40 years Middle Adulthood40 – 65 years Late Adulthood65 years and Over

10 © 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc Influences on Development Individuals vary in rate and timing of development, due to: o Heredity: Inherited traits from biological parents o Environment: Physical & social influences o Maturation: Sequences of physical & behavioral patterns

11 © 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc Contexts of Development: Family What is a family? Depends! Great changes – Over time – Place to place

12 © 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc Nuclear Family Two generations, parents and children Economic unit, history in farming – In the past families use to be a lot larger due to farming needs Dominant in Western societies Increasing numbers of – Working parents – Stepchildren – Gay/Lesbian Homes – Single parents

13 © 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc Extended Family A multi-generational kinship  Includes grandparents, cousins, aunts/uncles ……….and more!  Social roles are flexible  Historically, common in Asian, African, & Latin American cultures  Becoming less typical

14 © 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc Contexts of Development: Socioeconomic Status (SES) Includes income, education & occupation  Poor children more likely to:  Have emotional & behavior problems  Not reach cognitive potential  Have poorer school performance Why may this be the case? Do affluent children face issues also?

15 © 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc Poverty Hurts Children OutcomeRisk Increase Health Death in Infancy 1.6 times Premature Birth 1.8 times Inadequate Prenatal Care 2.8 times No regular healthcare 2.7 times Education Repeat a Grade 2 times Drop Out ( years) 3.5 times

16 © 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc Low SES & Related Risk Factors Poverty-related risks that increase chance of negative outcomes include:  Living in neighborhoods with high unemployment  Lack of social support  Social support less likely in high- unemployment neighborhoods

17 © 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc Contexts of Development: Culture Culture – A way of life  Includes: – Customs – Traditions – Artwork  Learned behavior, passed on to children

18 © 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc Contexts of Development: Race & Ethnicity ● Ethnic Group – A shared identity  United by ancestry, religion, or origin (cultural)  Contributes to shared attitudes & beliefs ● Race – A socially-constructed term  Scholars have no real consensus on definition  Categories ‘fluid’ – shaped by society & politics ● Ethnic Gloss  Overgeneralization that obscures cultural differences within a group  Examples: ‘Black’ or ‘Hispanic’. What can be an issue with this?

19 © 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc Contexts of Development: Historical Context Unique time in which people live & grow up Experiences tied to time and place: – Great Depression – World War II – The “Sixties”

20 © 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc Age-Graded Normative Influences Similar for an age group  Maturational: Fixed in time  Puberty or menopause  Social: Timing is flexible  Marriage or parenthood

21 © 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc Normative History-Graded Influences Events that shape attitudes of a historical generation o Historical Generation: A group that experiences an event at a formative time Ex: WWII children have strong social bond to each other o Cohort: Group born around the same time A historical generation can have many cohorts

22 © 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc Non-Normative Influences Unusual events affecting individual lives  Typical events at atypical times  Puberty at age 20  Marriage in teens  Atypical events  Birth defect  Winning the lottery

23 © 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc Timing of Influences Imprinting Instinctively following first moving object seen after birth; usually mother Konrad Lorenz & his ducklings Indicates predisposition or readiness to learn

24 © 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc Timing of Influences: Critical & Sensitive Periods  Critical Period  Specific time when an event (or its absence) has specific impact on development  Example: Genie  Sensitive Period  Developmental timing when child is particularly responsive to certain experiences.

25 © 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc Timing of Influences: Plasticity of Development  Modifiability of performance  Plasticity lasts through life span, but has limits – Example: Limits and progress of Genie

26 © 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc Baltes’s Life Span Approach: 6 Key Principles Development is lifelong Each period of the lifespan is affected by what happened before and will affect what happens after Development is multidimensional It is affected by biology, psychology, and social aspects Development is multidirectional Some abilities increase and others decrease Development involves changing resource allocations Individuals chose to invest their resources of time, energy, talent, money, and social support in different ways. Development shows plasticity Many abilities can be improved even late in life Development is influenced by the historical and cultural context History and culture influence your development.