Chapter 8 Human Development

Copyright © 1999 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 2 Human Development What is development? Development –the pattern of movement or change that begins at conception and continues through the life span

Copyright © 1999 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 3

4 What is development? Biological processes –processes that involve changes in an individual’s physical nature Cognitive processes –processes that involve changes in an individual’s thought, intelligence, and language

Copyright © 1999 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 5 What is development? Socioemotional processes –processes that involve changes in an individual’s relationships with other people, changes in emotions, and changes in personality Maturation –the orderly sequence of changes dictated by each person’s genetic blueprint

Copyright © 1999 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 6 What is development? Nature/nurture controversy –an organism’s biological inheritance (nature) versus environmental experience (nurture) –which one plays a more important role in development?

Copyright © 1999 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 7 What is development? Continuity of development –the view that development involves gradual, cumulative change from conception to death Discontinuity of development –the view that development involves distinct stages in the life span Social policy –a national government’s course of action designed to influence the welfare of its citizens

Copyright © 1999 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 8 The Course of Prenatal Development Germinal period –occurs in the first 2 weeks after conception Embryonic period –occurs from 3 to 8 weeks after conception Fetal period –begins 2 months after conception and lasts for 7 months on the average

Copyright © 1999 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 9 Challenges to Prenatal Development Teratogen –any agent that causes a birth defect Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) –a cluster of abnormalities that appear in the offspring of mothers who drink alcohol heavily during pregnancy

Copyright © 1999 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 10 Physical Development

Copyright © 1999 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 11 Cognitive Development: Piaget’s theory Assimilation –the incorporation of new information into existing knowledge Accommodation –changing behavior in order to adjust to new information

Copyright © 1999 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 12 Cognitive Development: Piaget’s theory 1. Sensorimotor thought –birth to 2 years –understand the world in terms of sensory experiences –object permanence understanding that objects and events continue to exist even when the cannot directly be seen, heard, or touched

Copyright © 1999 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 13 Cognitive Development: Piaget’s theory 2. Preoperational thought –2 - 7 years old –cannot understand logical operations (e.g. the reversibility of mental representations) –conservation a belief in the permanence of certain attributes of objects or situations in spite of superficial changes –egocentrism

Copyright © 1999 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 14 Cognitive Development: Piaget’s theory 3. Concrete operational thought – years old –logical reasoning replaces intuitive thought as long as the principles are applied to concrete examples

Copyright © 1999 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 15 Cognitive Development: Piaget’s theory 4. Formal operational thought – years old –abstract, idealistic and logical –hypothetical-deductive reasoning the ability to develop hypotheses about how to solve problems

Copyright © 1999 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 16 Cognitive Development: Vygotsky’s theory Zone of proximal development (ZPD) –tasks that are too difficult for children to master alone but that can be mastered with the guidance and assistance of adults or more- skilled children

Copyright © 1999 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 17 Socioemotional Development: Erikson’s theory Stages of childhood development: –trust versus mistrust –autonomy versus shame and doubt –initiative versus guilt –industry versus inferiority

Copyright © 1999 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 18 Socioemotional Development Attachment –a close emotional bond between the infant and its caregivers Imprinting –the tendency of an infant animal to form an attachment to the first moving object it sees or hears Secure attachment –infants who use the caregiver as a secure base from which to explore the environment

Copyright © 1999 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 19 Parenting Styles Authoritarian parenting –restrictive and punitive Authoritative parenting –encourages independence with limits Neglectful parenting –parents uninvolved in the child’s life Indulgent parenting –parents very involved and place few demands

Copyright © 1999 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 20 Adolescence Storm-and-stress view –adolescence is a turbulent time charged with conflict and mood swings Physical development –puberty –testosterone –estradiol

Copyright © 1999 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 21 Adolescence Cognitive development –adolescent egocentrism –internalization Moral development –preconventional level –conventional level –postconventional level

Copyright © 1999 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 22 Adolescence Socioemotional development –parent-adolescent relationships –peers –identity development –identity statuses exploration commitment

Copyright © 1999 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 23 Adult Development and Aging Physical development –menopause the time in middle age when a woman’s menstrual periods cease completely –Alzheimer’s disease a degenerative, irreversible brain disorder that impairs memory and social behavior

Copyright © 1999 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 24 Adult Development and Aging Cognitive development –cognitive mechanics the hardware of the mind, reflecting the neurophysiological architecture of the brain as developed through evolution –cognitive pragmatics the culture-based “software” of the mind

Copyright © 1999 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 25 Adult Development and Aging Socioeconomic development Stages of adult personality development: –intimacy versus isolation –generativity versus stagnation –integrity versus dispair

Copyright © 1999 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 26 Adult Development and Aging Activity theory –the more active and involved older people are, the more satisfied they will be with their lives and the more likely they will stay healthy Ageism –prejudice against people based on their age