1. HUMAN DEVELOPMENT Keywords:
Human development, Developmental psychology, Genetics, Heredity, Environment, Stages of development, Moral development, Cognitive development

2. Areas of Development Across Lifespan
Physical
Psychological
Social
At different stages in life…that is…birth till death…
All our development are influenced by two main factors…

3. 1.Heredity (Nature) Biological Predisposition
Genes & genetic transmission from parents to children.
How does heredity operates?  DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid); made up by 46 chromosomes (23 pairs) – structures that hold the coded instruction to heredity.
Gives us GENOTYPES (Inherited features) & PHENOTYPES (Tendencies)

4. Different Kinds of Child Readiness
Examples of NATURE’S role in the developmental process:
Feeding Readiness
Motor Skills
Reading Readiness
But is the role of nature all there is to human development?

5. 2.Environment (Nurture)
All external conditions that affect a person.
The conditions can be:
Opportunity - Born Rich vs Born Poor?
Environment – Conducive vs Unconducive?
Parenting – Good vs Bad?
Nutrition – Enough nutrition vs Malnutrition?
Stimulation…etc

6. So…How is our Developmental Process Influenced?
“Is our development more or less influenced by NATURE or NURTURE?”

7. An Interaction… Both NATURE and NURTURE are equally important.
Bio-psychologist Donald Hebb offered a useful analogy :
“ To define the area of a rectangle, what is more important: Height or Width?” Of course, both dimension is absolutely essential. Without either one, there is NO rectangle”.

8. Nature – Nurture Interaction
Gives us the means to do things…but…
NURTURE:
Enables us to exercise the means to do things!
Example: Being tall (nature) will make people assumed Jacky Chan knows how to play basketball. But without encouragement and practice (nurture), Jacky will never know how to play good basketball.

9. 7 Phases of Human Growth Prenatal Stage Neonatal Stage Infancy
Conception to birth.
Neonatal Stage
Birth to a few weeks after birth
Infancy
A few weeks after birth until child is walking securely (approx. 12 months)
Early Childhood
From about 15 months through to about 6 years of age
Middle Childhood
From about age 6 to 12 years old

10. Human Growth Sequence Adolescence Adulthood Senescence
From the beginning of pubescence until physiological and psycho-social maturity is reached.
Adulthood
From adolescence to death.
Senescence
A period within adulthood
Marked by biological aging
May show signs of physical and psychological deterioration

11. 3 Types of Development Physical & Motor Development
Cognitive Development
Jean Piaget (Jahn Pea-Ah-ZHAY),
Social Development

12. Physical & Motor Development
Reflexes (infants- following moving object with their eyes, turn in the direction of sound, pressing an object that were put on their palm with surprising strength!)
Motor control (learn to crawl and eventually learning how to walk).

13. 2. Cognitive Development
Jean Piaget (b. 1896)
Provide some of the great insights into how children develop thinking abilities.
Piaget proposed that children’s cognitive skills progress through a series of maturational stages.
Proposed the Theory of Cognitive Development.

14. Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development
Sensorimotor Stage (0 – 2 years)
Newborn babies cannot create internal representation such as mental images. Said to have lack of object permanence (an understanding that object continue to exist even when they are out of sight).
Imagine a game of peek-a-boo, for example. A very young infant will believe that the other person or object has actually vanished and will act shocked or startled when the object reappears. Older infants who understand object permanence will realize that the person or object continues to exist even when unseen.
By the age of 2, they can anticipate the movement of an object behind the screen.
For example, when watching an electric train, a 2 year old toddler will look ahead to the end of the tunnel, rather than staring at the spot where the train disappeared.

15. Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development
Preoperational Stage (2 – 7 years)
At this stage, the children’s thinking is still very intuitive (little use of reasoning and logic).
For example, this boy thinks the tall container holds more liquid than the short one where in fact, the container actually hold the same amount of liquid.
Another example: Do you still remember as a child, that the sun and the moon followed you when you took a walk?
After about the age of 7, children are no longer fooled by this situation.
From age 7 onwards, we see a definite trend toward a more logical or adult-like thought developed by the children.
Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development

16. Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development
Concrete Operational Stage (7 – 11 years)
Children begin to develop the ability to carry out mental operations such as reversing thoughts.
For example: 4x2 = 8, 2x4 = 8.
Formal Operation Stage (11 years and above)
After about the age of 11, children begin to break away from concrete object and specific example.
They begin to think on more abstract principles such as “democracy” and “tolerance”.
Older adolescents are capable of making inductive or deductive reasoning and they can comprehend subjects like maths, physics, philosophy and even PSYCHOLOGY!

17. Socio-cultural Development
Lev Vygotsky (b. 1896), a Russian scholar.
focused on the impact of socio-cultural factors.
Interaction between the child and the environment is most helpful when they take place within the child’s Zone of Proximal Development  refers to the ranges of tasks a child cannot yet master alone, but can be accomplish with a guidance of a more capable partner  ADULT.
Children depended on adults to learn about the world…
And then there come a stage where the children get older and become…

18. Adolescence: A Time of Transition
Increased rate of physical development
The onset of puberty. With the beginning of puberty, primary and secondary sex characteristics begin to appear.

19. Adolescence: Cognitive Development
Reaching towards maturation of mental capability.
Also the beginning of their Search for identity.

20. Adolescence: Search for Identity
Identity formation is the key task of adolescence.
Puberty signals that its time to begin forming a new, more mature self-image.
But, it also give rise to conflict stemming from perceived unclear standards and roles.
Are they adults or children? Should they be autonomous or independent? Should they work or play?
Such ambiguities make it difficult for young people to form clear image of themselves and how they should act.

21. Identity Conflict
Indicated by increased reports of behavioral problems in teens.
Why?
Experimentation as a mean of conflict resolution:
Sex
Drugs
Alcohol
Gangs
But why is it that (some) teens experiment more than others? (questionable!)

22. Resolving Identity Conflict
Acceptance of being WHO & WHAT they wanted to be!
That is to say, teenagers experience…
The Need to Form an Identity which provides Secure Sense of Self.
Not all teens experiment with “troubles”!
Volunteers, Youth Mentors, Part-Time Employees…etc

23. Parenting Influnce Parents – Primary source of security.
Therefore if there are different parenting styles, then…
There will be differences in feeling of security
4 Parenting Styles…which are…

24. 4 Different Parenting Styles
AUTHORITARIAN
Values
Outcomes
Obedience
Following instructions
Absolute power
Poor parent-child communication
Strained parent-child relationship
PUNITIVE
Harsh (physical/emotional) discipline
Punishment
Fear
Angry and resentful children
Children with low self-esteem

25. 4 Different Parenting Styles
AUTHORITATIVE
Values
Outcomes
Freedom of expression
Negotiation
Limits and boundaries
Open parent-child communication
Trusting and committed parent-child relationship
PERMISSIVE
Total freedom
Disdain for discipline
Popularity
Irresponsible & immature children
Children who seek instant gratifications

26. 3. Social Development “How are moral values acquired?”
Lawrence Kohlberg (b. 1927)
We learn moral values through thinking and reasoning.
Starts in childhood and continue through adulthood.
3 Levels of Moral Development
Pre-conventional Morality
Conventional Morality
Post-conventional Morality

27. 3 Levels of Moral Development
Moral Developmental Stage
Characteristics
Example
Pre-Conventional (lowest level)
Right /wrong as determined by reward/punishment
If I don’t get caught stealing, then stealing is not wrong
Conventional
Conforming societal standards to please
If I listen to what my elders say, then I’m a good kid
Post-Conventional
Moral behavior is directed by self-chosen ethical principle.
Conscience and considerations for rights and feelings of others
Doctors who opt to end patients life support machine.
He will have to face the consequence of his action, but he will have “saved” a human from endless suffering.

28. Adulthood: Rocky Road or Garden Path?
Erik Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory provides a good overview of the major psychological conflicts that occur during a “typical” life.
Every life is marked by a number of development milestone.
For example, graduating from universities, voting for the first time, getting married, watching your child leave home (or come back!), the death of a parent, becoming grandparents, retirement and facing your own death.
Erikson’s most influential book (Childhood and Society, ) suggest that every human face a specific psychosocial dilemmas or “crisis”.

29. Erikson’s Psychosocial Dilemmas
Autonomous Vs Shame/Doubt (age 1-3 years)
Trust Vs Mistrust
(First year of life)
Children express their growing self-control by climbing, touching and exploring.
Parents fostered sense of autonomy by encouraging the child to try new skills.
Otherwise, if parents are ridiculed or being overprotected, it will caused the child to feel shameful or doubts her own abilities.
Completely dependent on others.
Trust is established when babies are given warmth, touching, love and physical care.
Mistrust – caused by inadequate care by parents who are cold, indifferent or rejecting.

30. Industry Vs Inferiority
Initiative Vs Guilt
(age 3-5 years)
Industry Vs Inferiority
(age 6-12 years)
Children move beyond simple self-control and begin to take initiative.
Through playtime, children learn to plan and carry out tasks.
Initiative is being reinforced by giving them the freedom to play, to ask questions, to use imaginations and to choose activities that they like.
Feelings of guilt – emerged if the parents criticize severely, prevent playing or discourage them from asking questions.
Many events of middle childhood are symbolized by that fateful day when you first enter school.
Children learn a sense of industry when they win praises for productive activities such as building, painting, cooking etc.
If her effort are regarded as messy, childish, or inadequate, it results in the feelings of inferiority.

31. Identity Vs Role Confusion (age: Adolescent)
Intimacy Vs Isolation (Young Adulthood)
Adolescent is often a turbulent time to answer the question of “Who am I?”
A person need to build a consistent identity out of her talents, values, relationship, life history and the demand of her culture.
A person who failed will suffer a role confusion – an uncertainty of who they are and what are their responsibility.
An individual feels a need for intimacy in his or her life.
Intimacy – means the ability to care about others and to share life experiences with them.
Failure to do so will leads to a deep sense of isolation – feeling alone and uncared for).

32. Generativity Vs Stagnation (Middle Adulthood)
Integrity Vs Despair (Late Adulthood)
Generativity – an interest in guiding the next generation.
Concern about the welfare of others as well as society as a whole.
Provide emotional balance in mature adulthood.
Failure is marked by stagnant concern with one’s own need and comforts.
Life loses meaning and the person feels bitter or trapped.
Old age is a time for reflection.
Ability to look back over life with acceptance and satisfaction.
People who have lived responsibly will develop a sense of integrity.
If previous life events are viewed with regret, the person is said to have experienced despair (heartache or remorse).

33. Aging & Old Age
Personal development maybe complicated by physical aging.
Threat of death being the sources of fear and depression.

34. The Final Challenge

35. Death, Dying, & Grieving
“ I’m not afraid of dying.. I just don’t want to be there when it happens…”
(Woody Allen)

36. Reactions to Impending Death
Elisabeth Kübler-Ross ( ) “Emotional response towards death”:
Denial & Isolation
“Its all a mistake..”
“The doctor made an error…”
Anger
“Why me????”
Anger may spill over and turn into rage towards the living.
Bargaining
“ Just let me live a little bit longer, I’ll promise I’ll be good..”
Depression
Begins to recognize that death cannot be prevented.
Realized that he/she will be separated from loved ones resulting in profound sadness.
Acceptance
Neither happy or sad but finally come at peace with the situation.
The need to talk about death ends.
Silent companionship is frequently all the person desires.

37. Improving the Quality of Life for the Dying & Grieving
Recognize the stages of reaction.
The dying person
The next of kin
Relate to the person at a personal level (empathy)
Be ready to listen again and again
Be respectful
Be aware of feelings and non-verbal cues
Be comfortable with silence
Be genuine
Just being there to support in any way possible…