1. Life course theories
Theories are defined as systematic efforts to formulate explanations of natural phenomena to make sense out of observations or experiences
Rules of the game of psycho-social processes
Development, socialization adaptation

2. Perspectives Developmental—rate and growth of person
Socialization—skills/knowledge needed to perform roles
Adaptational—how persons cope with life events/circumstances that demand responses different from everyday habits

3. Models
Timing-of-Events model—social time is the time expected by a society that people will make major life transitions, like moving from childhood to adulthood, marrying, having children. Adaptation is required when a person is unwilling/unable to make timely transition.
Normative-crisis model—assumption that person must accomplish certain tasks (learning to be autonomous/independent in U.S. society) to grow psychologically and/or socially. (ex. Freud, Erikson, Levinson)

4. Stage Theories of Development defined
Stage theories argue that people go through stages of progression or sequence. Stage includes description of the stage or is a theory of what is going on in the stage.
Example—infancy, childhood, adulthood descriptive terms of stages, but also symbolize physical, psychological, social change
Sequence rests on assumption of mastery of functions to get from one level to next like sit-walk-run

5. Stages of physiology
We crawl, then walk, then run; we babble first and then we speak. Ability to get through these physical changes defines normal development
Buhler’s stages: growth w/out reproduction (0-15); growth w/reproductive ability (15-22); reproductive ability w/o further growth (22-45); loss of reproductive ability for female (45-65/70); decline w/loss of reproduction (65-death).
When reproduction defines stages how is this culturally defined?

6. Cognitive stages
Piaget: sensorimotor (0-18 months); preoperational (18 mon. to 6 years); concrete operations (6-12); formal operational (abstract principles)

7. Psychosocial Freud Oral, anal, phallic, latency, genital
Erikson: eight stages
Levinson: theory of life course
Gould theory of transformations

8. Role theories
Role: sets of norms/standards that apply to expected behavior of categories of persons in relationships with others
Scripts

9. Socialization stages Infancy (Small)
Early childhood—preparation, dependency, roles assigned by sex, age, family and social origins
Adolescence to adulthood—transition to performance, autonmy, achieved statuses—knowledge, abilities, motivation
Occupational roles, family roles—role gain, role loss

10. Themes in life course study
Goals and life purposes
Life stresses and adaptation—includes social change as well as individual responses
Identity and life course—includes cohort identity
Continuity/discontinuity; scheduling; rites of passage; age/cohort effects; cultural variations