Overview of Lifespan Development Theory

EDPR 7117/8117

Objectives of Topic

Understand the three primary approaches to studies of lifespan development

Analyze the different research methodologies presented

Evaluate and specify the importance of various development processes and influences

Subtopics

Introduction Human development Lifespan perspective World views Influences Context Issues Methods to study development

Introduction

Expectations from this course Focus on research Your opinions Using the information

Human Development

Definition intRAindividual change

Change that occurs within one person Does not all take place at the same time

e.g., physical and emotional don’t happen simultaneously

intERindividual differences Change that occurs between people

(age groups, etc.)

Lifespan Perspective

Life course perspective: age specific or age-course focus

Lifespan perspective: pattern of change that continues throughout the lifespan

Life Course Perspective Lifespan Perspective

World Views

Perspectives Behaviorist Cognitive Psychoanalytical

Influences

Normative influences Biological and environmental that are similar for

an age group Nonnormative influences

Specific to an individual Historical influences

9/11 Sociocultural influences

Age, gender, class, ethnicity, culture, sexual orientation

Context

Families Schools Neighborhoods Religious organizations Social organizations

How it was

All about child development Most important developmental milestones. Discrete age periods

Childhood (progress) Adulthood (stability) older adulthood (decline)

How it has changed

Life-span perspective change patterns, influences, continuities and/or

discontinuities Focus began to change

development in “mature” years important childhood developmental patterns not

markers in adulthood new developmental patterns emerge in adulthood and

later adulthood

Sequences of the lifespan

Prenatal Infancy & toddlerhood Early childhood Middle childhood Adolescence Young adulthood Middle adulthood Late adulthood

Mixing it up

Developmental processes are Multidimensional Multidirectional Multidisciplinary Contextual

Importance of plasticity

Developmental issues

Nature vs nurture Continuity vs discontinuity

child learning to talk vs. learning to think abstractly Stability vs change

Research

Cross-sectional studies Look at groups of people One place in time Good for comparisons of cohorts

Longitudinal studies

Study over a period of time Same subjects Good for looking at change over time

What is a theory?

Ideas that help explain things and can be used to make predictions

Human Development theories represent differing world view or philosophical perspectives of what is important and even what the important questions are in the understanding of humans.

The behavioral perspective

Focuses on how people act Major theorists:

B.F. Skinner (operant conditioning) Julian Rotter (social cognitive theory) Albert Bandura (social learning theory)

The cognitive perspective

Focuses on how people think Studies how humans process their social,

emotional, and physical environment. Theorists:

Jean Piaget (stages & dissonance) Len Vygotsky (sociocultural)

The psychoanalytic perspective

Focuses on how people feel explaining and understanding one’s emotions and

emotional development Major theorists:

Sigmund Freud (psychosexual) Erik Erikson (psychosocial)

Assignments

Read materials for week from CD Write notes, questions as you go You are responsible for materials even if they are

not discussed in class! Discussion Board Question(s)

Required posting no later than 11:59 pm of day noted

Can post questions/comments Can answer on the board if you have pertinent

information

Assignments

Article presentations If you are the presenter…

Read your article Prepare your presentation Get to class early to load your PPT if you have one

If you are the audience… Read the article Prepare a critique review sheet

Email if you have questions