Theme 1: Understanding Life Span Flashcards
what is development
- The pattern of the movement or change that begins at conception and continues through the lifespan
- It includes growth and decline
- Development can be positive or negative
which 3 domains does development take place in
- Biological/physical: growth of body & functioning of physiological systems (brain, physical aging)
- Cognitive development: Changes and continuities in mental processes (perception, language, learning, memory, problem solving)
- Psychosocial development: social interactions, Changes in personal and interpersonal development (motives, emotions, personality traits, social skills and relation-ships)
Conception vs. Being born
conception is still in mums uterus and being born is when you’re out
- When you’re inside your mum its just as important, lots of changes that happen during that phase
human dev involves
- Changes:
Can be gains, losses, or just differences from what we were like before. - Continuities:
Ways in which we remain the same or continue to reflect our past selves.
What is the science of life-span development
what changes and developments happen throughout your lifetime
“gain–stability–loss” model
- positive change in capacity from infants to adolescence
- a line showing little change during early adulthood and middle age, and a steep decline of capacities in old age.
why is the “gain–stability–loss” model true
- stereotyped view of the life span
- some truth in it (biological and physical development)
- Traditionally, biologists have defined growth as the physical changes that occur from conception to maturity.
- biologically mature and physically competent during the early part of the life span.
- Biological aging is the deterioration of organisms (including humans) that leads inevitably to their death.
why the “gain–stability–loss” model is false
- development at any age involves both gains and losses.
- children gain many cognitive abilities as they get older but less flexible in their thinking, less open to considering unusual solutions, lose self-esteem
- aging does not equal loss = accumulated knowledge (more vocab & mental abilities)
- people don’t worsen or improve just change
- aging more than biological aging or decline (Physical, cognitive & psychosocial)
what ages does most development happen
(emerging adulthood) 13-19 ( brain changes, maturing) from late adolescence to full adulthood
what 4 things occur in emerging adulthood
explore their identities
* lead unstable lives filled with job changes, new relationships, and moves;
* self-focused: no obligations, focus on themselves, feel in between
* believe limitless possibilities ahead.
what are the periods of human life span
- Prenatal period: Conception to birth
- Infancy : 0-2 (first month = neonatal or newborn period)
- preschool: 2-5
- Middle childhood: 6-10 (or puberty)
- Adolescence: 10–18 (puberty to independendence)
- Emerging adulthood: 18–25 or even 29 (period bet adolescence and adulthood)
- Early adulthood: 25–40 years (adult roles are established)
- Middle adulthood: 40–65 years
- Late adulthood: 65 + (some subcategories)
biological and environmental forces that influence life span dev.
- nature: characteristics & abilities are determined by heredity (characteristics we’re born with). AKA nativism / genetic determinism.
- nurture: environmental factors are predominant in development
*AKA: environmental determinism.
goals driving the study of life-span development
- Description: ‘normal’ development, individual differences, variations in development. No 2 develop the same.
- Prediction: predict development & those factors that cause us to develop as we do / develop differently.
- Explanation: Link to prediction. Explain the cause/ relationship. Nature/nurture?
-Optimization: how can humans be helped to develop in positive directions? Enhance capabilities, prevent problems?
four traditional objective markers of adulthood (US)
leaving home, getting a job, marrying, and having a child
Cultural Differences in the Life Span (C)
- Age and Society: Age, like gender or race, holds different meanings in different cultures.
- Culture def. : Shared understandings, values, beliefs, and practices shaping how life stages are viewed.
- Impact of Culture: Influences developmental pathways and life experiences.
Age Grades (C)
What They Are: Socially defined age groups (e.g., children, teens, adults).
*Role: Assigned statuses, roles, privileges, and responsibilities.
*Example: Legal age for voting (18), drinking (21), or marriage (varies).
Rites of Passage (C)
Definition: Rituals marking transitions between life stages.
Old Age in Cultures (C)
Western View: Starts around 65 years (e.g., retirement age).
* Defined by how they funcion, not *chronological age.
Categories: “Old,” “Old but
functional,” “Helpless old.”
Age Norms (C)
- Definition: Societal expectations for appropriate behavior at certain ages.
- Examples: 6-year-olds: Too young to date but old enough for school.
*Adults: Marry around 25, retire around 65.
= Variation: some societies expect children to work
Social Clock (C)
- Definition: Personal sense of when milestones should occur, influenced by age norms.
- Examples:
Feeling pressure to marry at 30.
Planning retirement at 70, even if one loves their job.
Cultural and Subcultural Variation (subC)
Definition: Grades, age norms, and social clocks vary across cultures and subcultures.
* Example: Different expectations about when life milestones (e.g., marriage, parenthood) occur.
subcultural differences
- Diversity in Society: Society is diverse in race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status (SES).
= varied developmental experiences based on SES. - Age Norms and SES Differences
= Milestones differ due to access to resources and cultural expectations. - Impact of Poverty on Development
= Dev. Consequences: can’t create a stable home & diff. brain dev.
Today’s educators & health professionals are being asked to engage in what practices
- Evidence-based practice - Based
on research and ensuring
treatments they provide have
been demonstrated to be
effective. - Use scientific research, rather
than experience. - Use effective interventions rather
than ineffective & harmful.
what are the 7 key assumptions of the modern life-span perspective (Paul Baltes)
- life-long process
- multidirectional
- involves both gain & loss
- characterised by lifelong plasticity
- shaped by its historical-cultural context
- multiply influenced
- must be studied by multiple disciplines
modern life-span perspective (1)
lifelong process: we change throughout our lifespan
modern life-span perspective (2)
multidirectional: dev. does not occur in 1 direction
* different capabilities show diff. patterns of change over time e.g: intellect
modern life-span perspective (3)
involves both gain & loss: shown in each phase of life-span
* gain & loss linked = focus skills in 1 areas :. lose skills in another
modern life-span perspective (4)
characterised by life-long plasticity: (changes in response to experiences)
* influenced by environ. & experience
* neuroplasticity = brain’s ability to change in response to experience
modern life-span perspective (5)
shaped by its historical-cultural context: Great Depression affected the life courses of the era’s children
= families in poverty - fathers out of work and less disciplined :. behaviour problems
modern life-span perspective (6)
multiply influenced: dev. is the outcome of ongoing inter-actions between nature & nurture
modern life-span perspective (7)
must be studied by multiple disciplines: dev. influenced by everything :. impossible for one discipline to have all the answers.
* many disciplines, each with its own perspectives & tools