What is Lifespan Development/the theoretical perspectives Flashcards
What does lifespan development study?
The physical, cognitive, social and emotional changes from conception to death by investigating major periods of development.
Basically, lifespan development looks at all the things that happen in between birth and death. Who are we when we are born, who are we when we die
What are the major periods of development?
Prenatal Infancy/Toddlerhood Early Childhood Middle Childhood Adolescence Young Adulthood Middle Adulthood Late Adulthood
Development is ________________
Lifelong
Early research and theory in human development primarily focused on children. However, developmental science increasingly emphasizes the major changes that occur throughout adolescence and adulthood, showing that it is important to consider development (or change) at each period.
Development is ________________
Multidirectional- meaning that it can be up or down- a person may be experiencing changes that are good or bad or both simultaneously.
Difference between aging and maturation
Aging has to do with physical changes
Maturation has to do with the development of cognitive, emotional, physical aspects; i.e. becoming more advanced.
The study of development is __________________
Multidisciplinary- different fields have a stake in understanding human deveopment and the different fields are influenced by contributions from others in each field.
Development is __________________
Multidimensional- it looks at physical, cognitive, social, emotional, and moral changes we experience across the lifespan
Development is __________, ____________, ___________, _______________.
Multidirectional, multidisciplinary, multidimensional and lifelong.
Freud’s Psychosexual stages of development
Oral, Anal, Phallic, Latency, Genital -
In each of these stages, Freud develops a major issue that needs to be addressed. The unfulfilled or incomplete issue can be used as a way to explain some human behavior and personality traits.
Describe the oral stage -
This stage is from birth-18 months and involves a focus on oral pleasures (sucking). The key to this is that too over or under gratification can result in an Oral fixation or Oral personality which is seen by a preoccupation with oral activities.
This type of personality may have a stronger tendency to smoke, drink alcohol, over eat, or bite his or her nails. Personality wise, these individuals may become overly dependent upon others, gullible, and perpetual followers. On the other hand, they may also fight these urges and develop pessimism and aggression toward others.
What are Erikson’s Psychosocial stages ?
Stage Psychosocial Crisis Basic Virtue Age
- Trust vs. Mistrust Hope 0 - 1½
- Autonomy vs. Shame Will 1½ - 3
- Initiative vs. Guilt Purpose 3 - 5
- Industry vs. Inferiority Competency 5 - 12
- Identity vs. Role Confusion Fidelity 12 - 18
- Intimacy vs. Isolation Love 18 - 40
- Generativity vs. Stagnation Care 40 - 65
- Ego Integrity vs. Despair Wisdom 65+
Trust vs Mistrust
Learning to see the world as a safe place primarily through one’s parents and developing a healthy sense of trust and that support is there for crises. The virtue of this stage is hope, which can be gained if the care the infant receives is consistent, predictable and reliable.
Autonomy vs Shame and Doubt
The child learns they can do certain tasks and becomes more independent. It is important for the parents to balance independence while still protecting the child. They must allow the child to fail, though not constantly and the aim for the parents is to encourage “self control without a loss of self esteem”
Child can become confident if encouraged and supported in their increased independence. If criticize or overly controlled, they begin to feel inadequate in their ability to survive and may become overly dependent on others, and lack self esteem or feel a sense of shame and doubt in their abilities.
Initiative vs. Guilt
Initiative versus guilt is the third stage of Erik Erikson’s theoInitiative versus guilt is the third stage of Erik Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development. During the initiative versus guilt stage, children assert themselves more frequently.
These are particularly lively, rapid-developing years in a child’s life. According to Bee (1992), it is a “time of vigor of action and of behaviors that the parents may see as aggressive.”
During this period the primary feature involves the child regularly interacting with other children at school. Central to this stage is play, as it provides children with the opportunity to explore their interpersonal skills through initiating activities.
Children begin to plan activities, make up games, and initiate activities with others. If given this opportunity, children develop a sense of initiative and feel secure in their ability to lead others and make decisions.
Conversely, if this tendency is squelched, either through criticism or control, children develop a sense of guilt. They may feel like a nuisance to others and will, therefore, remain followers, lacking in self-initiative.
The child takes initiatives which the parents will often try to stop in order to protect the child. The child will often overstep the mark in his forcefulness, and the danger is that the parents will tend to punish the child and restrict his initiatives too much.
It is at this stage that the child will begin to ask many questions as his thirst for knowledge grows. If the parents treat the child’s questions as trivial, a nuisance or embarrassing or other aspects of their behavior as threatening then the child may have feelings of guilt for “being a nuisance”.
Too much guilt can make the child slow to interact with others and may inhibit their creativity. Some guilt is, of course, necessary; otherwise the child would not know how to exercise self-control or have a conscience.
A healthy balance between initiative and guilt is important. Success in this stage will lead to the virtue of purpose.overstep the mark in his forcefulness, and the danger is that the parents will tend to punish the child and restrict his initiatives too much.
It is at this stage that the child will begin to ask many questions as his thirst for knowledge grows. If the parents treat the child’s questions as trivial, a nuisance or embarrassing or other aspects of their behavior as threatening then the child may have feelings of guilt for “being a nuisance”.
Too much guilt can make the child slow to interact with others and may inhibit their creativity. Some guilt is, of course, necessary; otherwise the child would not know how to exercise self-control or have a conscience.
A healthy balance between initiative and guilt is important. Success in this stage will lead to the virtue of purpose.
