CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
Chapter Outline and Related Resources
Please note that much of this information is quoted from the text.
I. THE LIFE-SPAN PERSPECTIVE
A. The Importance of Life-Span Development
• Development is the pattern of movement or change that begins at conception and continues
through the human life span.
1. It includes both growth and decline.
• Studying life-span development is important because it:
1. Helps prepare us to take responsibility for children.
2. Gives us insight about our own lives.
3. Gives us knowledge about what our lives will be like as we age.
B. Characteristics of the Life-Span Perspective
1. Life-Span Development
• The traditional approach emphasizes extreme change from birth to adolescence, little or
no change in adulthood, and decline in old age.
• The life-span approach emphasizes that change is possible throughout the life span.
• The human life span is 122 years and has not changed since the beginning of recorded
history.
• Life expectancy has changed considerably in the last century. Improvements in
sanitation, nutrition, and medical knowledge led to this increase of 30 years.
2. The Life-Span Perspective
• Baltes states that the life-span perspective has several basic characteristics.
• Development is lifelong—Individuals continue to develop and change from conception to
death. No one age dominates development.
, • Development is multidimensional—Development consists of biological, cognitive, and
socioemotional components.
• Development is multidirectional—Some components of a dimension increase in growth,
whereas others decrease.
• Development is plastic—Plasticity involves the degree to which characteristics change or
remain stable.
• Developmental science is multidisciplinary—Multiple fields, including psychologists,
sociologists, anthropologists, neuroscientists, and medical researchers, share an
interest in studying human development across the life span.
• Development is contextual—Individuals respond to and act on contexts, including one’s
biological makeup; physical environment; cognitive processes; and social, historical, and
cultural contexts. Within the contextual view, the following three sources influence
development:
Normative age-graded influences are biological and environmental influences
that are similar for individuals in a particular age group.
Normative history-graded influences are common to people of a particular
generation because of the historical circumstances they experience.
Nonnormative life events are unusual occurrences that have a major impact on an
individual’s life. The occurrence, pattern, and sequence of these events are not
applicable to many individuals.
• Development involves growth, maintenance, and regulation of loss—The mastery of life
often involves conflicts and competition among three goals of human development:
growth, maintenance, and regulation.
• Development is a co-construction of biology, culture, and the individual—Who a person
is and will become are influenced by biological factors (such as genetics), cultural
factors (such as social norms), and the individual’s own volition.
3. Some Contemporary Concerns
• Health and well-being
• Parenting and education
• Sociocultural contexts and diversity
Culture encompasses the behavior patterns, beliefs, and all other products of a
particular group of people that are passed on from generation to generation.
Cross-cultural studies compare aspects of two or more cultures.
, Ethnicity is rooted in cultural heritage, nationality, race, religion, and language.
Socioeconomic status (SES) refers to a person’s position within society based on
occupational, educational, and economic characteristics.
Gender refers to the characteristics of people as males and females.
Contexts of Life-Span Development—Women’s Struggle for Equality: An
International Journey
• The educational and psychological conditions of women around the world
are a serious concern.
• Social Policy—A government’s course of action designed to promote the welfare of its
citizens.
• Infant mortality rates, malnourishment, and poverty are all benchmarks for evaluating
how well children are doing in a particular society.
• Applications in Life-Span Development: Improving Social Policy
• In the U.S., the national government, state governments, and city
governments all play a role in influencing the well-being of children.
• Developmental psychologists and other researchers have examined the
effects of many government policies.
• The well-being of older adults also creates policy issues.
II. DEVELOPMENTAL PROCESSES, PERIODS, AND ISSUES
A. Biological, Cognitive, and Socioemotional Processes
Biological processes involve changes in the individual’s physical nature.
Cognitive processes involve changes in the individual’s thought, intelligence, and language.
Socioemotional processes involve changes in the individual’s relationships with other
people, changes in emotions, and changes in personality.
B. Periods of Development
A developmental period refers to a time frame in a person’s life that is characterized by
certain features.
The life span is commonly divided into the following periods of development:
1. Prenatal period is the time from conception to birth.
, 2. Infancy is the developmental period extending from birth to 18 or 24 months.
3. Early childhood (preschool years) extends from the end of infancy to about 5 or 6 years.
4. Middle and late childhood (elementary school years) extends from about 6 to 11 years.
5. Adolescence is the developmental period of transition from childhood to early adulthood,
entered at approximately 10 to 12 years of age and ending at 18 to 21 years of age.
6. Emerging adulthood lasts from approximately 18 to 25 years of age.
7. Early adulthood begins in the late teens or early twenties and lasts through the thirties.
8. Middle adulthood begins at approximately 40 years of age and extends to about 60.
9. Late adulthood is the developmental period beginning in the 60s or 70s and lasting until
death.
Young old (65 ~84)
Oldest old (85+)
Research in Life-Span Development: Memory in the A.M and P.M. and Memory for
Something Meaningful
Certain testing conditions have exaggerated age-related declines in memory
performance in older adults.
Most young adults function optimally in the afternoon; most older adults function
optimally in the morning.
Developmentalists who focus on adult development and aging, such as Baltes (2006), focus
on four “ages” of development:
1. The first age is childhood and adolescence.
2. The second age is prime adulthood, spanning from the 20s through the 50s.
3. The third age spans from around 60 to 79 years of age.
4. The fourth age begins around 80 and lasts until death.
C. The Significance of Age
Happiness Across the Life Span
1. Older adults report just as much happiness and life satisfaction as younger people.
2. Older adults are less pressured to achieve and succeed, have more time for leisurely
pursuits, and have accumulated many years of experience that help them adapt to their
lives.
Chapter Outline and Related Resources
Please note that much of this information is quoted from the text.
I. THE LIFE-SPAN PERSPECTIVE
A. The Importance of Life-Span Development
• Development is the pattern of movement or change that begins at conception and continues
through the human life span.
1. It includes both growth and decline.
• Studying life-span development is important because it:
1. Helps prepare us to take responsibility for children.
2. Gives us insight about our own lives.
3. Gives us knowledge about what our lives will be like as we age.
B. Characteristics of the Life-Span Perspective
1. Life-Span Development
• The traditional approach emphasizes extreme change from birth to adolescence, little or
no change in adulthood, and decline in old age.
• The life-span approach emphasizes that change is possible throughout the life span.
• The human life span is 122 years and has not changed since the beginning of recorded
history.
• Life expectancy has changed considerably in the last century. Improvements in
sanitation, nutrition, and medical knowledge led to this increase of 30 years.
2. The Life-Span Perspective
• Baltes states that the life-span perspective has several basic characteristics.
• Development is lifelong—Individuals continue to develop and change from conception to
death. No one age dominates development.
, • Development is multidimensional—Development consists of biological, cognitive, and
socioemotional components.
• Development is multidirectional—Some components of a dimension increase in growth,
whereas others decrease.
• Development is plastic—Plasticity involves the degree to which characteristics change or
remain stable.
• Developmental science is multidisciplinary—Multiple fields, including psychologists,
sociologists, anthropologists, neuroscientists, and medical researchers, share an
interest in studying human development across the life span.
• Development is contextual—Individuals respond to and act on contexts, including one’s
biological makeup; physical environment; cognitive processes; and social, historical, and
cultural contexts. Within the contextual view, the following three sources influence
development:
Normative age-graded influences are biological and environmental influences
that are similar for individuals in a particular age group.
Normative history-graded influences are common to people of a particular
generation because of the historical circumstances they experience.
Nonnormative life events are unusual occurrences that have a major impact on an
individual’s life. The occurrence, pattern, and sequence of these events are not
applicable to many individuals.
• Development involves growth, maintenance, and regulation of loss—The mastery of life
often involves conflicts and competition among three goals of human development:
growth, maintenance, and regulation.
• Development is a co-construction of biology, culture, and the individual—Who a person
is and will become are influenced by biological factors (such as genetics), cultural
factors (such as social norms), and the individual’s own volition.
3. Some Contemporary Concerns
• Health and well-being
• Parenting and education
• Sociocultural contexts and diversity
Culture encompasses the behavior patterns, beliefs, and all other products of a
particular group of people that are passed on from generation to generation.
Cross-cultural studies compare aspects of two or more cultures.
, Ethnicity is rooted in cultural heritage, nationality, race, religion, and language.
Socioeconomic status (SES) refers to a person’s position within society based on
occupational, educational, and economic characteristics.
Gender refers to the characteristics of people as males and females.
Contexts of Life-Span Development—Women’s Struggle for Equality: An
International Journey
• The educational and psychological conditions of women around the world
are a serious concern.
• Social Policy—A government’s course of action designed to promote the welfare of its
citizens.
• Infant mortality rates, malnourishment, and poverty are all benchmarks for evaluating
how well children are doing in a particular society.
• Applications in Life-Span Development: Improving Social Policy
• In the U.S., the national government, state governments, and city
governments all play a role in influencing the well-being of children.
• Developmental psychologists and other researchers have examined the
effects of many government policies.
• The well-being of older adults also creates policy issues.
II. DEVELOPMENTAL PROCESSES, PERIODS, AND ISSUES
A. Biological, Cognitive, and Socioemotional Processes
Biological processes involve changes in the individual’s physical nature.
Cognitive processes involve changes in the individual’s thought, intelligence, and language.
Socioemotional processes involve changes in the individual’s relationships with other
people, changes in emotions, and changes in personality.
B. Periods of Development
A developmental period refers to a time frame in a person’s life that is characterized by
certain features.
The life span is commonly divided into the following periods of development:
1. Prenatal period is the time from conception to birth.
, 2. Infancy is the developmental period extending from birth to 18 or 24 months.
3. Early childhood (preschool years) extends from the end of infancy to about 5 or 6 years.
4. Middle and late childhood (elementary school years) extends from about 6 to 11 years.
5. Adolescence is the developmental period of transition from childhood to early adulthood,
entered at approximately 10 to 12 years of age and ending at 18 to 21 years of age.
6. Emerging adulthood lasts from approximately 18 to 25 years of age.
7. Early adulthood begins in the late teens or early twenties and lasts through the thirties.
8. Middle adulthood begins at approximately 40 years of age and extends to about 60.
9. Late adulthood is the developmental period beginning in the 60s or 70s and lasting until
death.
Young old (65 ~84)
Oldest old (85+)
Research in Life-Span Development: Memory in the A.M and P.M. and Memory for
Something Meaningful
Certain testing conditions have exaggerated age-related declines in memory
performance in older adults.
Most young adults function optimally in the afternoon; most older adults function
optimally in the morning.
Developmentalists who focus on adult development and aging, such as Baltes (2006), focus
on four “ages” of development:
1. The first age is childhood and adolescence.
2. The second age is prime adulthood, spanning from the 20s through the 50s.
3. The third age spans from around 60 to 79 years of age.
4. The fourth age begins around 80 and lasts until death.
C. The Significance of Age
Happiness Across the Life Span
1. Older adults report just as much happiness and life satisfaction as younger people.
2. Older adults are less pressured to achieve and succeed, have more time for leisurely
pursuits, and have accumulated many years of experience that help them adapt to their
lives.
