While lifespan development is relevant to many disciplines, it is particularly important to the health
professions, education, and the social sciences. For each of these professional fields, an understanding
of the issues and complexities of specific age groups is key to helping people. In addition, it is important
to study the whole person—for instance, health, thought processes, and emotions—since each type of
development affects the others. One cannot have a good handle on how to promote healthy behaviors in
a client without knowing at least a little about adaptive and maladaptive emotional states. On the other
hand, without some understanding of the biological underpinnings of emotions, professionals may be
misguided in the decisions they make as they attempt to help.
Question 4
pts
Since development is multidimensional, there are a variety of areas in which a person could change.
Imagine you are interacting with a teenager. How might the teen be developing in the biological, social,
emotional, and cognitive dimensions.
Your Answer:
In the biological dimension they will be experiencing puberty which includes growth spurts and the
development of secondary and primary sex characteristics. Hormonal changes can also lead to physical
and emotional shifts.
In the social dimension there is an increase of peer influence and social awareness which can cause a
teenager to spend more time and seek approval of peers more than family. They may also become more
aware of social cues and how they carry themselves.
In the emotional dimension they may experience more intense and unpredictable emotions but are also
learning to become more emotionally regulated compared to childhood.
In the cognitive dimension they may be developing the ability for more abstract thinking which allows for
more complex problem-solving and reasoning. They also may be exploring their identity further including
their beliefs and values and may begin asking themselves who they are.
Biological dimension: physical changes going on in the body. Also, it is important to note how external
influences (for instance, drugs, healthful behaviors) influence biology and vice versa.
Social dimension: how does the individual change in his/her social interactions with others?
Emotional dimension: how does the individual change in how she/he regulates and experiences
emotion?
Cognitive dimension: how does the individual change in the way he/she thinks?
Question 5
pts
This study source was downloaded by 100000900412927 from CourseHero.com on 01-21-2026 13:07:59 GMT -06:00
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,Answer the following reflection questions. There are no wrong or right answers, but self-reflection will
help you to connect with the material to enhance your learning.
Which periods of development interest you the most? Why? Do you plan on working with a specific age
group in the future? What would you like to learn about these specific periods?
Your Answer:
The period of development that interests me the most is the neonatal period. It interests me because it is
the very beginning of life and when some of the most rapid and critical changes are occurring. Newborns
are adapting to life outside the womb, forming their first bonds, and showing early signs of temperament
and reflexes that are a foundation for later development. I plan on working as a NICU nurse in the future
because of my passion in supporting newborn health and maternal-infant care.
I would like to learn more about how early sensory experiences shape brain development, how
newborns express their needs before language development, and how environmental factors affect their
development (especially things like skin to skin contact, feeding patterns, family involvement etc).
Answers to the reflection questions will vary. Are you ready to discover more about the various age
groups now?
Question 6
pts
Summarize each side of the nature / nurture controversy. Then, go through the first four theorists in this
module (Freud, Erikson, Skinner, and Piaget) and consider whether each theorist leans toward the
nature side, the nurture side, or some combination of both.
Your Answer:
Nature here refers to the idea that human development is primarily shaped by biological factors such as
genetics, brain structure, inherited traits, and natural maturation. This view argues that most aspects of
behavior are "built-in" and unfold naturally overtime.
Nurture focuses on environmental influences on human development such as family, culture, education,
and life experiences. This perspective argues that most aspects of behaviors are learned and shaped by
one's environment.
Freud leans towards the nurture perspective. Through each of Freud's 5 stages, the person must
address an issue based on a number of outside factors. For example; if a young child (18mo-3yrs) is
shamed by a guardian and fixates too much on anal cleanliness then the issue can cause later "anal
retentive" behavior.
This study source was downloaded by 100000900412927 from CourseHero.com on 01-21-2026 13:07:59 GMT -06:00
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, Erikson combined both nature and nurture, however he leaned more towards nurture. During each of
Erikson's 8 stages, an outside factor will play a role in grappling with successfully achieving the "virtue"
to go onto the next stage of development. For example, in Trust v Mistrust an infant who is given reliable
and predictable attention in the form of care will learn to develop the virtue of hope based solely on the
caregiver's outside influence.
Skinner leaned almost entirely towards nurture. he believed human development was shaped primarily
through learning, reinforcement, and environmental consequences, He was the foremost researcher of
operant conditioning which is a learning method where behavior is modified based on consequences that
follow it, be it positive or negative reinforcement.
Piaget leaned more towards the nature side as a trained biologist, and he believed that cognitive
development happened on its own through maturation. Meaning that as children got older, their capacity
to understand the world around them increases.
The Nature side emphasizes biology and maturation. Essentially, one’s genetics, personality, and
innate characteristics will naturally enfold and cause one to develop in a particular way. On the
other extreme, the Nurture side emphasizes the role of parents, other individuals, and the context
in which one lives in assessing what primarily influences development. Most modern
psychologists accept both as being integral to development, although some researchers and
theorists may lean toward one or the other side.
Similarly, most of the theorists and researchers presented in this module would acknowledge the
role of both nature and nurture. Freud, for instance, incorporated both nature and nurture
perspectives in his theories of development. While his emphasis on nature is more clearly seen
in his view of the development of personality (id, ego, superego—not discussed in this module),
his emphasis on nurture is evident in his emphasis on early childhood experiences influencing
the psychosexual stages. Erikson, in his emphasis on social influences, leaned toward the
nurture side. The Behaviorists certainly emphasize nurture over nature. Piaget’s theory, however,
swings back to the nature side.
Question 7
pts
Summarize each side of the continuity/discontinuity controversy. Which theorists (consider Freud,
Erikson, Skinner, and Piaget) view development as being discontinuous?
Your Answer:
This controversy relates to the process in which change occurs in human development. Continuity says
that the change is gradual but ongoing, flowing into one another, without a clear point in which one stage
stops and the other begins. Discontinuity says that development happens in distinct stages that are
qualitatively different.
Freud, Erikson, and Piaget view development as discontinuous, with distinct stage progressions.
This study source was downloaded by 100000900412927 from CourseHero.com on 01-21-2026 13:07:59 GMT -06:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/253618625/Pysch-140-M1-Review-Reflectpdf/
professions, education, and the social sciences. For each of these professional fields, an understanding
of the issues and complexities of specific age groups is key to helping people. In addition, it is important
to study the whole person—for instance, health, thought processes, and emotions—since each type of
development affects the others. One cannot have a good handle on how to promote healthy behaviors in
a client without knowing at least a little about adaptive and maladaptive emotional states. On the other
hand, without some understanding of the biological underpinnings of emotions, professionals may be
misguided in the decisions they make as they attempt to help.
Question 4
pts
Since development is multidimensional, there are a variety of areas in which a person could change.
Imagine you are interacting with a teenager. How might the teen be developing in the biological, social,
emotional, and cognitive dimensions.
Your Answer:
In the biological dimension they will be experiencing puberty which includes growth spurts and the
development of secondary and primary sex characteristics. Hormonal changes can also lead to physical
and emotional shifts.
In the social dimension there is an increase of peer influence and social awareness which can cause a
teenager to spend more time and seek approval of peers more than family. They may also become more
aware of social cues and how they carry themselves.
In the emotional dimension they may experience more intense and unpredictable emotions but are also
learning to become more emotionally regulated compared to childhood.
In the cognitive dimension they may be developing the ability for more abstract thinking which allows for
more complex problem-solving and reasoning. They also may be exploring their identity further including
their beliefs and values and may begin asking themselves who they are.
Biological dimension: physical changes going on in the body. Also, it is important to note how external
influences (for instance, drugs, healthful behaviors) influence biology and vice versa.
Social dimension: how does the individual change in his/her social interactions with others?
Emotional dimension: how does the individual change in how she/he regulates and experiences
emotion?
Cognitive dimension: how does the individual change in the way he/she thinks?
Question 5
pts
This study source was downloaded by 100000900412927 from CourseHero.com on 01-21-2026 13:07:59 GMT -06:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/253618625/Pysch-140-M1-Review-Reflectpdf/
,Answer the following reflection questions. There are no wrong or right answers, but self-reflection will
help you to connect with the material to enhance your learning.
Which periods of development interest you the most? Why? Do you plan on working with a specific age
group in the future? What would you like to learn about these specific periods?
Your Answer:
The period of development that interests me the most is the neonatal period. It interests me because it is
the very beginning of life and when some of the most rapid and critical changes are occurring. Newborns
are adapting to life outside the womb, forming their first bonds, and showing early signs of temperament
and reflexes that are a foundation for later development. I plan on working as a NICU nurse in the future
because of my passion in supporting newborn health and maternal-infant care.
I would like to learn more about how early sensory experiences shape brain development, how
newborns express their needs before language development, and how environmental factors affect their
development (especially things like skin to skin contact, feeding patterns, family involvement etc).
Answers to the reflection questions will vary. Are you ready to discover more about the various age
groups now?
Question 6
pts
Summarize each side of the nature / nurture controversy. Then, go through the first four theorists in this
module (Freud, Erikson, Skinner, and Piaget) and consider whether each theorist leans toward the
nature side, the nurture side, or some combination of both.
Your Answer:
Nature here refers to the idea that human development is primarily shaped by biological factors such as
genetics, brain structure, inherited traits, and natural maturation. This view argues that most aspects of
behavior are "built-in" and unfold naturally overtime.
Nurture focuses on environmental influences on human development such as family, culture, education,
and life experiences. This perspective argues that most aspects of behaviors are learned and shaped by
one's environment.
Freud leans towards the nurture perspective. Through each of Freud's 5 stages, the person must
address an issue based on a number of outside factors. For example; if a young child (18mo-3yrs) is
shamed by a guardian and fixates too much on anal cleanliness then the issue can cause later "anal
retentive" behavior.
This study source was downloaded by 100000900412927 from CourseHero.com on 01-21-2026 13:07:59 GMT -06:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/253618625/Pysch-140-M1-Review-Reflectpdf/
, Erikson combined both nature and nurture, however he leaned more towards nurture. During each of
Erikson's 8 stages, an outside factor will play a role in grappling with successfully achieving the "virtue"
to go onto the next stage of development. For example, in Trust v Mistrust an infant who is given reliable
and predictable attention in the form of care will learn to develop the virtue of hope based solely on the
caregiver's outside influence.
Skinner leaned almost entirely towards nurture. he believed human development was shaped primarily
through learning, reinforcement, and environmental consequences, He was the foremost researcher of
operant conditioning which is a learning method where behavior is modified based on consequences that
follow it, be it positive or negative reinforcement.
Piaget leaned more towards the nature side as a trained biologist, and he believed that cognitive
development happened on its own through maturation. Meaning that as children got older, their capacity
to understand the world around them increases.
The Nature side emphasizes biology and maturation. Essentially, one’s genetics, personality, and
innate characteristics will naturally enfold and cause one to develop in a particular way. On the
other extreme, the Nurture side emphasizes the role of parents, other individuals, and the context
in which one lives in assessing what primarily influences development. Most modern
psychologists accept both as being integral to development, although some researchers and
theorists may lean toward one or the other side.
Similarly, most of the theorists and researchers presented in this module would acknowledge the
role of both nature and nurture. Freud, for instance, incorporated both nature and nurture
perspectives in his theories of development. While his emphasis on nature is more clearly seen
in his view of the development of personality (id, ego, superego—not discussed in this module),
his emphasis on nurture is evident in his emphasis on early childhood experiences influencing
the psychosexual stages. Erikson, in his emphasis on social influences, leaned toward the
nurture side. The Behaviorists certainly emphasize nurture over nature. Piaget’s theory, however,
swings back to the nature side.
Question 7
pts
Summarize each side of the continuity/discontinuity controversy. Which theorists (consider Freud,
Erikson, Skinner, and Piaget) view development as being discontinuous?
Your Answer:
This controversy relates to the process in which change occurs in human development. Continuity says
that the change is gradual but ongoing, flowing into one another, without a clear point in which one stage
stops and the other begins. Discontinuity says that development happens in distinct stages that are
qualitatively different.
Freud, Erikson, and Piaget view development as discontinuous, with distinct stage progressions.
This study source was downloaded by 100000900412927 from CourseHero.com on 01-21-2026 13:07:59 GMT -06:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/253618625/Pysch-140-M1-Review-Reflectpdf/
