LIFESPAN DEVELOPMENT
A Psychological Perspective Fourth Edition
By Martha Lally and Suzanne Valentine-French
1
, Lifespan Development: A Psychological Perspective
Fourth Edition
By Martha Lally and Suzanne Valentine-French
(Published 2022, 2021, 2019, 2017)
This Open Education Resource (OER) textbook was funded by a grant from the
College of Lake County Foundation and supported by the Business and Social
Sciences Division.
This textbook can be found at:
https://www.clcillinois.edu/programs/psy/openeducation
Publication is under the following license:
Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 unported license to view a copy
of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ or send a letter to Creative
Commons, 171 Second Street, Suite 300, San Francisco, California, 94105, USA.
2
, Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction to Lifespan Development
Chapter 2: Heredity, Prenatal Development, and Birth
Chapter 3: Infancy and Toddlerhood
Chapter 4: Early Childhood
Chapter 5: Middle and Late Childhood
Chapter 6: Adolescence
Chapter 7: Emerging and Established Adulthood
Chapter 8: Middle Adulthood
Chapter 9: Late Adulthood
Chapter 10: Death and Dying
3
, Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction to Lifespan Development ....................................................................................... 9
Lifespan Perspective ............................................................................................................................. 10
Conceptions of Age ............................................................................................................................... 13
Periods of Development......................................................................................................................... 14
Issues in Lifespan Development ............................................................................................................. 16
Historical Theories on Development ....................................................................................................... 17
Contemporary Theories on Development ................................................................................................ 18
Descriptive Research ............................................................................................................................. 24
Correlational Research .......................................................................................................................... 26
Experimental Research .......................................................................................................................... 28
Research Involving Time-Spans ............................................................................................................. 29
Conducting Ethical Research .................................................................................................................. 32
COVID-19: Impact on Lifespan Development ......................................................................................... 33
References ............................................................................................................................................ 35
Chapter 2: Heredity, Prenatal Development, and Birth.............................................................................. 37
Heredity ............................................................................................................................................... 37
Genotypes and Phenotypes .................................................................................................................... 38
Genetic Disorders ................................................................................................................................. 39
Chromosomal Abnormalities .................................................................................................................. 41
Behavioral Genetics .............................................................................................................................. 43
Prenatal Development ........................................................................................................................... 45
The Germinal Period ............................................................................................................................. 45
The Embryonic Period ........................................................................................................................... 46
The Fetal Period.................................................................................................................................... 47
Prenatal Brain Development .................................................................................................................. 49
Teratogens ............................................................................................................................................ 49
Maternal Factors ................................................................................................................................... 55
Prenatal Assessment .............................................................................................................................. 59
Complications of Pregnancy .................................................................................................................. 61
Preparation for Childbirth ...................................................................................................................... 62
Stages of Birth for Vaginal Delivery ....................................................................................................... 63
Assessing the Neonate ........................................................................................................................... 65
Problems of the Newborn ...................................................................................................................... 65
Postpartum Maternal Concerns ............................................................................................................... 67
COVID-19: Impact on Prenatal Development .......................................................................................... 67
References ............................................................................................................................................ 68
Chapter 3: Infancy and Toddlerhood .......................................................................................................... 73
The Brain in the First Two Years ............................................................................................................ 74
Infant Sleep .......................................................................................................................................... 76
From Reflexes to Voluntary Movements ................................................................................................. 79
Motor Development .............................................................................................................................. 80
Sensory Capacities ................................................................................................................................ 81
Nutrition .............................................................................................................................................. 84
Global Considerations and Malnutrition .................................................................................................. 86
Piaget and the Sensorimotor Stage .......................................................................................................... 87
Infant Memory ...................................................................................................................................... 90
Language ............................................................................................................................................. 91
4
A Psychological Perspective Fourth Edition
By Martha Lally and Suzanne Valentine-French
1
, Lifespan Development: A Psychological Perspective
Fourth Edition
By Martha Lally and Suzanne Valentine-French
(Published 2022, 2021, 2019, 2017)
This Open Education Resource (OER) textbook was funded by a grant from the
College of Lake County Foundation and supported by the Business and Social
Sciences Division.
This textbook can be found at:
https://www.clcillinois.edu/programs/psy/openeducation
Publication is under the following license:
Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 unported license to view a copy
of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ or send a letter to Creative
Commons, 171 Second Street, Suite 300, San Francisco, California, 94105, USA.
2
, Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction to Lifespan Development
Chapter 2: Heredity, Prenatal Development, and Birth
Chapter 3: Infancy and Toddlerhood
Chapter 4: Early Childhood
Chapter 5: Middle and Late Childhood
Chapter 6: Adolescence
Chapter 7: Emerging and Established Adulthood
Chapter 8: Middle Adulthood
Chapter 9: Late Adulthood
Chapter 10: Death and Dying
3
, Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction to Lifespan Development ....................................................................................... 9
Lifespan Perspective ............................................................................................................................. 10
Conceptions of Age ............................................................................................................................... 13
Periods of Development......................................................................................................................... 14
Issues in Lifespan Development ............................................................................................................. 16
Historical Theories on Development ....................................................................................................... 17
Contemporary Theories on Development ................................................................................................ 18
Descriptive Research ............................................................................................................................. 24
Correlational Research .......................................................................................................................... 26
Experimental Research .......................................................................................................................... 28
Research Involving Time-Spans ............................................................................................................. 29
Conducting Ethical Research .................................................................................................................. 32
COVID-19: Impact on Lifespan Development ......................................................................................... 33
References ............................................................................................................................................ 35
Chapter 2: Heredity, Prenatal Development, and Birth.............................................................................. 37
Heredity ............................................................................................................................................... 37
Genotypes and Phenotypes .................................................................................................................... 38
Genetic Disorders ................................................................................................................................. 39
Chromosomal Abnormalities .................................................................................................................. 41
Behavioral Genetics .............................................................................................................................. 43
Prenatal Development ........................................................................................................................... 45
The Germinal Period ............................................................................................................................. 45
The Embryonic Period ........................................................................................................................... 46
The Fetal Period.................................................................................................................................... 47
Prenatal Brain Development .................................................................................................................. 49
Teratogens ............................................................................................................................................ 49
Maternal Factors ................................................................................................................................... 55
Prenatal Assessment .............................................................................................................................. 59
Complications of Pregnancy .................................................................................................................. 61
Preparation for Childbirth ...................................................................................................................... 62
Stages of Birth for Vaginal Delivery ....................................................................................................... 63
Assessing the Neonate ........................................................................................................................... 65
Problems of the Newborn ...................................................................................................................... 65
Postpartum Maternal Concerns ............................................................................................................... 67
COVID-19: Impact on Prenatal Development .......................................................................................... 67
References ............................................................................................................................................ 68
Chapter 3: Infancy and Toddlerhood .......................................................................................................... 73
The Brain in the First Two Years ............................................................................................................ 74
Infant Sleep .......................................................................................................................................... 76
From Reflexes to Voluntary Movements ................................................................................................. 79
Motor Development .............................................................................................................................. 80
Sensory Capacities ................................................................................................................................ 81
Nutrition .............................................................................................................................................. 84
Global Considerations and Malnutrition .................................................................................................. 86
Piaget and the Sensorimotor Stage .......................................................................................................... 87
Infant Memory ...................................................................................................................................... 90
Language ............................................................................................................................................. 91
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