Lifespan Development - Boyd 6th Canadian ed. Chapter 01
1. Human Development: The scientific study of age-related changes in our
bodies, behavior, thinking, emotions, social relationships and personalities
2. Original Sin: 4th century philosopher, Augustine of Hippo taught that all
humans are born with a selfish and stubborn nature leading to sinfulness and
must seek spiritual redemption through a disciplined life. Parental responsibility:
intervene to correct inborn tendency to act immorally. Includes Judaic and Islamic
traditions. This doctrine is based on Eve being tempted by snake to eat the apple
and then she offered it to Adam. The apple came from the tree of wisdom => Do
not use or perfect knowledge to destroy living things
3. The Blank Slate: 17th century philosopher., John Locke taught that children
are born blank slates. Differences come from environment and experiences.
Parental responsibility: shape behaviours. Environment shapes human beings
4. Empiricism: The view that humans possess no innate tendencies and that
all differences are attributable to experience
5. Innate Goodness: 18th century philosopher, Jean-Jacques Rousseau
taught that humans are naturally good and seek out experiences to help them
grow. Parental responsibility: nurture and protect. Assumed human beings are
innately good but society corrupts them.
6. Charles Darwin: 19th century scientist. Taught heredity and environment
determines development. He observed his own children's early development and
kept detailed records in baby biographies. JDarwin's theory of evolution is the
source of many important ideas in modern human development.
7. G. Stanley Hall: Used questionnaires and interviews to study large numbers
of children. Published the first scientific study of children. Agreed with Darwin that
the milestones in childhood were similar to those that had occurred during
development of the human species. He thought developmentalists should identify
norms
8. Norms: Average ages at which developmental milestones are reached.
9. Arnold Gesell: His research suggested the existence of genetically
programmed sequential pattern of change. He used the term maturation to
describe this pattern. He thought that maturationally determined development
occurred regardless of practice, training, or effort. He pioneered the use of
cameras and 1-way observation devices to study children's behaviour. His
findings became the basis for many norm-referenced tests. Human development
is based on our genetic makeup I.e. onset of human puberty is after age 10 .
Genetically programmed to die. Approximate lifespan is 120 years
10. Maturation: The gradual unfolding of a genetically programmed sequential
pattern of change.
, .
11. Norm-Referenced Tests: Standardized tests that compare an individual
child's score to the average score of same-age peers
12 Developmental psychology has changed in the following three ways since
the early days:: 1) The term development now encompasses the entire human
lifespan ...until death
2) Developmentalists have come to understand that inborn characteristics
interact with environmental factors in complex ways
3) The pioneers thought of change almost exclusively in terms of norms, while
today's developmentalists view norms as representing only one kind of change I.e.
autistic and Downs people don't develop according to norms
13. Jean Piaget: Described 4 stages in the development of logical thinking
between birth and adolescence
14. Lifespan Perspective: Current view of developmentalists: Important
changes occur throughout entire lifespan and must be interpreted in terms of
culture and context. Interdisciplinary research is important.
Psychologists' views of adulthood have changed for the following reasons: 1)
Developmental psychology has become more interdisciplinary, incorporating
research in other sciences such as anthropology, sociology, and biology
2) Adults more commonly go through major life changes, like divorce and career
shifts, resulting in stage models of development that include adult phases
3) Stage models view development as comprising periods of stability
punctuated by periods of transition throughout the lifespan
4) Significant increases in life expectancy have occurred in the industrialized
world
15. The Domains of Development: Age-related changes across the lifespan can
be classified in 3 broad categories
1) Physical Domain: Includes changes in size, shape and characteristics of the body
2) Cognitive Domain: Includes changes in thinking, memory, problem-solving and
other intellectual skills
3) Social Domain: Includes changes in variables associated with the relationship
of an individual to others
16. Interactionist Model of Development: The theory that development results
from complex reciprocal interactions between multiple personal and environmental
factors
17. Nature and Nurture Interact in Development: Early developmentalists
thought of change as resulting from inside the person (nature) or outside the
1. Human Development: The scientific study of age-related changes in our
bodies, behavior, thinking, emotions, social relationships and personalities
2. Original Sin: 4th century philosopher, Augustine of Hippo taught that all
humans are born with a selfish and stubborn nature leading to sinfulness and
must seek spiritual redemption through a disciplined life. Parental responsibility:
intervene to correct inborn tendency to act immorally. Includes Judaic and Islamic
traditions. This doctrine is based on Eve being tempted by snake to eat the apple
and then she offered it to Adam. The apple came from the tree of wisdom => Do
not use or perfect knowledge to destroy living things
3. The Blank Slate: 17th century philosopher., John Locke taught that children
are born blank slates. Differences come from environment and experiences.
Parental responsibility: shape behaviours. Environment shapes human beings
4. Empiricism: The view that humans possess no innate tendencies and that
all differences are attributable to experience
5. Innate Goodness: 18th century philosopher, Jean-Jacques Rousseau
taught that humans are naturally good and seek out experiences to help them
grow. Parental responsibility: nurture and protect. Assumed human beings are
innately good but society corrupts them.
6. Charles Darwin: 19th century scientist. Taught heredity and environment
determines development. He observed his own children's early development and
kept detailed records in baby biographies. JDarwin's theory of evolution is the
source of many important ideas in modern human development.
7. G. Stanley Hall: Used questionnaires and interviews to study large numbers
of children. Published the first scientific study of children. Agreed with Darwin that
the milestones in childhood were similar to those that had occurred during
development of the human species. He thought developmentalists should identify
norms
8. Norms: Average ages at which developmental milestones are reached.
9. Arnold Gesell: His research suggested the existence of genetically
programmed sequential pattern of change. He used the term maturation to
describe this pattern. He thought that maturationally determined development
occurred regardless of practice, training, or effort. He pioneered the use of
cameras and 1-way observation devices to study children's behaviour. His
findings became the basis for many norm-referenced tests. Human development
is based on our genetic makeup I.e. onset of human puberty is after age 10 .
Genetically programmed to die. Approximate lifespan is 120 years
10. Maturation: The gradual unfolding of a genetically programmed sequential
pattern of change.
, .
11. Norm-Referenced Tests: Standardized tests that compare an individual
child's score to the average score of same-age peers
12 Developmental psychology has changed in the following three ways since
the early days:: 1) The term development now encompasses the entire human
lifespan ...until death
2) Developmentalists have come to understand that inborn characteristics
interact with environmental factors in complex ways
3) The pioneers thought of change almost exclusively in terms of norms, while
today's developmentalists view norms as representing only one kind of change I.e.
autistic and Downs people don't develop according to norms
13. Jean Piaget: Described 4 stages in the development of logical thinking
between birth and adolescence
14. Lifespan Perspective: Current view of developmentalists: Important
changes occur throughout entire lifespan and must be interpreted in terms of
culture and context. Interdisciplinary research is important.
Psychologists' views of adulthood have changed for the following reasons: 1)
Developmental psychology has become more interdisciplinary, incorporating
research in other sciences such as anthropology, sociology, and biology
2) Adults more commonly go through major life changes, like divorce and career
shifts, resulting in stage models of development that include adult phases
3) Stage models view development as comprising periods of stability
punctuated by periods of transition throughout the lifespan
4) Significant increases in life expectancy have occurred in the industrialized
world
15. The Domains of Development: Age-related changes across the lifespan can
be classified in 3 broad categories
1) Physical Domain: Includes changes in size, shape and characteristics of the body
2) Cognitive Domain: Includes changes in thinking, memory, problem-solving and
other intellectual skills
3) Social Domain: Includes changes in variables associated with the relationship
of an individual to others
16. Interactionist Model of Development: The theory that development results
from complex reciprocal interactions between multiple personal and environmental
factors
17. Nature and Nurture Interact in Development: Early developmentalists
thought of change as resulting from inside the person (nature) or outside the
