A: Human Lifespan & Development

What is meant by Life stages?

Life stages are the number of distinct phases people pass through during their lives

What are the 7 life stages

Infancy

Early Childhood

Adolescence

Early Adulthood

Middle Adulthood

Late Adulthood

Later Adulthood

Age range of Infancy?

0-2 years

Age range of Early Childhood?

3-8 years

Age range of Adolescence?

9-18 years

Age range of Early Adulthood?

19-45 years

Age range of Middle Adulthood?

46-69 years

Age range of Late Adulthood?

70-84 years

Age range of Later Adulthood?

85+ years

What does PIES stand for?

Physical

Intellectual

Emotional

Social

Growth

Physical and measurable changes that increase throughout a persons life

Human Development

A change in a persons skill and capabilities

Life stages

The phases of growth and development a person goes through

Life span

The length of time between a persons birth and death

Life expectancy

The number of years a person can expect to live for

Life course

The pattern of events and experiences that a person goes through during their existence

What are Gross motor skills?

The ability to control the movement of the large limbs of the body e.g Crawling, Walking, Running

What are Fine motor skills?

The ability to control the movements of hands and fingers e.g Writing, Painting, Tying shoelaces

By what age can a child walk up the stairs unaided and hold a crayon or pencil to draw or write?

5 years old

By what age can a child usually catch and throw quite well and will have good sense of balance?

8 years old

What is Group Identity?

{Primary school years (6-8 years)}

A persons sense of belonging to a social group

What is Gendered play?

the ways in which societal expectations and traditional gender roles influence the toys, activities and behaviours that children engage in creating a divide in what’s appropriate for boys and girls

Co-operative play

Begin to share ideas/ toys and follow rules/ guidelines of games with others

Parallel play

Kids begin to play side by side with others but no interaction

Solitary play

When kids play on their own

Onlooker play

Watching others play, possibly asking questions but no effort to join in

Associative play

Start asking questioning to each other similar goals but no set rules

What is the key physical feature of Adolescence?

Puberty, where the reproductive organs demand mature

What hormone causes the physical changes seen in puberty in girls?

Oestrogen

What hormone causes the physical changes seen in puberty in boys?

Testosterone

What is Oestrogen?

A hormone produced in a women’s ovaries that controls sexual development in women and stimulates the changes of the reproductive organs

What is Testosterone?

A hormone produced by the testes that controls the development of male sexual characteristics

Common features of Early Adulthood?

Starting work

Meeting a partner

Settling down and starting a family

What are common features of physical development in Early Adulthood?

People reach their physical peak in early adulthood, and towards the end of early adulthood physical capabilities start to decrease and fertility levels also decrease. Peoples metabolic rate also decreases and as a result people to begin to burn less calories and may gain weight

What is Menopause?

The natural and permanent stopping of menstruation (periods) which usually occurs between ages 45 and 55

How does physical development develop in Middle Adulthood?

Physical capabilities decline and muscle tone is not as good as it was. People may feel that they have lower energy levels and sight and hearing begin to decline. Skin loses its elasticity, and wrinkles become more noticeable. Hair becomes greyer and some men lose some of their hair and become bald.

How does physical development change in Late Adulthood?

The persons skin is thinner, joints are stiffer, muscles are weaker and bones are often more brittle. Physical development at this life stage involves the loss of skills and physical capacities

What is Object Permanence?

Knowing an object still exists even when outside of of view (Develops around 18 months)

Maturation

The gradual process of becoming physically mature

Developmental Norms

Average milestones that are expected in all individuals of certain ages

Examples of Gross motor skills

Sitting up unaided (6-8months)

Crawling (9-10months)

Walking (12-15months)

Riding a Bike (24-60months)

Examples of Fine motor skills

Using a spoon (12-18months)

Tying a shoelace (60-72months)

Holding a crayon (12-24months)

Picking up a pea (10-15months)

What is Attachment?

A strong emotional bond babies form with parents or carers

According to John Bowlby, What happens if there is failure to form attachment?

Failure to form attachment within the first 2 years can lead to a hinderance in social + emotional development as it’s a blueprint for all future relationships

Jean Piaget’s stages of cognitive development

Sensorimotor (0-2 years)

Pre operational (2-7 years)

Concrete operational (7-11 years)

Formal operational (11+ years)

Piaget’s Model

A sense of self develops as children develop the cognitive skills to understand the world around them

What is meant by Egocentric thinking?

A form of thinking typical of the pre operational child in which the child can only view the world from his or her owns perspective and can’t take the perspective of others

What happens during the Sensorimotor stage (0-2 years) ?

Here children explore through direct sensory and motor contact

• Object permenanence is developed (3 months)

What happens during the Pre operational stage (2-7years) ?

Children will use symbols to represent objects but do not think logically. They have the ability to pretend and think egocentrically

What happens during the Concrete operational stage (7-11 years) ?

Children can think logically about concrete objects

• Understand conservation

• Gain ability to mentally reverse actions

• Decentralise

What happens during the Formal operational stage (11+ years) ?

Here the adolescent can reason abstractly and think hypothetically

What are some ways to encourage Physics development in children?

Encourage active play

Provide appropriate equipment

Focus on fun not competition

Leading by example

What is meant by Primary sexual characteristics?

The reproductive organs you are born with

What is meant by Secondary sexual characteristics?

these are characteristics which are developed during puberty e.g Pubic hair, Breasts

What is the meaning of decentring?

Can see things from others point of view and are no longer egocentric

Changes to males in puberty:

• Shoulders widen

• Growth spurt

• Facial hair

• Body hair

• Voice changes

Changes to females in puberty:

• Hips widen

• Growth spurt

• Body hair

• Voice changes

• Breasts enlarge

What is the meaning of self concept?

The combination of self image and self esteem

What is self image?

How people view themselves based on others reactions to them

What is self esteem?

How highly we think about our abilities and ourselves

Influences to self concept

Life experiences

Age

Appearance

Gender

Culture

Emotional maturity

Education

Relationships

Meaning of the Mid life crisis?

A dramatic period of self-doubt caused by the passing of youth and move to later adulthood

What is Empty nest syndrome?

The sadness parents experience when their children have grown up and have moved out of home

What are Erik Erikson’s stages of Psychological development

Erikson’s theory of outlines eight stages of development, each one defined by a core conflict that shaped personality and identity- successfully resolving these conflicts leads to healthy development

Expected changes of Early Adulthood

• Physical peak and maturation

• Peak fertility

• Pregnancy & lactation

• Perimenopause

• Slowing metabolism

• Subtle appearance changes

What is Perimenopause?

Transition period where oestrogen levels begin to decrease, cause symptoms such as hot flashes, mood swings, night sweats

Meaning of Empty nest syndrome

A feeling of grief or loneliness experienced by parents when their children leave home for independence.

What is the Sandwhich generation?

The Sandwich Generation refers to individuals who are simultaneously caring for their aging parents while supporting their own children.

• Can be a source of chronic stress

• Possibly provide a sense of purpose

What is the Boomerang generation?

Young adults who leave home and then return to live with their middle-aged parents due to economic difficulties (e.g Job loss)

What does the phrase ‘Bank of mum and dad’ refer to?

It refers to the financial support provided by parents to their adult children, often for housing or education expenses.

Name 4 Physical impacts on the body during Late Adulthood (70-84 years)

1. Lung capacity reduces as lung walls lose elasticty (Leads to reduced oxygen intake)

2. Arterial and heart muscles thicken (Can cause ateriosclerosis and hypertension)

3. Brain cells lose some functionality

4. Decline in muscle mass and bone density(Lead to weaker/stifer joints)

What is the sit-to-stand test?

Clinical tool which measures lower body strength, balance and flexibility

What is Mild cognitive impairment?

The stage between normal ageing and dementia characterised by noticeable, measureable declines in memory

Reaching the end of Later Adulthood, Individuals may experience:

• Increasing lonliness + isolation

• Greater sense of their own frailty

• Greater sense of their own morality

• Passing of friends and family

Social milestones within Late Adulthood

Retirement, Changing family roles

Physical changes in Later Adulthood (85+)

1. Reduced organ function

2. Vision & Hearing deteriorates

3. Mobility can be compromised

4. Chronic health conditions

5. Thinner & less elastic skin

6. Ligaments and tendons loose elasticity

What is a Superager?

these peoples brain functions are the same or even better than that of a 30 year olds

What part of the brain is responsible for memory?

Hippocampus

What is the Pre-frontal cortex responsible for?

Higher-order cognitive functions e.g decision-making, impulse control and managing social behaviours

Who came up with the Disengagement theory?

Elaine Cumming and William E. Henry (1961)

What is Disengagment theory?

The theory that as people age, naturally they will withdraw from social relationships and activites - allowing the younger generation to take their place which is seen as a mutual process beneficial for both groups

Who came up with Activity theory?

Havinghurst (1961)

What is Activity theory?

The theory suggests that the eldery are happiest when they are taking part in social interactions