Chapter 1 - The Study of Human Development

Human Development

The scientific study of the systematic processes of change and stability in people

Life-span development

The concept of human development as a lifelong process that can be studied scientifically. Researchers study human development from conception to death (“from womb to the tomb“).

4 goals of the scientific field of human development

1. Describe

2. Explain

3. Predict

4. Intervene

3 major domains that developmental scientists study

• Physical development

• Cognitive development

• Psychosocial development

Physical Development

• Changes in the body and brain

  • Senses

  • Motor skills

  • Health

Cognitive Development

Changes in:

• Learning

• Attention

• Memory

• Language

• Thinking

• Reasoning

• Creativity

Psychosocial Development

Change in:

• Emotions

• Personality

• Social relationships

Prenatal

Conception - birth

Infancy and toddlerhood

birth - 3

Early childhood

3 - 6

Middle childhood

6 - 11

Adolescence

11 - 20

Young adulthood

20 - 40

Middle adulthood

40 - 60

Late adulthood

65 - up

Heredity

The inborn traits and characteristics inherited from biological parents

Environment

The world outside the self and learning through experience

Maturation

The unfolding of a natural sequence of physical changes and behavioral patterns such as walking and talking

Nuclear family

A household consisting of one or two parents and their children, including biological, adopted, and stepchildren

Extended family

A multigenerational network of grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and more distant relatives

Socioeconomic status (SES)

A combination of economic and social factors describing an individual or family, including income, education, and occupation

Culture

A society or group’s total way of life. Includes:

• Customs and traditions

• Laws

• Knowledge, beliefs, and values

• Language

• Physical products

Ethnic groups

People united by a distinctive culture, ancestry, religion, or national origin

Ethnic minorities

Ethnic groups with national or cultural traditions different from the majority population

Race

Historically viewed as an identifiable biological category

Normative influences

Biological and environmental events that affect many or most people in a society in similar ways

Categories of normative influences

Age-graded and history-graded

Age cohort

A group of people born at the same time

Nonnormative influences

Unusual events that have a major impact on individual lives by disturbing the expected sequence of the life cycle

Critical period

A specific time when a given event, or its absence, has a specific impact on development

Plasticity

Refers to modifiability of performance within a developmental domain

Sensitive periods

When a person is particularly open to certain kinds of experiences

Baltes’ Principles

1. Development is lifelong

2. Development is multidimensional

3. Development is multidirectional

4. The relative influences of biology and culture shift over the lifespan

5. Development involves changing resource allocations

6. Development shows plasticity

7. Development is influenced by the historical and cultural context

Development is lifelong

No period is more or less important than any other

Development is multidimensional

Biological, psychological, and social dimensions that develop at varying rates

Development is multidirectional

Shows gains and losses at any point

The relative influences of biology and culture shift over the lifespan

• Balance changes over time

• Biological abilities weaken over time

Development involves changing resource allocations

• In childhood and young adulthood, resources go toward growth

• In old age, resources go toward the regulation of loss

Development shows plasticity

Many abilities can be improved even late in life

Development is influenced by the historical and cultural context

Each person develops within multiple contexts defined by maturation, time, and place