Developing through the Life Span

Chapter 5: Developing Through the Life Span

Page 1: Introduction

• Title: Developing Through the Life Span

Page 2: Prenatal Development & the Newborn

• Key Topics: Conception, Prenatal development, The competent Newborn

Page 3: Developmental Psychology

• Definition: A branch of psychology studying behavior from conception to death.

• Goals: Understand how biological and social changes influence behavior and mental processes throughout the lifespan.

• Focus: Continuous development in physical, cognitive, and social aspects from infancy to old age.

Page 4: Theories of Development

• Development Process: Growth, change, and consistency through heredity and environment interaction.

• Nature vs. Nurture:

  • Nature: Effects of heredity.

  • Nurture: Influence of environment.

  • Interaction: Heredity and environment are intertwined in development.

Page 5: Gradual vs. Abrupt Change

• Normative Development: Typical patterns of change.

• Idiographic Development: Individual variations in patterns.

• Continuity View: Development as gradual and continuous.

  • Example: Height.

• Discontinuity View: Development occurs in distinct stages.

Page 6: Stability vs. Change

• Debate about whether personality traits present at birth remain constant or change over time.

• Example: An extroverted baby may or may not remain extroverted throughout life.

Page 7: Prenatal Development

• Process begins with fertilization when a sperm fertilizes an egg.

• The fertilized ovum is called a zygote—a critical beginning of human development.

Page 8: Stages of Prenatal Development

• The prenatal period: Lasts approximately nine months.

• Divided into three stages:

  • Germinal stage: First 2 weeks after conception.

  • Embryonic stage: 3 to 8 weeks.

  • Fetal stage: From 9th week to birth.

Page 9: Stages Overview

• Germinal: 0-2 weeks

• Embryonic: 3-8 weeks

• Fetal: 9 weeks to birth

• Brain development includes midbrain, forebrain, and hindbrain formation.

Page 10: Germinal Stage

• Begins at conception, zygote travels down the fallopian tube to the uterus.

• Cells differentiate for specialized functions (skin, nervous, skeletal systems).

Page 11: Post Implantation Changes

• Successful implantation triggers hormonal changes, affecting the menstrual cycle.

• Changes in lifestyle choices may occur for the mother's health (e.g. reduced alcohol intake).

Page 12: Embryonic Stage

• Begins at the third week post-conception.

• Formation and functioning of organs, including the heart.

• Development of facial features and limbs during the 4th and 5th weeks.

Page 13: Fetal Stage

• Transition from embryo to fetus occurs at week 9.

• Continued development of body systems initiated during embryonic stage.

• Enhanced brain development processes during this stage.

Page 14: Key Milestones in Fetal Development

• 9 weeks: Fetal stage begins

• 12 weeks: Sex organs differentiate

• 20 weeks: Hearing begins

• 28 weeks: Brain rapidly grows

• 40 weeks: Full-term development, all systems complete.

Page 15: Complications and Risks

• Prenatal issues can arise due to disease, malnutrition, and external agents (teratogens).

• Examples: HIV, heroin use, smoking leading to developmental complications.

Page 16: Adverse Factors Affecting Development

• Factors linked to maternal health impacting fetal outcome include:

  • Poor nutrition

  • Alcohol use

  • Smoking

  • Recreational drugs

  • Radiation exposure

  • Ingested toxins

  • Maternal illnesses.

Page 17: Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)

• Heavy drinking during pregnancy leads to FAS in babies.

• Issues may include head size reduction, heart defects, and developmental delays.

Page 18: Effects of Maternal Malnutrition

• Insufficient nutrition risks include anemia, miscarriages, and fetal deaths.

• Maternal malnutrition affects fetal health and outcomes.

• Scope of developmental psychology

• Characteristics of prenatal development

• Environmental influences on prenatal development.

Page 21: Infancy and Childhood Overview

• Physical, motor, and cognitive development from newborn to teenager.

• Interrelation between brain function and cognitive growth.

Page 22: Infant Growth

• Brain growth and development milestones from infancy through toddler years.

• Brain doubles in size the first year.

Page 23: Brain Development

• By age three, the brain reaches 80% of adult size.

• Frontal lobe growth indicates rational planning ability.

Page 24: Motor Development

• Definition: The coordination of muscle movement for physical activities.

• Development follows a head-to-toe sequential pattern.

• Gross motor skills relate to large muscle movements.

Page 25: Maturational Timetable for Motor Control

• Key milestones include:

  1. Fetal posture (newborn)

  2. Chin up (1 month)

  3. Chest up (2 months)

  4. Sits when supported (4 months)

  5. Sits alone (7 months)

  6. Stands holding furniture (9 months)

  7. Crawls (10 months)

  8. Walks if led (11 months)

  9. Stands alone (11 months)

  10. Walks alone (12 months).

Page 26: Maturation & Infant Memory

• Childhood amnesia: Inability to retrieve memories before age 2-3 years.

• Memory structures in the brain mature over time.

Page 27: Cognitive Development Overview

• Cognition encompasses all mental activities.

• Jean Piaget’s contributions include theories of child intellectual development.

Page 28: Understanding Schemas

• Schemas are the mental structures organizing knowledge of the environment.

Page 29: Assimilation

• The process of integrating new information into existing schemas.

• Tends to adjust experiences to fit pre-existing beliefs.

Page 30: Accommodation

• Process of modifying existing schemas to incorporate new information.

Page 31: Theory of Mind

• Awareness that others have beliefs, desires, and emotions that differ from one's own.

• Fundamental for successful social interactions.

Page 32: Piaget’s Stages of Cognitive Development

• Four stages:

  1. Sensorimotor (0-2 years)

  2. Preoperational (2-6 years)

  3. Concrete operational (7-11 years)

  4. Formal operational (12 and up).

Page 33: Overview of Cognitive Development Stages

• Sensorimotor: Interacting with the environment

• Preoperational: Symbolic representation

• Concrete Operational: Logic applied

• Formal Operational: Abstract thinking ability.

Page 34: Piaget's Cognitive Development Periods

• Each stage highlighted by a developmental focus:

  • Sensorimotor: Object permanence learned.

  • Preoperational: Imagination, egocentrism.

  • Concrete operational: Logic, classifications.

  • Formal operational: Abstract thinking.

Page 35: Implications for Educators and Parents

• Understanding cognitive limitations and empowerment in children’s learning.

• Importance of building on prior knowledge and engaging through demonstrations.

Page 36: Autism

• Autism spectrum disorder (ASD): Conditions affecting social skills and behavior.

• Affects approximately 1 in 54 children in the U.S.

Page 37: Signs and Symptoms of Mild Autism

• Symptoms often present by age three.

• Challenges with conversation, eye contact, and forming relationships.

Page 39: Classwork Questions

• Explore the sensorimotor stage characteristics

• Discuss preoperational stage thought processes

• Adolescent competencies in the formal operational stage.

Page 40: Social Development in Infants

• Eye contact and intentional smiles begin around 2 months

• Development of stranger anxiety occurs around 8 months.

Page 41: Attachment

• Attachment theory explains parent-child relationships and their influence on development.

Page 42: Importance of Body Contact

• Skin-to-skin contact is vital for newborns, leading to healthier emotional and physical outcomes.

• Harry Harlow's experiments illustrate attachment's role in development.

Page 43: Harlow's Wire Mother Experiment

• Demonstrated preference for comfort over nourishment in young monkeys, proving contact comfort is crucial.

Page 45: Role of Familiarity in Attachment

• Familiarity establishes safety; critical periods in early life shape proper development.

Page 46: The Strange Situation

• A standardized procedure by Mary Ainsworth observing attachment styles in children.

Page 47: Types of Attachment Styles

1. Secure: Confidence in caregivers.

2. Insecure Avoidant: Independence, lack of distress in separation.

3. Insecure Ambivalent: Lack of security and difficulty exploring.

Page 48: Effects of Attachment Deprivation

• Investigative queries include how neglect affects attachment.

Page 49: Self Concept Development

• Attachment leads to a positive self concept; self-recognition emerges by age 12.

Page 50: Strengthening Self Concept

• Begins with self-recognition; evolves into understanding traits and comparison with peers.

Page 51: Homework Assignment on Self Concept

• Research how parents can foster a positive self-concept in children.

Page 52: Parenting Styles

• Varied parenting approaches affect child behavior and future development.

Page 53: Comparison of Parenting Styles

Page 54: Authoritarian vs. Authoritative Styles

• Authoritarian: Rigid control, expectation for obedience.

• Authoritative: Flexible guidance with support.

Page 55: Effects of Parenting Styles

• Children with authoritative parents generally experience higher self-esteem; permissive styles lead to immaturity and aggression.

Page 56: Overview of Adolescence

• Transition from childhood to adulthood marked by physical, cognitive, and social development.

Page 57: Adolescence Defined

• Defined as the period between ages 10 to 19 years; begins with puberty.

Page 58: Physical Development

• Puberty initiates physical changes, influenced by hormonal surges.

Page 59: Primary Sexual Characteristics

• Relate directly to reproductive organs and their development during puberty.

Page 60: Secondary Sexual Characteristics

• Physical traits that differentiate sexes but are not directly involved in reproduction.

Page 61: Effects of Puberty

• Early maturing boys often face distinct social advantages and risks

• Early maturing girls may face social stigma or pressure.

Page 62: Late Bloomers

• Challenges faced by late maturing adolescents, especially boys with social acceptance.

Page 63: Adolescent Brain Development

• Continues into early adulthood with significant improvements in judgment and impulse control.

Page 64: Cognitive Changes During Adolescence

• Teens experience a dramatic growth of higher cognitive abilities.

Page 66: Cognitive Development in Teens

• Adolescents develop abstract reasoning and critical thinking skills.

Page 67: Reasoning Development

• At age 12, adolescents begin to engage in complex moral debates.

Page 68: Development of Morality

• Lawrence Kohlberg’s theory examines moral reasoning development.

Page 69: Kohlberg’s Three Levels of Moral Development

• Pre-conventional: Avoids punishment; acts in self-interest.

• Conventional: Lives up to societal expectations.

• Post-conventional: Acts based on universal ethical principles.

Page 70: Critiques of Kohlberg's Theory

• Differentiates moral reasoning from moral behavior; underscores complexity of morality.

Page 71: Classwork on Cognitive and Moral Development

• Discuss how Piaget and Kohlberg approach cognitive/moral development in adolescence.

Page 72: Overview of Social Development

• Adolescents face social tasks, influenced by factors outlined by Erikson.

Page 73: Erikson’s Psychosocial Development Stages

• Eight stages outlining conflicts and outcomes throughout life.

Page 74: Stages of Psychosocial Development Overview

• Overview of Erikson's eight developmental stages with associated conflicts.

Page 75: Detailed Look at Each Psychosocial Stage

• Analysis of tasks and outcomes for each stage.

Page 76: Identity Formation

• Adolescence involves refining sense of self through experimentation with roles.

Page 77: Early vs. Late Identity Formation

• Early identity adoption vs. individualistic exploration during adolescence.

Page 78: Adulthood Defined

• Marks the phase of full maturity; divided into early, middle, and late adulthood.

Page 79: Physical Development in Adulthood

• Physical abilities peak in early adulthood; aging impacts health.

Page 80: Gender Differences in Aging

• Differences in aging patterns between men and women, including fertility and hormonal changes.

Page 81: Life Expectancy

• Life expectancy and factors affecting longevity; telomere degradation.

Page 82: Gender and Life Expectancy

• Women's longer lifespan attributed to biological and behavioral factors.

Page 83: Sensory Changes with Age

• Aging typically affects hearing and vision more significantly.

Page 84: Vision Aging Effects

• Changes in the eye lead to reduced visual acuity and slower adjustments to light.

Page 85: Health Overview in Older Age

• Discusses immune system weakening and cognitive slowing with aging.

Page 86: Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease

• Loss of cognitive abilities, with Alzheimer's being the most common cause of dementia.