lifespan
Course Logistics and Textbook
If you don’t have the textbook yet, don’t panic; it will not affect your grade.
The textbook is on back order at the bookstore.
If you order directly from the publisher (via the announcements link), it will be cheaper, especially if you’re buying it on its own or using the first-day complete option.
We don’t heavy-use the textbook until about week , so you have time.
The instructor plans to cover this material quickly at the start, then move into the core content.
A quick reminder about class logistics: if you have internet issues, contact the instructor promptly; signing in will start midweek (ICA sign-in starting Wednesday).
Interdisciplinary Nature of Human Development
Human development is interdisciplinary: integrates anthropology, psychology, biology, physiology, and other fields.
Development spans multiple factors and is studied through science and empirical research; research methodology will be discussed next week.
Social science involves caveats compared to physical science, but it remains scientific.
Practical applications exist in policy and programs (e.g., Head Start), which began in the and were grounded in developmental research.
The course will track development from birth (prenatal) through death, with a focus on the role of the family.
Course Structure and Weekly Rhythm
Each week, after exploring developmental domains, we’ll discuss development in four areas:
Physical development
Motor development
Cognitive and language development
Socio-emotional development
There will be a consistent rhythm by week , helping you predict the class content.
The class emphasizes integration across domains: physical growth relates to emotional regulation (e.g., babies’ ability to self-soothe is linked to physiological development).
Example: It’s a myth that babies can be spoiled before about months; physiologically, babies can’t always calm themselves.
Socio-emotional development influences academic outcomes; better social skills and regulatory abilities correlate with improved learning and cognitive gains.
Basic Issues and Major Themes in Lifespan Development
Core assumptions:
Development is lifelong; growth continues beyond early adulthood (e.g., expertise tends to emerge in midlife; late adulthood shows its own patterns).
Development involves multiple dimensions; who we are results from many interacting factors, not a single cause.
Development is plastic and malleable; opportunities for growth persist across the lifespan.
The field recognizes that environment and biology interact (nature + nurture) and that epigenetics will be explored to explain how environment can influence gene expression.
Example illustrating nature and nurture: relatives (siblings) can have very different developmental trajectories despite sharing upbringing, underscoring the interaction of genetics and environment.
Development is influenced by multiple factors and can be understood through the lens of genes, biology, and environmental inputs.
The course will return to the idea that development is a dynamic, bidirectional process between the individual and their context.
Foster care example: some children with challenging early life experiences still thrive, illustrating resilience and plasticity.
Age-graded, History-graded, and Non-normative Influences
Age-graded influences: expected changes tied to chronological age or developmental period (e.g., locomotion milestones, crawling, walking; puberty timing).
These are windows, not rigid deadlines: delays may signal a need for intervention if other milestones are affected.
History-graded influences (cohort effects): events that affect development across a broad group or globally.
Global examples: pandemic, the rise of social media; local or regional examples exist too.
Specific cohort examples: events like 9/11 and the DC sniper shootings affected anxiety and development in middle-school students in the DC area during that period.
Non-normative influences: atypical events that can be positive or negative and may have different effects depending on age.
Examples: family moves to better school districts (positive), the death of a family member (negative).
Divorce: effects differ by age; younger children may show mitigated effects if parents co-parent effectively, whereas older children may be more impacted due to greater cognitive understanding of relationships.
Continuity and Discontinuity in Development
Continuous development: gradual accumulation of skills (e.g., physical development resembles a plant growing—steady, gradual change).
Discontinuous (stages): qualitative shifts that create distinct periods (e.g., certain cognitive development changes are more discrete or stage-like).
Not strictly one or the other; some domains show continuity while others show apparent stages.
Nature, Nurture, and Epigenetics
The field now emphasizes a dual contribution: both biology (nature) and environment (nurture) shape development; the interaction is ongoing and dynamic.
Epigenetics will be discussed to explain how experiences can influence gene expression without changing the underlying DNA sequence.
Some traits are more strongly driven by biology (e.g., height), others by a mix (e.g., sociability).
The environment can alter the trajectory of development, and individuals also influence their environments (e.g., temperament shaping parenting style).
A personal example: siblings raised in the same home can have different temperaments and outcomes due to complex gene-environment interactions.
Laboratory Temperament Example: Understanding Individual Differences
A lab study on temperament used a risk room to observe child responses to stress and novelty.
Children (e.g., Ethan, Rafael, Abby) exhibited distinct temperaments: shy/hesitant, risk-taker, and cautious/curious, respectively.
Across tasks, researchers measured how quickly each child warmed up to a stranger, interacted with a toy robot, and attempted a risky action (e.g., climbing stairs).
Ethan (shy) showed hesitation and sought caregiver reassurance after risk tasks; Rafael (risk-taker) showed initial curiosity but was unsettled by the unpredictable robot; Abby (cautious) engaged with the situation but relied on the researcher for courage.
Key takeaway: the amount and type of risk a child takes depend on temperament, and caregivers’ responses interact with temperament (goodness of fit).
Caregiver responses: enthusiastic, high-pitched, and encouraging responses can affect a child’s willingness to engage in risk; mismatches between caregiver style and child temperament can influence long-term developmental trajectories (e.g., more shy/afraid outcomes if parents overprotect).
Goodness of fit: the alignment between a child’s temperament and the caregiving environment; optimal development is facilitated when caregiving accommodates individual differences.
The in-class demonstration illustrates that temperament interacts with parenting style and situational context to shape development.
Culture, Time, and Historical Context Influences
Cultural context affects development via values, priorities (e.g., emphasis on schooling, access to education), and available resources.
Historical context (socio-historical time) influences development across generations (e.g., growing up in different decades leads to different developmental contexts).
The instructor referenced two videos shown for a prior assignment to illustrate cross-cultural differences and changes over time; cultures are not static and can evolve over a generation.
Practical Classroom Procedures: ICA and Student Submissions
In-class activity (ICA): the instructor will model how to answer a prompt to illustrate expectations.
Students can submit on paper or via eCampus, or email the instructor; submission must occur before leaving class to avoid late penalties.
If there are internet issues, contact the instructor within the next ~30–45 minutes.
Starting Wednesday, a sign-in sheet will be circulated to track attendance.
Student Reflection Assignment: Influences on Personal Development
Prompt: Think about what has influenced your development so far (people, community, global events, larger culture).
Task: List five things from at least three different categories; you do not need to write paragraphs—bullet-style lists are fine.
Instructor example:
My dad (people)
My kid (people)
Growing up in Gaithersburg, Maryland (community)
The internet (global context)
HIV/AIDS pandemic (global event)
Additional notes: provide a brief but thoughtful set of items across categories; this exercise connects personal experience to developmental concepts.
Quick Recap and What to Do Next
Review the interdisciplinary nature of development and how domains interconnect (physical, cognitive, socio-emotional).
Reflect on continuous vs. discontinuous development and the nature-nurture interplay.
Prepare for the ICA by considering examples of temperament, caregiving, and goodness of fit.
Gather five items from at least three categories for the personal development exercise.
Check eCampus/news announcements for textbook ordering options and any updates before the next class.