Chapter 1: A Cultural Approach to Human Development

Human development: ways people grow and change across the life span (biological, cognitive, psychological, social)

Culture: total pattern of a group’s customs, beliefs, arts, and technology

Demographics

TFR: number of births per woman (2.3)

global demographic divide-

pop increase unequal
wealthy developed 20% of pop
most growth in developing
developed fertility rates below replacement

Developed countries: economically developed and affluent, high med income

Canada, Japan, Au, European countries

Developing: lower income but rapid eco growth

affluence can predict

life span, infant mortality, education, fertility rates

culturalistic differences

Individualistic: cultural values such as ind and self-expression

valued more in developed countries

Collectivistic: obedience and group harmony

more developing
economic necessity

Traditional culture: rural culture adheres to traditions

more developing

development skews research

takes money
mostly in US
white middle class

Globalization: increasing connections between parts of the world

trade, travel, migration, communication
diverse cultures
global village
internet
communication and perspectives

Majority culture: cultural group that sets norms in country

hold power, politics, economic, intellectual, media

Contexts

Contexts: settings contributing to development

SES, gender, ethnicity
family, school, work, religion, media
vary differently among developed and developing countries
vary within countries

Socioeconomic status: social class

education, income, occupation
higher more access to healthcare, edu

Gender: cultural beliefs and social construct

different expectations

Ethnicity: group identity with cultural origin, traditions, religion, language

ethnic minorities may have distinct cultural patterns

Origins

humans original niche

African savannah

cultural knowledge and customs enable living anywhere

→ evolve into cultural species → global species

Ontogenetic: typical pattern of ind dev in a species

Phylogenetic: dev of a species

Nat selection: evo process offspring best adapted survive to produce offspring

variation of characteristics

Hominin: evo line led to modern humans

Homo sapiens: species of modern humans

distinct from primates

Larger brain

twice as large as early

Wider pelvis

females birth of babies with big brains

Longer dependency

larger brains less mature
infant childhood dependency

Development of tools

success in food, hunting

Control of fire

cook food → more brain size

Hunter-gatherer: social and eco system with hunting (mostly males) and gathering plants (females)

dependent children mean mothers can’t travel

Upper Paleolithic period: 50,000 to 10,000 years ago dev distinct cultures

art, music, beads, clothes
trade, boats

Neolithic period: 10,000 to 5,000 years ago

domesticated animals and plants
climate change → new plants evolved
some animals extinct → replace food source
mortars, pestles, dwellings

Civilization: form of social life 5,000 years ago

cities, writing, occupation, states

Theories

Dharmashastras: oldest known conceptions of life Hindu

Apprenticeship- 0-25, grow up learn skills
Householder- 26-50, responsibilities, providing
Forest Dweller- 51-75, withdraw, religious
Renunciant- 75-100, reject more world, prepare end of life

Solon made another conception of life

0- unripe
7- approach manhood
14- growing
21- ripens
28- marriage parenthood
35- maturity and morals
42- at best
56- decline
63- end

Talmud Jewish

5- scripture
10- learn
13- moral
15- discuss
18- wedding
20- job
30- strength
40- understanding
50- counsel
60- elder
70- grey hairs
80- old
90- bent
100- dead

Freud’s Psychosexual Theory

Psychosexual theory: sexual desire driving force behind development

id
pleasure principle
immediate satisfaction

Superego: conscience

developed in childhood obedience

Ego: mediates id and superego

reality principle
seek satisfaction

Infancy

oral stage
sucking, shewing, biting

Next stage

elimination and feces

Phallic stage

3 to 6
Oedipus complex

Latency stage

give up Oedipus, more similar to same-sex parent
repress desires
social and intellectual skills

Genital stage

puberty onward
superego approves desires

hard to reduce dev to single motive (sexuality)

never studied children

Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory

Psychosocial theory: dev driven by need for integration in environment

Dev continuous, not done early years

resolved stages set up well for next
crisis builds high risk

Trust vs mistrust

infancy
loved and cared for or mistrust and doubt

Autonomy vs shame and doubt

distinct self
scope of choices or restraint
toddlerhood

Initiative vs guilt

planning or discourages

Industry vs inferiority

expand socially
taught well, enthusiasm
unsuccessful inferior

Identity vs confusion

adolescence
awareness, capability, place

Intimacy vs isolation

marriage
YA

Generativity vs stagnation

contribute next gen

Ego integrity vs despair

late adult
accepting

Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Theory

Ecological theory: dev shaped by systems in social environment

not stages

multiple influences

broader cultural environment

Microsystem

immediate environment
daily lives
people are active agents
context

Mesosystem

network of microsystems

Exosystem

institutions

Macrosystem

broad beliefs and culture

Chronosystem

change in dev over time

Cultural Developmental Model

Humans always develop within a culture

interactions that convey beliefs, skills, and knowledge
participate in shaping culture
relation to world

It is necessary to study development in diverse cultures

many different ways of living
focus on wealthy countries

Many cultures are changing rapidly, and cultural identities are becoming more complex for many people

globalization
developing countries rapid growth

Stages

Prenatal

Infancy 0-12 months

Toddlerhood 12-36

Early childhood 3-6

Middle 6-9

Adolescence 10-18

Emerging adult 18-29

life stage that exists mainly in deved countries
longer time in school, enter marriage and workforce later
more responsibilities in love and work

YA 30-45

Middle 45-65

Late adult 65+

dev in continuous

Science of Development

Scientific method: process of scientific investigation with steps

Hypothesis: Idea about possible answer to proposed question

Research measurement: approach to collecting data

Research design: when, where, and with collect data

master plan

Sample: subset of pop to collect data

goal find representative
so findings can be generalizable

Population: entire category represented by a sample

Procedure: step-by-step order study conducted and data collected

Theory: framework of interconnected ideas inspires further research

IRB approve research

Protection from physical and psychological harm

people participating

Informed consent prior to participation

possible risks
parent or guardian if under 18

Confidentiality

not shared or identified

Deception and debriefing

no harm and told afterward

Questionnaire: written ?s select answer

typically closed- more convenient
some open- better captures

Interviews

spoken and open
allow more complexity and captures
more effort to code

Observations

naturalistic or structured
actual behavior instead of self-reports
toddlers and infants
awareness may skew

Biological measurements

genes
Electroencephalogram (cerebral cortex activity)
Functional magnetic resonance imaging (activity and stim)

Quantitative

Qualitative

nonnumerical

Reliability

consistent

Validity

truthful
ecological- measurement and everyday life

Experimental design: ex group with treatment and control

Ind v- different for exp than control

Depend V- outcome measured

Intervention- program change attitude

Nat exp- not controlled

unethical treatments

Ethnographic research- time with people

Case study- POI

Correlational design- variabels on single occasion

Correlation- statistical relationship predict other

not causation

Cross-sectional- different ages single point

Longitudinal- followed over time mult occasions