Lifespan Lecture 1 Slides

Introduction to Psychology Across the Life-Span

• Course led by Dr. Caroline Ng, focus on human development across life stages.

• Contact: Caroline.Ng@canberra.edu.au; Tutor: Mik Bartels.

• Teaching Hours:

  • Lectures: Wednesdays 09:30 - 11:30 (Room: 12B50).

  • Tutorials start Week 2; make sure to sign up.

  • Mid-semester break in Week 8 (no teaching).

• Structure: No prescribed textbook; readings available via UC Library.

Unit Information and Structure

• Unit exploration includes: Developmental Psychology terms, methods, learning outcomes, and assessment formats.

• Key topics include:

  • Understanding life-span development (Week 1).

  • Theories of human development (Week 2).

  • Genetic and environmental influences (Week 3).

  • Brain development, infancy, cognitive development (Weeks 4-7).

  • Language, emotions, relationships, and identity in adolescence (Weeks 9-12).

  • Ageing and recap in Week 13.

Assessment Details

• Types of assessments in the unit:

  1. Early Assessment: Online Quiz (5%), based on Weeks 1 and 2.

     • Due: 21 February by 11:59 PM.

     • Format: 10 multiple choice questions, duration: 15 minutes.

  2. Reference Search Process (10%) and Essay (40%) - both due March and April, respectively.

  3. Final Exam: Online Proctored (45%), duration not specified.

     • Topics covered: Weeks 3-13, includes multiple-choice and structured questions.

Learning Outcomes

• At the end of the course, students should be able to:

  1. Define developmental psychology and understand its relevance.

  2. Describe age grades, norms, and social clocks in the context of development.

  3. Explain the scientific method and evaluate its application in development studies.

  4. Discuss ethical obligations in psychology.

Defining Development and Ageing

• Developmental Psychology: Study of changes in thought, behavior, and functioning due to biological and environmental influences.

• Life-Span Development: Focus on behavioral growth and changes from conception to death.

• Areas include:

  • Physical Development: Biological processes over time.

  • Cognitive Development: Involves learning, memory, and other mental processes.

  • Psychosocial Development: Relates to social skills and interpersonal interactions across life stages.

Age, Development, and Influences

• Age Grade: Socially defined group in a culture.

• Age Norms: Expectations regarding behaviors or milestones at different life stages.

• Social Clock: Personal expectations on life events’ timing based on societal standards.

• Ageism: Prejudice against individuals based on age.

Influential Factors in Development

• Normative Influences: Influences typical of a given culture.

• Age-Graded Influences: Specific events tied to age.

• History-Graded Influences: Influences tied to historical events impacting specific cohorts.

• Non-Normative Influences: Events affecting individuals unpredictably, e.g., sudden illness.

Goals and Methods of Studying Development

• Goals:

  1. Describe normative and individual differences in development.

  2. Explain typical vs. atypical development.

  3. Predict developmental influences.

  4. Optimize development through enhancing capacity.

The Scientific Method in Developmental Psychology

• Methodology:

  • Tests hypotheses derived from theories through observations.

  • A good theory should be:

    • Internally consistent

    • Testable (falsifiable)

    • Supported by empirical data.

• Hypothesis: Predictions derived from theory guiding research direction.

Data Collection Techniques

• Methods include:

  • Self-report surveys and structured interviews.

  • Observations: both naturalistic and structured.

  • Physiological metrics (e.g., fMRI).

Reliability and Validity

• Reliability: Consistency of measurement (e.g., test-retest).

• Validity: The extent to which a method measures what it claims to (internal and external).

Experimental Methods in Developmental Psychology

• Examines cause-effect relationships via manipulation of independent variables.

• Features:

  • Random assignment of participants.

  • Control of extraneous variables.

Examples and Studies

• Research Examples:

  • Study on risk-taking behaviors in adolescents compared to adults, emphasizing peer influence.

• Discusses correlations but notes limitations in establishing causation.

Research Designs

• Cross-Sectional Design: Compares performance across age groups; quick but can’t reveal age changes.

• Longitudinal Design: Follows same individuals over time; more comprehensive yet often costly and time-consuming.

Summary of Key Terms and Concepts

• Understanding lifespan development involves considering socio-historical and cultural contexts.

• Essential elements include defining terms like developmental psychology, age norms, and methods for studying development.