Chapter 9

LIFESPAN DEVELOPMENT

Introduction

  • Lifespan development is the study of human change and growth across the entire life span, from conception to death.

  • The study encompasses three primary domains:

    • Physical Development: Changes in the body, brain, and skills.

    • Cognitive Development: Involves learning, memory, language, and reasoning.

    • Psychosocial Development: Focuses on emotions, personality, and relationships.

  • Normative Approach: Focuses on “normal” developmental milestones, identifying when most children reach certain developmental stages such as walking, talking, and puberty. These milestones can be influenced by both biological and cultural factors.

Theories of Development

Key Themes in Development

  • Continuous vs. Discontinuous Development: Whether development occurs gradually or in stages.

  • Nature vs. Nurture: The debate over the influence of genetics (nature) and environment (nurture) on development.

Erikson's Psychosocial Stages of Development

  • Erik Erikson proposed a stage theory of development, emphasizing social development and interactions with others, which affect our sense of self.

  • Each of the eight stages of development includes a specific conflict or task that must be resolved.

  • Successful resolution leads to competence, whereas failure results in feelings of inadequacy.

Stages by Age and Task

  1. Trust vs. Mistrust (0-1 years): Trust that basic needs (nourishment, affection) will be met.

  2. Autonomy vs. Shame/Doubt (1-3 years): Develop a sense of independence in tasks.

  3. Initiative vs. Guilt (3-6 years): Taking initiative can lead to guilt if boundaries are overstepped.

  4. Industry vs. Inferiority (7-11 years): Develop self-confidence through competence or experience inferiority when lacking.

  5. Identity vs. Confusion (12-18 years): Experiment with identity and social roles.

  6. Intimacy vs. Isolation (19-29 years): Establish intimate relationships.

  7. Generativity vs. Stagnation (30-64 years): Contribute to society and family.

  8. Integrity vs. Despair (65+ years): Assess life and derive meaning from contributions.

Piaget's Cognitive Development Theory

  • Jean Piaget's theory is based on the development of thinking through specific stages, positing that children reason differently than adults.

  • Three key processes in cognitive development:

    • Schemata/Schemas: Mental models used to categorize and interpret information.

    • Assimilation: Integrating new information into existing schemata.

    • Accommodation: Altering existing schemata to adapt to new information.

Piaget's Stages of Cognitive Development

  1. Sensorimotor Stage (Birth to 2 years): Exploration through senses and actions. Key concepts include:

    • Objective Permanence: Understanding that objects continue to exist even when not seen (e.g., playing peek-a-boo).

    • Stranger Anxiety: Discomfort in response to unfamiliar individuals due to conflicts with existing schemas.

  2. Preoperational Stage (2 to 7 years): Use of symbols to represent words, images, and ideas. Key concepts include:

    • Lack of Adult Logic: No understanding of adult-level logical reasoning (parts do not equate to the whole).

    • Conservation: Understanding that quantity remains the same even when shape changes (demonstrated with water levels).

    • Egocentrism: Inability to perceive perspectives of others.

  3. Concrete Operational Stage (7 to 11 years): Logical thinking about concrete events, including:

    • Mathematical Operations: Mastery of basic arithmetic operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division).

    • Conservation and Reversibility: Understanding that volume and mass remain constant despite changes in shape.

  4. Formal Operational Stage (11 years to adulthood): Ability to think abstractly and hypothesize.

    • Emergence of egocentrism in adolescence.

    • Incorporation of emotions and beliefs into reasoning and problem-solving.

    • Evidence of more continuous thought processes through life rather than strict stages.

Moral Development

Kohlberg's Stages of Moral Development

  • Lawrence Kohlberg's theory centers on moral reasoning, focusing not solely on answers but on the reasoning behind them.

  • A classic moral dilemma used to illustrate this concept is the Heinz Dilemma: Is it right to steal a drug that is unaffordable to save a loved one?

Levels and Stages of Moral Development

  1. Level 1: Pre-conventional Morality

    • Stage 1: Obedience and Punishment: Behavior driven by avoiding punishment.

    • Stage 2: Individual Interest: Behavior driven by self-interest and rewards.

  2. Level 2: Conventional Morality

    • Stage 3: Interpersonal: Behavior driven by social approval.

    • Stage 4: Authority: Behavior driven by obeying authority and conforming to societal expectations.

  3. Level 3: Post-conventional Morality

    • Stage 5: Social Contract: Behavior driven by a balance between social order and individual rights.

    • Stage 6: Universal Ethics: Behavior driven by internal moral principles.

Application of Moral Stages

  • Example scenarios can help identify the moral development level:

    1. I compost my organic food waste because I want to reduce my carbon footprint.

    2. I never miss class because I do not want to disappoint my teacher.

    3. I believe lying is OK if it gets me what I want.

Stages of Lifespan Development

  • Divided into three main stages:

    1. Childhood: Infancy to 12 years (up to puberty).

    2. Adolescence: 12 to 18 years.

    3. Adulthood: 18 years to death.

  • Each stage encompasses:

    • Physical development

    • Cognitive development

    • Emotional (psychosocial) development.