HDFS 2317 1st Edition Lecture 1 1 - A Topical Approach to Life-Span Development: An IntroductionOutline of Current Lecture I. The Importance of Studying Life-Span DevelopmentII. Characteristics of the Life-Span PerspectiveIII. Nature of DevelopmentIV. Research in Life-Span DevelopmentCurrent LectureI. The Importance of Studying Life-Span Developmenta. Experiences influence developmenti. Factors: environment, friends, culture, gender, genetics, family, schooling,generationb. Maximum human life span unchangedi. Life expectancy: (2015 - 78.88) Average number of years a person is expected to live when born in a particular year has changedii. 1815 – expected to live to 38iii. 1915 – expected to live to 52iv. 122 – longest life expectancy recordedc. Advancements in medical field, sanitation, and nutrition are causes of increasing life expectancyi. Developmental change occurs during adulthood as well as childhoodII. Characteristics of the Life-Span Perspective – Balltacs Researcha. Development is…i. Lifelong – conception to graveii. Multidimensional – biological, cognitive, socioemotionaliii. Multidirectional – some parts of our body improve as we grow, evolutional (gain muscle mass, coordination), then decline (cognitive processing decreases, etc.)iv. Plastic – Brain has plasticity (ability to change)v. Multidisciplinary – Many disciplines involved with development study (Neuroscientists, Sociologists, Counselors, Psychologists, Nurses, Anthropologists, Parents, etc)vi. Contextual – your macro and microsystem that will influence your developmentThese notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor’s lecture. GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes, not as a substitute.vii. Involves Growth, Maintenance, and the Regulation of Lossb. Development is contextuali. Normative age-graded influences1. Milestones in our development (When we begin to walk, when we reach puberty or menopause…)ii. Normative history-graded influences1. Historical circumstances experienced (dealing with events like Kennedy assassination, Great Depression, battle for civil rights, etc.)iii. Nonnormative life events1. Unique to each person (cultural influences, loss of a parent, accident, child abuse, chronic illness, etc.)c. Some contemporary concerns:i. Health and well-beingii. Obesity, health care, povertyiii. Parenting and educationd. Sociocultural contexts and diversityi. Culture - ii. Ethnicityiii. Socioeconomic statusiv. Gender e. Social policy: Laws, regulations, and government programs that influence citizens’ welfarei. U.S. family policies overwhelmingly treatment oriented as opposed to prevention oriented ii. Too little being done with children/ education and older adult populationiii. 20% of American children live in povertyf. Figure 1.5 - The Aging of Americaa. Figure 1.6 - Processes in DevelopmentIII. Nature of Developmenta. Development period — time frame in one’s life characterized by certain eventsi. Interplay of biological, cognitive, and sociological processesii. Each period has its own stresses, ups and downs, and concernsiii. Variations in capabilities of same age individuals occur in all periods of developmentb. Periods of developmenti. Prenatal Periodii. Infancyiii. Early childhoodiv. Middle and late childhoodv. Adolescencevi. Early adulthoodvii. Middle adulthoodviii. Late adulthoodc.d. Conceptions of agei. Chronological age: How old are you?ii. Biological age: Development of your biological self (skin health, muscle mass)iii. Psychological age: Ability to adapt in a healthy way to your environmentiv. Social age: Social rules and expectations related to one’s agee. Developmental issuesi. Nature and nurture ii. Inheritance or environment? Are you a certain way because of how you are naturally or how you were raised?iii. Stability and changeiv. Traits and characteristics; capacity for change?v. Continuity (quantitative) and discontinuity (qualitative)vi. Gradual or abrupt changes in development?f. Theories of Developmenti. Scientific Method1. Conceptualize process or problem to be studied2. Collect research information (data)3. Analyze data4. Draw conclusionsii. Theory1. Set of ideas to explain a phenomenon and make predictionsiii. Hypotheses1. Specific predictions that can be testediv. THEORIES OF DEVELOPMENT: Eclectic Theoretical Orientation1. No single theory explains the complexity of life-span development2. Each theory has furthered understanding of the factors that shapedevelopment3. Rather than a strict following of a single approach, theoretical perspectives are compared to and contrasted in their views of development 4. Make sure its clear, understandable, and parsimoniousIV. Research in Life-Span Developmenta. Methods for Data Collection:i. Observation1. Laboratory – Research in a lab2. Naturalistic observation – Research in real-world settingsb. Survey and Interview1. Limitations – people might not be honestc. Standardized Testi. Test with uniform procedures for administration and scoringii. Allows a person’s performance to be compared with performance of othersd. Case Studyi. In-depth examination of a single individuale. Physiological Measuresi. Examples: MRIs, height and weight, heart rate, BMI, blood pressure, genetic testingf. Descriptive Researchi. Aims to observe and record behaviorg. Correlational Researchi. Strives to describe the strength of the relationship between two or more events/characteristicsii. Prediction based on strength of relationshipiii. Correlation coefficient (+1.00 to -1.00)iv. Just because they are correlated doesn’t mean they are causationalh. Correlationsi. Values above zero express a positive correlation: a relationship between two variables such that their values increase or decrease together. ii. Hours spent studying and grade point averages.iii. Education and income levels.iv. Poverty and crime levels.v. Evaluated stress levels and blood pressure readings.vi. Smoking and lung disease.i. Values below zero express negative correlation: i. As the value of one variable increases, the other decreases.ii. An increase in absences from school is related to a decrease in grades.iii. An increase in alcohol consumption is related to a decrease in judgment.iv. A coefficient of 0 to -.1 indicates a lack of correlation: There is no tendency for the variables to fluctuate in tandem either positively or negatively.j. Experimental Researchi. Used to determine if one factor causes anotherii.