HDFS 201 012 Human Development Exam 1 Study Guide Chapter 1 The Study of Human Development Part 1 Thinking About Development development needs to be functionally significant changes your life and needs to be relatively permanent The following shape who you are conditions events relationships Human Development the multidisciplinary study of how people change and how they remain the same over time development can t happen without change not all change is a development development is a change over a period of time not all time periods are equal separate rates of development in separate eras development is probabilistic NOT deterministic key point lifespan is from conception to death oldest lifespan was 122 years 164 days development takes place in context quantitative change easily counted how tall you are your age how fast you run weight IQ personality test qualitative change quality of function quality of conversation how do you feel attractive vs unattractive literacy language expression Recurring Issues in Human Development Nature vs Nurture The degree to which genetic or hereditary influences nature and experiential or environmental influences nurture determine the kind of person you are A major aim of human development research is to understand how heredity and environment jointly determine development Continuity vs Discontinuity Whether a particular developmental phenomenon represents a smooth progression throughout the lifespan continuity or a series of abrupt shifts discontinuity Developmental changes represent both continuity and discontinuity Universal Context Specific Development 1 Whether there is just one path of development or several paths Some theorists argue that most people worldwide follow similar developmental path despite what look like differences Alternative view is that human development is intertwined with the context within which it occurs a person s development is a product of complex interactions with the environment Basic Forces in Human Development The Biopsychosocial Framework Combining the 4 developmental forces gives a view of human development that includes the lifespan but also appreciates the unique aspects of each phase of life 1 Biological Forces genetics and health Determined by genetic code Prenatal development Brain maturation Puberty Menopause Determined by effect of lifestyle factors Diet Exercise 2 Psychological Forces known by our behavior Internal cognitive factors Emotional factors Perceptual factors Personality factors Interpersonal factors Societal factors Cultural factors Ethnic factors 3 Sociocultural Forces race ethnicity and culture 4 Life Cycle Forces timing is everything reflect differences in how the same event affects people of different ages Neuroscience Applied to human development neuroscience is the study of the brain and nervous system especially in terms of brain behavior relationships Part II Developmental Theories Functions of Theories Theories are essential because they provide the whys for development In human development a theory is an organized set of ideas that is designed to explain development 2 Theories of Human Development Psychosocial theory Erikson Psychodynamic Theory Main idea personality develops through sequence of stages Force emphases in biopsychosocial framework psychological sociocultural and life cycle forces crucial less emphasis on biological Positions on developmental issues nature nurture interaction discontinuity universal sequence of stages but context specific differences in rate Behaviorism Skinner Learning Theory Main idea consequences determine repetition of behaviors Force emphases in biopsychosocial framework major emphasis on sociocultural forces some on biological and psychological forces little recognition of life cycle forces Positions on developmental issues Strongly nurture continuity universal principles of learning Social learning theory Bandura Main idea people learn through modeling and observing Force emphases in biopsychosocial framework major emphasis on sociocultural forces some on biological and psychological forces little recognition of life cycle forces Positions on developmental issues Strongly nurture continuity universal principles of learning Piaget s theory Cognitive Developmental Theory Main idea thinking develops in a sequence of stages Force emphases in biopsychosocial framework main emphasis on biological and sociocultural forces less on psychological little on life cycle Positions on developmental issues strongly nature discontinuity universal sequence of stages Information processing theory 3 Main idea thoughts develop by increases in efficiency at handling information Force emphases in biopsychosocial framework emphasis on biological and psychological less on sociocultural and life cycle Positions on developmental issues nature nurture interaction continuity context specific differences in universal structures Vygotsky s theory Main idea development is influenced by culture Force emphases in biopsychosocial framework emphasis on psychological and sociocultural forces Positions on developmental issues nature nurture interaction continuity context specific differences Bronfenbrenner s theory Ecological and Systems Theory Main idea developing person is embedded in a series of interacting systems Force emphases in biopsychosocial framework main emphasis is on sociocultural some on psychological and life cycle little on biological Positions on developmental issues nature nurture interaction continuity context specific diff Competence environmental press theory Lawton and Nahemow Main idea adaptation is optimal when ability and demands are in balance Force emphases in biopsychosocial framework strong emphasis on biological psychological and sociocultural moderate on life cycle Positions on developmental issues nature nurture interaction continuity context specific differences Lifespan and Selective Optimization with Compensation Theory Baltes s proposals Main idea Human development is a lifelong process it is multiply determined goals are optimized Can t be understood with in scope of a single framework multidisciplinary Before this people didn t realize development is life long multidirectionality gains and loses plasticity capacity is not predetermined via experience you can always change More plasticity when younger than older 4 historical and contextual embeddedness strongly influence development multiple causation interaction of biological psychological