1 EDHD Midterm Study Guide Intro to Lifespan Development Norms based on systematic study and evidence Outliers always occur Be careful of using anecdotal evidence Person who fallacy I know a person who Three Domains Physical Cognitive Psychosocial o Brain Biological Systems Functions of Body o Thinking Learning Language Memory Problem Solving o Emotions Personality Motives Attachment Relationships Key Questions and Themes Nature vs Nurture Is development driven by external factors or something inside each individual Continuity vs Discontinuity Critical Period vs Sensitive Period Stability vs Change Does development follow a smooth continuous path or distinct abrupt stages Does development have to occur at a fixed period or can it be more flexible Do early traits and characteristics persist throughout life or do they change Role of Individual vs Socio Cultural Context Are we active agents or passive agents shaped by our environments Current perspectives Lifelong process change occurs through the lifespan no age period dominates Multidirectional as some capacities or behaviors decrease others increase Multidimensional domains are all interrelated multiple influences Multidisciplinary studied by many fields Plasticity capacity for change across the lifespan Themes and Contexts in Lifespan Development Outcome Goals 1 Understand the main themes and questions that drive different theories and development 2 Understand the issues relating to the unique contexts of development Nature Biological Influences vs Nurture Environmental Influences Is an interaction not either or move away from dualistic dichotomous thinking Nature Nativist Innate Maturation Nurture Empiricist Tabula rasa blank slate Learning Continuity vs Discontinuity 2 Discontinuous change Step like process Distinct and abrupt changes Each stage diff from the last Continuous change Smooth continuous path New skills building on previous Similar features as time goes by Hybrid trajectory certain stages but gradual within each change Stability vs Change How much potential for change Individual vs Context Critical Periods vs Sensitive Periods Critical Period In control of our own development or passive agents When an event has greatest consequence or effect Development to proceed in normative fashion not atypical ex geese imprinting on psychologist Sensitive Period Human brain plastic Malleable and better able to accommodate Ex language sports and Jeanie feral child with little human interaction Unique Contexts of Development 1 Normative Age grade influences Developmentally relevant influences determined by biology or environment regardless of culture or nationality same times schedule Ex eating teething walking puberty height 2 Normative Socio cultural graded influences Developmental influences related to ecological niche Ex SES parents education level neighborhood school divorce 3 History graded influences Biological and environmental influences related to unique historical period Ex economic crisis 9 11 war technological advances internet phones depression 4 Non normative influences Atypical developmentally relevant influences Ex having a twin loss of loved one physical disability Nature and Nurture in Development Outcome goals 1 Examine and analyze differing viewpoints on the degree of influences of nature and nurture 2 Understand approaches to studying genetic and environmental differences 3 Understand the process through which genes and environment interact and correlate Biological determinism evolved predispositions determine behavior beyond influence of environment 1 Too few genes explain all the complexity in human development Focusing on genetic causes has led to bad social policies Significant historical variation in what is considered normal behavior for each gender 2 Genes do not influence behavior individually but through endless combinations Small genetic influences in animals create large differences in behavior patterns Even though brain is plastic changes are constrained by genetic limits 3 Is there common ground Both genes and environment matter o Question is about The relative degree of influence What is the right balance between the two How does balance affect lifespan Genetic and Environmental influences Modern Evolutionary Perspectives o Shared Species Heredity Evolved through natural selection Genetic endowment members of species have in common Reasons for universal patterns of development Ex walking and talking around 1 year of age puberty o Cultural Evolution Inherit a characteristically human environment and learn methods of adapting to the environment Based on learning and socialization Works much more quickly than biological evolution Translation and Expression of Genetic Code o Environmental influences combine with genetic influences to determine how genotype is translated into phenotype o Genotype genetic makeup a person inherits o Phenotype characteristics traits that are expressed Genotype Environment Interaction o Behavioral genetics study of the extent which genetic and environmental differences contribute to differences in traits Types of Studies o Twins identical vs fraternal raised together apart o Adoption biological vs adopted parents o Family complex families foster step and half siblings etc Measurement between 0 to 1 o Heritability measure of magnitude of genetic influence on individual differences range o Concordance rates estimates presence of same trait in both members of pair of twins If concordance rates higher for genetically related than for less heritable trait ex homosexuality 52 identical 22 fraternal o Correlation coefficients varying degrees of a trait present larger correlation closer the resemblance Estimate contribution to individual differences from genes shared environmental influences and non shared environmental influences Findings in Behavioral Genetics o IQ Correlations highest in identical twins heritability of IQ 50 Gains importance from infancy to adulthood o Temperament Personality Living in same house does not make more similar in personality Non shared is more important than shared environment 4 o Schizophrenia Environmental factors very significant inherit disposition not the disorder 90 kids with one parent who have it do not develop disorder Physical eye color height weight Physiological functions brain activity reaction to alcohol level physical activity o Strongly heritable traits o Moderately heritable IQ o Less heritable Personality Susceptibility to