HDFS 201 LECTURE 4 What Do Developmental Theories Do Developmental theories organize knowledge facts in order to provide Focuses descriptions of the ways that behaviors change over time 1 2 Testable explanations of human behavior 3 Ways to intervene in the developmental trajectory What is a Developmental Theory An explanatory model of development that is Internally consistent no contradictions within itself not necessarily with other theories Empirically valid supported by research findings Testable Falsifiable generates research parsimonious simple short common sensical Capable of integrating previous research communicates explains Practically applicable How Do We Evaluate Theories Does the theory have all of the characteristics just described Is the theory USEFUL It does not have to be correct to be useful can eliminate options Can it be used to explain predict or control development Does it have application for parents teachers nurses social workers etc Does it generate research Brief Overview of Developmental Theories Compare contrast the theories in these ways Goals Freud was trying to explain abnormal behavior Piaget was trying to explain the origins of intelligence and intellectual development Assumptions Main Characteristics Why Isn t There a Single Unified Theory of Development Incompatible assumptions Untestable Accepted or rejected on beliefs faith Different foci and uses Different methods Different tools Not one theory is right Why Science is NOT Objective Use of favored theories Use of favored methods Selection of particular measure Interest in questions studied Ways of interpreting data Life Course Constructs The Life Course Perspective Research is merely a representation of reality a mere model Considers the interaction of individual development and collective family development in the context of changing historical conditions e g brother father uncle professor Emphasizes that both individual and family development are affects by socio historical context Highlights the importance of cohort individual family interactions Central Constructs Transition Life changes in which involve shifts in role involvements and social Doing less stupid things riding a motor cycle when you become a dad Often marked by events and associated rituals BUT the event is not the transition The event may mark the transition Biological fathers who never transitioned to fatherhood sperm donors one night stands Require simultaneous cognitive reorganization and behavioral changes I am a dad dad s do this therefore I will do that too Transitions Create functional relationships that did NOT exist before the transition Becoming the primary caregiver of a parent retiree s learning how to do work so hard Unhook functional relationships that existed before the transition Having to quit the party lifestyle not having free time and not taking risks when he became a father Important to observe in human services education and health care Examples of contexts where this may be important to know and utilize Employment Residence Marital or relationship status educators could notice that Educators who have a student whose parents just got a divorce will affect the student and A student whose dad was on life support and then taken off there will be a difference Central Constructs Counter Transition Transitions produced by the life changes of others Transitioning to be a grandfather because your kids had kids not your own doing but you still have to transition to either be an involved grandparent or not Central Constructs Trajectory Longer views of the life course Ex Trajectory of geographic transitions than each individual move Commonly identified with the study of careers in the classic sociological sense e g the marriage career or your work career You may get your first job but it has nothing to do with what your career is Each life course contains multiple interlocking trajectories Faith career social When one thing happens in one it affects the others e g suddenly unemployed Their scheduling and management is one aspect of life course development Central Constructs Time Individual time is this a good time in your life to take a job Family time getting a great job offer but not wanting to leave the area because things are going on in your family great time for you bad time for your family Historical time read a forecast gas prices will go up And their intersections I just got a great time offer but it s an awful time for the family but this will never happen again Central Constructs Timing The timing of life course transitions is influenced by the interaction of demographic social economic and cultural factors as well as individual characteristics This is determined largely by the Social Clock a cultural or subcultural sense of whether it is the right time for something to happen or not Highly influenced by AGE NORMS vary by cohort Getting married around 28 after being together for 7 years On time Off time Early having your first child at 15 Late having your first child at 75 Central Constructs Timing Considers the synchronization of different individual roles across careers Timing of individual life transitions Synchronization of individual life transitions with collective family transitions Historical changes in the timing of life transitions E g we tend to delay marriage nowadays in comparisons to the past Timing Can Be Combined with Assessment of Normativeness Normative statistically typical Going to college for an American People our age to be in college Non normative statistically atypical An older adult going to grad school Changes by cohort Divorce used to be weird Differences by culture 48 in Kenya is really old Differences by gender Considering Need for Social Support Timing Normativeness On Time Off Time Mid range Easiest to support Normative marrying at 28 you have many friends you can talk to marrying at 70 few people to talk to less of a support group Non normative Mid range Most challenging to support childhood death