Chapter 1 Introduction s8

Chapter 1 Introduction In the textbook, Theories of Development begin on page 15, end at page 22. You will NOT be responsible for knowing theories for the exam.

Why Study Life-Span Development? Life-span development is linked with many different areas of psychology.

Definition of Development The pattern of movement or change that begins at conception and continues through the human life span

Traditional Approach vs. Life-Span Approach

Characteristics of the Life-Span Perspective

Development is Lifelong

Development is Multidimensional

Development is Multidirectional

Development is Plastic Plasticity involves the degree to which characteristics change or remain stable.

Development is Studied by a Number of Disciplines:

Development is Contextual Normative age-graded influences Normative history-graded influences Nonnormative life events

Developmentis a co-construction of biology, culture and the individual.

Some Contemporary Concerns Health and Well-Being

Parenting and Education

Sociocultural Contexts: Culture

Culture

Ethnicity Socioeconomic Status

Gender Social Policy A national government’s course of action designed to influence the welfare of its citizens.

Social policy toward children Social policy toward aged

Developmental Processes and Periods Biological Processes Involve changes in the individual’s physical nature

Cognitive Processes Involve changes in the individual’s thought, intelligence, and language

Socioemotional Processes Involve changes in the individual’s relationships with other people, changes in emotions, and changes in personality

Periods of Development

Conceptions of Age Chronological Age

Biological Age

Psychological Age

Social Age

Age and Happiness No particular age group says they are happier or more satisfied than any other age group.

Developmental Issues The Nature-Nurture Issue Involves the debate about whether development is primarily influenced by nature or nurture

The Stability-Change Issue This issue involves the degree to which we become older renditions of our early experience or whether we develop into someone different from who we were at an earlier point in development.

The Continuity-Discontinuity Issue This issue focuses on the extent to which development involves gradual, cumulative change or distinct stages.

Evaluating the Developmental Issues Research Methods

Scientific Method 4 step process: Conceptualize process or problem to be studied Collect research information, or data Analyze data (statistics, formulas) Draw Conclusions

Theory: interrelated, coherent set of ideas that help explain and make predictions. Hypothesis: specific assumptions and predictions than can be tested to determine their accuracy.

Research in Life-span development

Methods for collecting data Systematic Observation

Laboratories are controlled settings from which many of the complex factors of the real world have been removed. Criticized for being artificial.

Naturalistic observation occurs outside a laboratory in the “real world”; places such as schools, home, museums, and offices.

Survey and Interviews Used to learn about experiences, beliefs, and feelings

Standardized Tests- commercially prepared tests that assess individuals’ performance in different domains Allow an individual’s performance to be compared to the performance of others

Case Studies An in-depth look at an individual Used when unique aspects of a person’s life cannot be duplicated

Physiological Research and Research with Animals--focus on the biological basis of behavior.

Research designs Descriptive research—aim is to observe and record behavior

Correlational Research: goal is to describe the strength of the relation between two or more events or characteristics.

Correlation coefficient It needs to be used with caution as correlation does not equal causation.

Experimental Research: allows researchers to determine the causes of behavior. It uses experimentation: carefully regulated procedures in which one or more significant factors is manipulated, and all others held constant. Experimental research involves independent and dependent variables, experimental groups, control groups, and random assignment.

Independent variables –what is manipulated or changed by experimenters-- type of treatment. Dependent variables: the factors that are measured in an experiment.

Experimental groups are groups whose experiences in a study are manipulated.

Control groups are groups who are treated in every way like the experimental groups except for the manipulated factors

Random Assignment-- process of assigning participants to experimental and control groups by chance

Time Span of Research The Cross-Sectional Approach Individuals of different ages are compared at one time. Pros Study can be accomplished in a short period of time. Researchers don’t have to wait for subjects to age. Cons Provides no information about how individuals change. Provides no information about the stability of characteristics.

The Longitudinal Approach The same individuals are studied over a period of time. Pros Provide a wealth of information about stability and change in development. Provide insight into the importance of early experience for later development. Cons Expensive and time consuming. Subjects more likely to drop out due to moving, losing interest, or illness.

Cohort effects---due to a person’s time of birth or generation, but not to actual age. They can powerfully affect the dependent measures in a study focused on age. Age changes in one cohort can be examined and compared with age changes in another cohort.

Conducting ethical research Ethics of research are concerned with the well-being of subjects with regard to physical and mental harm.

Guidelines for ethical research: 4 important issues Participants or their parents must give informed consent. Confidentiality Debriefing Deception