PSYC 206 Lifespan Development Bilge Yagmurlu

Chapter Overview I. Developmental Science II. Children, Society, and Science (History) The Central Issues of Developmental Science Sources of Development Plasticity Continuity/Discontinuity Individual Difference IV. Theories of Development V. Methods for Studying Development

Influential Modern Theories Four Modern Theories Evolutionary Theories Information-Processing Theories Systems Theories Critical Theories

Evolutionary Theories Perspective: Theories look at how human characteristics contributed to the survival of the species and to how our evolutionary past influences individual development. What products of evolution do children possess that insures they will be cared for?

Information-Processing Theories Perspective: Theories look at how children process, store, organize, retrieve, and manipulate information in increasingly efficient ways. Analogous with computer processing Topics: attention, memory, social problem solving strategies etc.

System Theories Perspective: Theories that envision development in terms of complex wholes made up of parts and that explore how these wholes and their parts are organized and interact over time.

System Theories Dynamic systems theory: Focuses on the development of new systems of behavior from the interaction of less complex parts E.g., reaching and grasping behavior

System Theories Ecological systems theory: Focuses on the organization of the environmental contexts within which children develop. Child develops in multiple, nested and interacting environmental systems

Uri Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological system

Uri Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological system Microsystem: the setting in which the individual has face-to-face interactions. Development is strongly affected by the nature and extent of experiences in the microsystem: Family proximal processes: experiences with people and objects.

Uri Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological system Mesosystem: connections between microsystems Number and quality of connections betwen settings have important implications for child’s development. Do parents and teachers communicate with one another often? Do they have similar expectations of him?

Uri Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological system Exosystem: experiences in a setting where the individual does not have an active role. Contexts experienced vicariously and yet have impact on child. E.g., child realizes stress of parent’s workplace without ever being in these places. “Risk” and “social address” factors alone don’t determine whether or not a child develops his potential. They can increase likelihood of experiences.

Uri Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological system Macrosystem: involves the culture in which the individual lives– values, beliefs, customs, dominant ideologies… dominant ideologies and cultural patterns organize all other social institutions.

Social class and cultural variations in child rearing McLoyd: economic hardship creates its own psychological distress, making adults more edgy and irritable, reducing their capacity to be warm and involved. The Family Distress Model (Conger et al.)

insufficient surveillance lack of control displays of hostility

Uri Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological system Macrosystem: How communities organise themselves. Social policy related to parenting and child: Mother-child program may positively impact a young mother through educational resource. It may empower her life so that she is more affectionate and caring with her little one. How the legal/health system is designed

Uri Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological system Interaction between ecologies Employer, work hours and family-related policies Lobbying for political and economic policies that support parent’s roles in their children’s development

Contributions of the Model: Transformed how scientists approach the study of human beings and their environment. Enabled exploration and understanding of the interrelatedness of such abstract concepts as culture and ideology to the practical realities of caring for young children.

Critical Theories Perspective: Feminist approaches Theories that address cultural biases that may be present in traditional developmental theories and that examine power relations between groups and the influence on development gender, race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic class. Feminist approaches

V. Methods of Studying Development Goals of Developmental Research Basic Research: designed to advance scientific knowledge of human development Applied Research: designed to answer practical questions related to improving children’s lives and experiences. Action Research: designed to provide data that can be used in social policy decision making.

Methods of Studying Development Criteria for Developmental Research Objectivity Reliability Replicability Validity Ethically Sound

Research Design