Developing through the Life Span By Joey Luna, BA Psych., MSW, ACSW

Life Span Developmental Issues, Prenatal Development and the Newborn Teratogens Reflexes: Sucking, Grasping Development Issues Nature / Nurture, Stability Change & Continuity Stages Infancy and Childhood Physical Development Cognitive Development Social Development Adolescents Puberty Developing reasoning of power

Life Span cont. Adulthood Menopause Memory Changes Love and Work

Developmental Psychology Examine our physical, cognitive and social development across the life span with a focus on three issues: Nature and Nurture- How does our genetic inheritance (our nature) interact with our experiences (nurture) to influence our development? Continuity and Stages- What parts of development are gradual and continuous, which are abrupt in seperate stages? Stability and Change- which of our traits persist through life? How do we change through age?

Prenatal Development Conception Sperm fertalized the egg- life is sexually transmitted. Prenatal Development Zygot- fertilized egg. Fewer than half survive first two weeks. After 10 days, zygote attaches to the utrine wall. Zygot’s inner cell becomes the embryo, developing human organism after 2 weeks. Outter cells become the placenta, the life link that transfers nutrients and oxygen from mother to embryo. Over 6 weeks, organs begin to form and function and the heart begins to beat. 9 weeks after conception, an embryo looks like a human and it is now a fetus- human organism after 9 weeks. At each prenatal stage- genetic and envionment factors affect development. By the sixth month, fetus becomes responsive to sound.

Prenatal Development cont. Sounds are learned in the womb and babies are sensative to the mothers sounds and her enviornment. Placenta screens out many harmful substances Teratogens- agents of viruses and drugs can damage the embryo and fetus. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome- physical and cognitive abnormalities can occur.

Prenatal Development cont. Newborn Babies who survive the prenatal hazards are preloaded with neural softwares in their hard drives- they have automatic refex responses that are suited for survival. Swallowing, breathing, tonguing, sucking and crying. William James, American Psychogist believed that babies were born confused and daised- BUT!!!! until the 1960’s researchers have found that babies can hear, see, hear, smell and think! Habituation- decreasing responsiveness with repeated stimulation. Infants gain familiarity- their interest wanes and they look away sooner. Important for socialization!

Infancy and Childhood Physical Development Brain Development When in mothers womb, you develop brain cells and when you are born you will have all that you will ever have. However, your nervous system is still immature and these neural networks will branch out and grow through childhood. Age 3 to 6, there is significant growth in the front lobes- which enable planning. This continues through adolescents and beyond. Cortical areas associated with thinking, memory and language also develop. Enviornment also has in impact in the development of the brain. Critical period- a period early in life of an organism when exposure to certain stiumuli produces normal development.

Infancy and Childhood cont. Motor Development Brain enables physical coordination- babies roll over before they sit unsupported, they crawl, etc. Reflect a maturing nervous system. Cerebellum- creates our readiness to learn walking by the age of 1. Brain Maturation and Infant Memory Studies have confirmed that our average age of earliest conscious memory is 3.5 years. But as children mature, by age 7, infantile amnesia wanes.

Infancy and Childhood cont. Cognitive Development Jean Piaget, a developmental psychologist spent his life searching for answers to, how through life journey, do we become conscious. Cognitive Psych- Mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering, communication. \ Piaget proposed that we assimilate- interpret our new experiences in terms of our existing schemas-a concept or framework that organizes and interprets information. He believed that children construct their world through interacting with it. Four stages; Sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational and formal operational

Infancy and Childhood cont. Cognitive Development Sensorimotor Stage- birth to 2 year- babies take in the world through their senses and actions- looking, hearing, touching, mouthing and grasping. Object permanence- awareness that objects continue to exist. Memory begins by 8 months- Researchers believe that infants are smarter that Piaget appreciated. Babies are processing their minds. Preoperational Stage- age 2 to age 6 or 7- children are able to represent things with words and images.Unable to perform mental operations- imagining an action and mental reversing it. Conservation- principle that quantity remains the same despite changes in shape. Pretend Play Egocentrism- difficulty in perceiving things from another's point of view. Theory of mind- ability to interpret others feelings, thoughts, etc.

Infancy and Childhood cont. Cognitive Development Concrete Operational Stage- by age 7, this age they begin to grasp conservation. This stage they are able to grasp jokes and mathematical transformations and conservations. Formal Operational Stage- by about age 12, our reasoning expands, maturity of our moral reasoning also expands.

Infancy and Childhood cont. Lev Vygotsky Noted that by age 7, children think in words and use words to solve problems. Whereas Piaget believed that children develop through interactions with their environment, Vygotsky emphasized that children develop through social development. Reflection on Piaget Piaget identified significant cognitive milestones and got the rest of the world thinking in how the mind develops However, today’s researchers see development as more continuous than did Piaget.

Infancy and Childhood cont. Social Development Human Bonding Babies are very social creatures and prefer familiar faces and voices. After 8 months- stranger anxiety- the fear of strangers. They become distressed. Attachment is very important, bond between caregiver and baby. Harry Harlow and Margaret Harlow- Monkeys Study (1950). Familiarity and Imprinting- the process certain animals form to build strong attachments during early life. Attachment Differences Attachment theory (Secure, Anxious, Avoidant) Attachment Deprivation Children in abuse or extreme neglectful homes are often withdrawn, frightened and sometimes speechless Romania- Orphanages (1970-1980s)

Infancy and Childhood cont. Social Development Parenting Styles Authoritarian (Don’t be out late or you will be grounded!), Permissive (Few Demands, Chill), Authoritative (Demanding and Responsive). Culture, has a big impact!

Adolescence Physical Development Brain Development Adolescence is defined as the years spent morphing from child to adult. Starts with sexual maturity and ends with social achievement of independent adult status. Puberty- the time when adolescence mature sexually. Cognitive Development Reasoning of Power Deeper Reasoning skills, understanding of their world around them, form their own thoughts and opinions. Develop Morality Moral judgements (right and wrong). Moral Intuition, gut feelings emotions Moral Actions Doing the right thing.

Adolescence cont. Social Development Erik Erickson (1963)

Adolescence cont. Social Development Forming an Identity Self definition that unifies the various selves into a consistent and comfortable sense is an identity. Social identity- the “who am I” that comes from our group membership. Many adolescents may adopt a sense of identity through their culture or parents values and expectation. Others through particular peer groups- jocks, preps, geeks, ect. Intimacy- the ability to form close relationships, through your 20s.

Adolescence cont. Social Development Parent and Peer Relationships Western Cultures- they seek to form own identities, they pull away from parents. Parent arguments occur more frequent. Peer friendships become important.

Emerging Adulthood In the US, average age of marriage is 29 for men and 27 for women. More and more adolescence are taking more time to establish themselves as young adults before marriage. Emerging Adulthood- a period from about age 18 to the mid-twenties- no longer adolescents but have not yet achieved independence as adults.

Adulthood Physical Development Physical Changes in Middle Adulthood Over the age of 40, physical decline gradually accelerates. Aging also brings gradual decline in fertility, especially for women. Menopause- the time of natural cessation of menstruation, biological changes a woman experiences as her ability to reproduce declines. Muscle strength and reaction time diminish. Eye pupils shrink. Body’s immune system becomes weaker. Recalling names, solving puzzles become more challenging. Exercise is important and can counter these affects.

Adulthood cont. Cognitive Development Aging and Memory Meaningful memories seem to be recalled more. Sustaining Mental Abilities Studies suggest that brain-training exercises can sharpen the mind.

Adulthood cont. Social Development Love Work Death and Dying Death is our inevitable end. Many of us will cope and mourn for those relatives and friends who have died.

Questions???