Life Span Development Chapter 1 June 8, 2004 Class #1

Studying the Life Span: Five Characteristics The study of human development is the science that seeks to understand The study of human development is the science that seeks to understand how and why all kinds of people change over timehow and why all kinds of people change over time how and why they remain the samehow and why they remain the same the generalities and the specificsthe generalities and the specifics Focus is on all kinds of people Focus is on all kinds of people -age, socioeconomic status, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, background, culture, and nationality

Studying the Life Span: Five Characteristics, cont. Change from conception to death—the five characteristics Change from conception to death—the five characteristics A Life-Span PerspectiveA Life-Span Perspective multidirectional—nonlinear progression (1) multidirectional—nonlinear progression (1) multicontextual—a number of contexts (2) multicontextual—a number of contexts (2) multicultural—many cultural settings (3) multicultural—many cultural settings (3) multidisciplinary—many academic disciplines contribute data (4) multidisciplinary—many academic disciplines contribute data (4) plasticity—change through the life span (5) plasticity—change through the life span (5)

Multidirectional (1) Each aspect of life is multidirectional Each aspect of life is multidirectional physical health, intellectual growth, and social interactionphysical health, intellectual growth, and social interaction up, down, stable or erraticup, down, stable or erratic Dynamic Systems Dynamic Systems process of continual change within a person or group, in which each change is connected systematically to every other development in each individual and every societyprocess of continual change within a person or group, in which each change is connected systematically to every other development in each individual and every society

Growth in height and weight is not linear Growth in height and weight is not linear Fluctuations in body weight are affected by many other changes Fluctuations in body weight are affected by many other changes appetite, nutrition, family, stress, exercise, culture, food supply, and climateappetite, nutrition, family, stress, exercise, culture, food supply, and climate historical changes can have powerful effectshistorical changes can have powerful effects “obesity epidemic” in the U.S. today “obesity epidemic” in the U.S. today Physical Growth

Butterfly effect—the idea that a small action or event may set off a series of changes culminating in a major event Butterfly effect—the idea that a small action or event may set off a series of changes culminating in a major event Opposite Idea Opposite Idea a large change may have little or no effecta large change may have little or no effect Family Dynamics Family Dynamics influence vulnerability or resiliencyinfluence vulnerability or resiliency strong bond with loving caregiver can protect against adversity of many kindsstrong bond with loving caregiver can protect against adversity of many kinds Effects, Large and Small

Humans develop in many contexts that influence development Humans develop in many contexts that influence development physical and familyphysical and family focus on three facets of social contextfocus on three facets of social context historical, socioeconomic, and cultural historical, socioeconomic, and cultural Multicontextual (2)

Three Broad Contexts Within the Social Context

Historical Context Historical context involves cohorts, social constructions Historical context involves cohorts, social constructions impact of historical context varies with ageimpact of historical context varies with age

Socioeconomic includes Socioeconomic includes socioeconomic status (ses),socioeconomic status (ses), education, income, neighborhood, occupation of household head education, income, neighborhood, occupation of household head The Socioeconomic Context

Families and Neighborhoods Economics Economics povertypoverty Collective Efficacy—neighbors that create a functioning, informal network of people who show concern for each other and their block Collective Efficacy—neighbors that create a functioning, informal network of people who show concern for each other and their block Supportive Family Relationships Supportive Family Relationships quality of parentingquality of parenting family support best predictor of health and happinessfamily support best predictor of health and happiness

Cultural—set of values, assumptions, and customs as well as physical objects such as clothing, housing, etc. Cultural—set of values, assumptions, and customs as well as physical objects such as clothing, housing, etc. includes all decisions people makeincludes all decisions people make is dynamic, supportiveis dynamic, supportive The Cultural Context

Who Sleeps with Whom? Example from Figure 1.2 showing configuration of sleeping arrangements Example from Figure 1.2 showing configuration of sleeping arrangements in Western cultures, husband and wife sleep togetherin Western cultures, husband and wife sleep together not all cultures have the same ideas about sleeping arrangementsnot all cultures have the same ideas about sleeping arrangements

Two examples of various practices provide insights into culture—(1) Too Rich to Marry? And (2) The Children’s House Two examples of various practices provide insights into culture—(1) Too Rich to Marry? And (2) The Children’s House Multicultural (3)

Too Rich to Marry? Worldwide, the richer the man, the more likely he is to marry Worldwide, the richer the man, the more likely he is to marry Is a woman a less desirable mate if she earns more income and therefore would be less dependent on the male? Is a woman a less desirable mate if she earns more income and therefore would be less dependent on the male? higher income for womenhigher income for women reduced marriage prospects in Japan reduced marriage prospects in Japan increased marriage prospects slightly in U.S. increased marriage prospects slightly in U.S. increased marriage prospects significantly in Sweden increased marriage prospects significantly in Sweden findings reflective of a country’s gender equality findings reflective of a country’s gender equality

The Children’s House Kibbutz Sleeping Arrangements Kibbutz Sleeping Arrangements different sleeping practices, with some children sleeping in Children’s House, while others slept at homedifferent sleeping practices, with some children sleeping in Children’s House, while others slept at home children who slept away ended up having negative consequenceschildren who slept away ended up having negative consequences difficulty talking about, relating to family members difficulty talking about, relating to family members

Ethnicity, Race, and Income Ethnic group—collection of people who share certain attributes, almost always including ancestral heritage and often including national origin, religion, customs, and language Ethnic group—collection of people who share certain attributes, almost always including ancestral heritage and often including national origin, religion, customs, and language People can belong to more than one culture People can belong to more than one culture

Ethnicity, Race, and Income, cont. Race—a social construction by which biological traits are used to differentiate people whose ancestors came from various regions of the world Race—a social construction by which biological traits are used to differentiate people whose ancestors came from various regions of the world a distorted concepta distorted concept SES variations tend to follow ethnic variations SES variations tend to follow ethnic variations

Ethnicity, Race, and Income, cont. The Person Within the System The Person Within the System divergent directions, contextual influences, cohort effectdivergent directions, contextual influences, cohort effect

Multidisciplinary (4) Body, Mind, and Spirit Body, Mind, and Spirit Three domains Three domains biosocialbiosocial cognitivecognitive psychosocialpsychosocial Williams Family Example Williams Family Example Combination of Nature vs. Nurture Combination of Nature vs. Nurture

Plasticity (5) Plasticity—capacity to change Plasticity—capacity to change Characteristics can be molded into different forms and shapes or a durability can be maintained Characteristics can be molded into different forms and shapes or a durability can be maintained Provides hope and realism Provides hope and realism change is possiblechange is possible people must build on what came before (raw materials = genes, families, cultures, experiences)people must build on what came before (raw materials = genes, families, cultures, experiences)

The Person Within the Context Person is guided in divergent directions by many contextual influences Person is guided in divergent directions by many contextual influences No one is “average”— each person unique No one is “average”— each person unique each person has unique genes and experienceseach person has unique genes and experiences Paul Baltes (Founder of lifespan developmental study)Paul Baltes (Founder of lifespan developmental study) “We need to keep in mind that the future is not something we simply enter, the future is also something we help create.” “We need to keep in mind that the future is not something we simply enter, the future is also something we help create.”

Developmental Study as a Science Based on objective evidence (objective) Based on objective evidence (objective) Laden with personal implications and applications (subjective) Laden with personal implications and applications (subjective)

Scientific method—general way to seek evidence to answer question, involving four basic steps and sometimes a fifth. Scientific method—general way to seek evidence to answer question, involving four basic steps and sometimes a fifth. 1. formulate a research question 2. develop a hypothesis hypothesis—a specific prediction that is stated in such a way it can be tested and either confirmed or refuted hypothesis—a specific prediction that is stated in such a way it can be tested and either confirmed or refuted Scientific Method

Scientific Method, cont. 3. test the hypothesis 4. draw conclusions 5. make findings available replication—the repetition of a scientific study using the same procedures on another group of participants to verify or refute the original study’s conclusionreplication—the repetition of a scientific study using the same procedures on another group of participants to verify or refute the original study’s conclusion

Research Methods Four Methods of Testing Hypotheses Four Methods of Testing Hypotheses observationsobservations experimentsexperiments surveyssurveys case studiescase studies

Observation Scientific observation—observing and recording (unbiased) in a systematic way what people do Scientific observation—observing and recording (unbiased) in a systematic way what people do Limitation: it does not indicate what causes behavior we observeLimitation: it does not indicate what causes behavior we observe

Correlation and Causation Correlation and Causation Naturalistic observation provides no definitive answers about causesNaturalistic observation provides no definitive answers about causes Correlation exists between two variables if one variable is more (or less) likely to occur when the other occursCorrelation exists between two variables if one variable is more (or less) likely to occur when the other occurs correlation indicates a connection, but does not specify reason (cause) for itcorrelation indicates a connection, but does not specify reason (cause) for it Observation, cont.

Correlations Features Features Statistically speaking, it refers to how strongly one variable is related to anotherStatistically speaking, it refers to how strongly one variable is related to another Strengths Strengths Allows researcher to better formulate their hypothesis – gives ideas that we can explore furtherAllows researcher to better formulate their hypothesis – gives ideas that we can explore further Weaknesses Weaknesses Data can sometimes fool us (we’ll get to this in a second)Data can sometimes fool us (we’ll get to this in a second)

Correlation and Causation

Experiment—investigation designed to untangle cause from effect Experiment—investigation designed to untangle cause from effect independent variable—imposed treatment or special conditionindependent variable—imposed treatment or special condition dependent variable—specific behavior being studieddependent variable—specific behavior being studied experimental group—participants who are given particular treatmentexperimental group—participants who are given particular treatment comparison (control) group—participants who are not given special treatment but are similar to experimental group in other relevant wayscomparison (control) group—participants who are not given special treatment but are similar to experimental group in other relevant ways The Experiment

How to Conduct an Experiment

Surveys Features Features Standard set of questions asked of a large number of participantsStandard set of questions asked of a large number of participants Strengths Strengths Gather large amounts of descriptive data relatively quickly and inexpensivelyGather large amounts of descriptive data relatively quickly and inexpensively Weaknesses Weaknesses Sampling errors, poorly phrased questions, and response biases can distort resultsSampling errors, poorly phrased questions, and response biases can distort results

Case Studies Features Features Intensive examination of the behavior and mental processes associated with a specific person or situationIntensive examination of the behavior and mental processes associated with a specific person or situation Strengths Strengths Provide detailed descriptive analysis of new, complex, or rare phenomenonProvide detailed descriptive analysis of new, complex, or rare phenomenon Weaknesses Weaknesses May not provide representative picture of phenomenaMay not provide representative picture of phenomena

Developmental research must be able to deal with changes that continue over time Developmental research must be able to deal with changes that continue over time research design allows researchers to include time, or age, as a factorresearch design allows researchers to include time, or age, as a factor three basic designs:three basic designs: cross-sectional, longitudinal, cross-sequential cross-sectional, longitudinal, cross-sequential Studying Changes over Time

Cross-sectional research-research that studies groups differing in age but sharing other important characteristics (education, SES, ethnicity) Cross-sectional research-research that studies groups differing in age but sharing other important characteristics (education, SES, ethnicity) Cross-sectional Research

Longitudinal research—research that studies individuals over a long period; valuable developmental information from longitudinal studies includes Longitudinal research—research that studies individuals over a long period; valuable developmental information from longitudinal studies includes adjustment to divorceadjustment to divorce role of fathers in child developmentrole of fathers in child development prevention of teenage delinquencyprevention of teenage delinquency Longitudinal Research

Cross-sequential research—research that studies several groups of people of different ages, then follows those groups longitudinally Cross-sequential research—research that studies several groups of people of different ages, then follows those groups longitudinally Cross-Sequential Research

Cross-sectional, Longitudinal, and Cross- Sequential Research: Which is Best?

Cross-sectional, Longitudinal, and Cross- Sequential Research: Which is Best?, cont.

The Ecological-Systems Approach: A Synthesis Ecological-systems approach— research that takes into consideration the relationship between the individual and the environment Ecological-systems approach— research that takes into consideration the relationship between the individual and the environment Uri BronfrenbrennerUri Bronfrenbrenner

Ethics and Science General principles of code of ethics General principles of code of ethics never harm participants either physically or psychologicallynever harm participants either physically or psychologically explain purposes and procedures of studyexplain purposes and procedures of study secure informed consentsecure informed consent keep data on participants privatekeep data on participants private allow participants to stop at any timeallow participants to stop at any time

Are scientists studying issues that are crucial to human development? Are scientists studying issues that are crucial to human development? human sexual urges and actions to prevent STDs, pregnancy, and sexual abuse and to cure infertilityhuman sexual urges and actions to prevent STDs, pregnancy, and sexual abuse and to cure infertility stress, poverty, and prejudicestress, poverty, and prejudice children’s angerchildren’s anger retirementretirement What Should We Study?