1. A Topical Approach to Life-Span Development 6e
Chapter One:
Introduction
John W. Santrock

2. The Life-Span Perspective
Development:
Define

3. Characteristics of the Life-Span Perspective
Contextual
Growth
Maintenance
Regulation of loss
Lifelong
Multidimensional
Multidirectional
Plastic
Multidisciplinary
Be able to describe these characteristics of the life-span perspective on development. In particular, explain:
Multidimensional =
Multidirectional =
Plasticity =
Multidisciplinary =

4. Characteristics of the Life-Span Perspective
Development is contextual -
It takes place in environmental and social contexts that influence us in many ways
Normative age-graded influences
Shared by a particular age group
Normative history-graded influences
Shared by a specific generation
Nonnormative life events
Unique to the individual

5. Figure 1.6 - Processes in Development

6. Periods of Development
Development period = time frame in one’s life characterized by certain features & events
Prenatal Period
Infancy
Early childhood
Middle and late childhood
Adolescence
Early adulthood
Middle adulthood
Late adulthood
Take notes on the age range for each period. As the semester continues, we will focus on the key developmental issues that occur during each period.

7. Conceptions of age
Chronological age: Number of years elapsed since person’s birth
Biological age: Physical capacities & health
Psychological age: Adaptive capacities
Social age: Social roles and expectations related to one’s age
Biological, psychological, and social age are all COMPARATIVE to others of the same chronological age
Psychological adaptive capacities = learning, flexibility, coping with stress, thinking clearly
Social capacities – connectedness with others, family/peers/co-workers/friends

8. Developmental Issues Nature and nurture Stability and change
Inheritance and environment
Stability and change
Persistence of early traits and characteristics
Continuity and discontinuity
Gradual vs. abrupt changes in development
Describe each issue.
Use these to compare theories.

9. Theories of Development
Theory:
Hypotheses:
Define, and differentiate by giving examples of hypotheses derived from various theories.

10. Theories of Development: Psychoanalytic theories
Fill in characteristics of psychoanalytic theories

11. Erikson’s Eight Life-Span Stages Figure 1.11, p. 21
Example

12. Theories of Development: Cognitive Theories
Emphasize:
Three major theories
Piaget’s cognitive development (stage theory)
Vygotsky’s sociocultural cognitive theory (continuity)
Information processing theory
What do cognitive theories emphasize?
Discussed in more detail in Ch 6

13. Piaget’s Four Stages of Cognitive Development Figure 1.12, p. 23
example

14. Cognitive Theories of Development: Information-Processing theory
Compares humans to computers:
Brain ~ hardware
Cognition ~ software
Thinking involves:

15. Theories of Development: Behavioral and social cognitive theories
Behaviorism: Scientific studies can only be based on direct observations and measures
Development is studied by observing only outward behaviors
not cognitions, emotions, or unconscious processes
Behavior is learned from experiences/environment
Development is continuous as experiences are added
Watson's fear conditioning study
Skinner’s operant conditioning
Consequences, rewards and punishment, shape behavior
No emphasis on thoughts, feelings
Development is pattern of behavioral changes
Modifying environment produces change
Changes determined by consistency of experiences, rewards or punishments

16. Theories of Development: Behavioral and social cognitive theories
Bandura’s social cognitive theory
Interactions among behavior, environment, and cognition are key to development
Behavior is learned through observation and imitating (modeling)
Behavior of others is cognitively evaluated, strategies created for successful learning

17. Figure 1.13 - Bandura’s Social Cognitive Model

18. Theories of Development: Ethological theory
Emphasis on:
biology and evolution
sensitive periods of development
careful observations
Lorenz: Imprinting
Bowlby: Attachment theory
Explain the following theories:
Lorenz: Imprinting
Bowlby: “Attachment” determines development

19. Theories of Development: Ecological theory
Emphasis on environmental context
Bronfenbrenner’s theory: Development is influenced by five environmental systems

20. Figure 1.14 - Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Theory

21. Theories of Development: Eclectic theoretical approach
Life-span development is complex
Each theory has contribution to understanding development
Eclectic approach focuses on best features of each