1. The Developing Person Through Childhood and Adolescence
by Kathleen Stassen Berger
Seventh Edition
Chapter 1
Introduction
Slides prepared by Kate Byerwalter, Ph.D., Grand Rapids Community College

2. Science of Human Development
The study of human development:
Seeks to understand how and why people change and remain the same over time.
Is a science
Studies all kinds of people
Studies change over time

3. Continuity and Discontinuity
Continuity refers to characteristics that are stable over time (e.g., biological sex).
Discontinuity refers to characteristics unlike those than came before (e.g., speaking a new language, quitting a drug).

4. The Complex Patterns of Developmental Growth

5. Five Characteristics of Development
Multidirectional
Multicontextual
Multicultural
Multidisciplinary
Plasticity
PHOTODISC

6. More About Change Over Time
Butterfly effect
Sometimes a small event may culminate in a major event (e.g., one alcoholic drink at the wrong time during pregnancy).
No effect
Sometimes what seems to be a large event has little long-term impact (e.g., children in war-torn Bosnia).

7. Contexts of Development
HISTORICAL
In what ways do you differ from your grandparents? Great grandparents?
Cohort: group of people of the same age
Social constructions create “shoulds” (e.g., ages one “should” marry)

8. Contexts of Development
SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS (SES)
A combination of income and other factors (parental education, occupation, etc.).
The impact of SES depends on many factors.

9. Contexts of Development
CULTURE
Includes values, technologies, customs of a group of people.
In what ways does culture influence development?
PHOTODISC

10. An Example of Culture and Development
Co-sleeping: children sleep with parents
Research in this area has found varying results
e.g.: Children who co-sleep do develop independence, but are less likely to sleep through the night.

11. Three Domains of Development
Biosocial = brain and body
Cognitive = thought processes, perceptual abilities, language
Psychosocial = emotions, personality, interpersonal relationships

13. Interaction of Developmental Domains
Research continues to highlight that development is complex–the 3 domains interact.
Research examples: amygdala activity, depression, violence, social skills, etc.

14. What is “plasticity”?
Plasticity refers to the fact that human traits can be molded into different forms, and yet people maintain a durability of identity.
It means that some aspects of development have the capacity for change, others may not….

15. Resilience─An Example of the Complexity of Development
Resilience: the ability to overcome severe threats to development
e.g.: The impact of poverty is lessened by supportive schools, families, neighborhoods, a stable residence, and by the child’s personality.

16. Collective Efficacy
This neighborhood in Washington, D.C. shows no signs of collective efficacy–neighbors showing concern for others and their environment.
SHEPARD SHERBELL/CORBIS SABA

17. Developmental Study as a Science
Scientific method: a general way to seek evidence to answer a question
Formulate a research question
Develop a hypothesis
Test the hypothesis
Draw conclusions
Make findings available

18. Observational Research
Observation: systematically observe and record behavior
Can be laboratory or naturalistic
Example: A study on childhood obesity found that only 5% of kids walked or rode a bike to school.

19. The Experiment Research method to establish cause
Independent variable = imposed treatment or special condition
Dependent variable = specific behavior being studied

20. The Experiment Experimental group: is given a particular treatment
Control group: does not get the treatment
Read example in text about experiment on activity and obesity (p. 19).

21. The Experiment (cont.)

22. Other Methods
Survey = information collected from personal interviews, questionnaires, etc.
Problems include representativeness of group, and phrasing of questions
Case study = intensive study of one individual or situation

23. Studying Changes Over Time
Design a study to answer the question: “How much does reading comprehension improve between 4 and 6 years of age?”
PHOTODISC

24. Studying Changes Over Time
Cross-sectional research: groups differ in age but share other important characteristics (ethnicity, SES).
Longitudinal research studies individuals over a long period of time.
Advantage is studying the same people
Problems include; people drop out, participants learn goals of study, is costly

26. Studying Changes Over Time
Cross-sequential research studies several groups of people of different ages, then follows those groups longitudinally.

28. Ecological-Systems Approach
Developed by Urie Bronfenbrenner, this approach suggests that a person should be considered in all the contexts and interactions in his/her life.

29. Correlations
A correlation indicates the degree of relationship between two variables.
Positive correlation: the variables increase or decrease together.
Example: The more hours you work, the more money you will be paid.

30. Correlations (cont.)
Negative correlation: as one variable increases, the other decreases.
Example: The more clothes you buy, the less money you will have in your checking account.
Correlations range from 0 to +/- 1.00
CORRELATION IS NOT CAUSATION

32. Quantity and Quality
Quantitative research: provides data that can be expressed with numbers (e.g., ranks, scales).
Qualitative research contains descriptions of conditions, and participants’ ideas.
Both types are valuable.

33. Ethics and Science General principles Do no harm
Secure informed consent
Keep information of participants confidential
Report research findings honestly and carefully
Base generalizations on more than one study

34. What Should We Study?
Are scientists studying issues that are crucial to human development?
Part of ethics is making sure we choose topics of importance to children and to all people.