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
Kean University
LIFESPAN DEVELOPMENTAL
PSYCHOLOGY
PSY 3110-01
Mondays & Wednesdays, 11:00am – 12:20pm
Spring 2008
Instructor: Verneda P. Hamm Baugh, Ph.D.
Office: J-330D
908-737- 4008
 Course Syllabus
 Selected Class Assignments
 Selected Reviews
Name _______________________
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Lifespan Developmental Psychology (Psy 3110-01)
Monday & Wednesday 11:00am 12:20pm
Course Syllabus – Spring 2008
Instructor: Dr. Verneda P. Hamm Baugh Office: Hutchinson Hall, J-330D
Phone: 908-737-4008 (direct line); 908-737-4000 (secretary)
Email: vbaugh@kean.edu
Office Hours: Monday & Wednesday 9:30am – 11:00am; Friday 9:30am – 12:00pm; also by
appointment
Required Text: Newman, B. M., & Newman P. R. (2006). Development Through Life: A
Psychosocial Approach. 9th Edition. California: Wadsworth Publishing
Course Objectives
The objective of this course is to introduce students to the study of human development
from conception through old age. The course will highlight a psychosocial framework that
emphasizes the role of genetic, maturational, societal, and self-directed factors in development.
Course Requirements
Students must read the required assignments and participate in discussions of the
readings. Assignments related to topics under discussion are given throughout the course. The
completion of these assignments will constitute 20% of the final grade. There will be 4 exams
worth 20% each. The course outline contains exam dates but the outline may change at any
time; therefore, class attendance is crucial. Make-up exams will be given only in the case of
excused absences and with prior approval. Make-up exams must be taken within one week of
the original exam date.
Attendance
Class attendance is required of all students. Consistent and active student participation is
necessary for the success of this course. Excused absences include doctor’s notes, official
university business or other documented letters/forms including the name and phone number of
the person providing the excuse. Regular attendance will be taken at the beginning of every
class. More than 3 unexcused absences will result in a
5- point deduction from the final computed average. More than 5 unexcused absences will
result in a 10 point deduction from the final computed average. The Kean University policy on
class attendance, effective Fall 2007 is as follows:
“Attendance is expected in all courses. Attendance will be a component of the grade of any
course if so stated in the syllabus. Students are responsible for informing the instructor in
advance or in a timely manner of the reasons for their absence. Instructors in consultation
with their department chairs are expected to respect university practices and policies
regarding what counts as an excused absence. Typically excused absences include illness,
bereavement, or religious observances. Serious tardiness may be dealt with at the
discretion of the instructor.” Documentation of excused absence must be provided.
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Academic Dishonesty – No form of academic dishonesty (cheating, plagiarism, etc.) will be
tolerated. Kean University has established guidelines for all academic dishonesty. Suspected
academic dishonesty will be dealt with according to those guidelines. Visit
http://www.kean.edu/academicintegrity.html to read Kean University’s policy.
Notes
1. The last day to withdraw from this class with a grade of W is March 26, 2008.
2. Please turn all electronic devices to the off, silent, or vibrate position during the class
period. Phone and other electronic interruptions during class will result in a 5-point
reduction of grade after the first warning.
3. No electronic devices of any type should be visible during class or during exams.
4. No caps, hoods, or earpieces may be worn during exams.
5. Attendance will be taken at each class meeting.
6. Assignments will not be accepted via email.
5. Foul language (cursing) is not acceptable.
Grading
Grades will be assigned according to the following scale:
A (96-100%)
C+ (76-79%)
A- (90-95%)
C (70-75%)
B+ (87-89%)
D (60-69%)
B (84-86%) B- (80-83%)
F (below 60%)
Course Outline
Following is a tentative schedule for the chapters to be covered, assignments and exam dates.
Week 1
Jan 23
Introduction and Overview of Class
Chapter 1 (Development Through Life Perspective)
Personal Timeline
Week 2
Jan 28
Jan 30
Chapter 2 – (The Research Process)
Chapter 3 – (Psychosocial Theory)
Take-home assignment 1 (assigned)
Week 3
Feb 4
Feb 6
Chapter 4 – (Major Theories)
Continue Chapter 4
Take-home assignment 1 - due
Chapter 5 (Pregnancy and Prenatal Dev.)
Week 4
Feb 11
Continue Chapter 5
In-class assignment 1
Review; Catch up
In-class assignment 1 (if necessary)
Feb 13
Week 5
Feb 18
Feb 20
No Class: President’s Day
Exam 1 – Chpts. 1-5
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Week 6
Feb 25
Feb 27
Chapter 6 (Infancy)
Continue Chpt. 6
In class assignment 2
Take-home assignment 2 (assigned)
Week 7
Mar 3
Mar 5
Chapter 7 (Toddlerhood)
Continue Chpt. 7
Take-home assignment 2 - due
Chapter 8 (Early School Age)
Week 8
Mar 10
Mar 12
Review chpts. 6-8
Group meetings
Exam 2 – Chpts. 6-8
Mar 17, 19
Spring Break 
Week 9
Go to: www.childtrends.org - Search 2006-08- copy/read article
Go to: www.infinityplus.co.uk/stories/donysidro.htm - copy/read story
Week 10
Mar 24
Mar 26
Chapter 9 (Middle Childhood)
Take-home assignment 3 (assigned)
Chapter 10 (Early Adolescence)
Last day to Withdraw from class with a “W” grade
Week 11
Mar 31
Apr 2
Week 12
Apr 7
Continue chpt. 10
Discuss ChildTrends article
Group meetings
Chapter 11 (Later Adolescence)
Take-home Assignment 3 – due
Apr 9
Continue chpt. 11
Group meetings
Review chpts. 9-11
Week 13
Apr 14
Apr 16
Exam 3 – Chpts. 9-11
Chapter 12 (Early Adulthood)
Week 14
Apr 21
Continue chpt. 12
Group meetings
Chapter 13 (Middle Adulthood)
Take-home portion of exam 4 discussed
Apr 23
Week 15
Apr 28
Apr 30
Chapter 14 (Later Adulthood)
Group meetings
Chapter 15 (Very Old Age)
Group meetings
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Week 16
Week 17
May 5
May 7
Review/Catch up
Take-home portion of exam 4 - due
Exam 4 – Chpts. 12-15
May 12
Exam 4 – if necessary
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January 23, 2008
Lifespan Developmental Psychology
Psychology 3110
Personal Time Lines
This task to is help you begin to think from a lifespan developmental perspective. Your task is to
create a personal time line. Draw a line across the paper. Label one end birth, the other end death.
Write major life events along the time line (e.g., high school graduation).
1. What are some age-graded expectations that are common? How do the events on the time line
demonstrate the interaction of biological, psychological, and societal systems?
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Lifespan Developmental Psychology
Psychology 3110
Interview Questions
1. Who is your personal hero?
2. At what point did you know you were growing up?
3. Complete the sentence: “The most difficult period of my life was between the ages of ____ and
_____.”
4. Complete the sentence: “Ten years from now I see myself…..”
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Take-home assignment 1
Due: February 6, 2008
Refer to chart in book.
***No late papers will be accepted***
***Feel free to turn papers in earlier than the due date***
Psychosocial Theory
The basic tenet of the psychosocial theory is that development occurs throughout life in a series of
stages. Refer to the chart in the book. Based on your age, which stage of development does the
theory predict you are currently facing? You may feel that the previous stage, or the following
stage, better reflects your current situation.
In 1 – 2 double-spaced typed pages, discuss your stage of psychosocial development by addressing
the following questions.
1. Where does the theory place you in the life stages?
2. Do you believe that there is a close fit between the developmental tasks and psychosocial crisis
and your current life circumstances? (It may be helpful to turn to the relevant chapter and briefly
review the tasks and crisis.)
3. If so, briefly discuss them. If not, what stage better addresses your life stage?
Remember that the ages in the theory are not set in stone. However, the stages are sequential: it is
not possible to skip a stage. All stages influence those that follow.
Please note:
All papers must be typed with your name in the upper left-hand corner of the first page. Please use
standard white paper and black print and use 12pt. font. Please do not use binders, cover pages, or
covers of any kind. Please staple multiple page in the upper left-hand corner.
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Take-home assignment 2
Due: March 5, 2008
***No late papers will be accepted***
***Feel free to turn papers in earlier than the due date***
You have a choice between 2 assignments. Read the descriptions of the two assignments carefully
before making a decision.
Option 1 – Toddlerhood and Autonomy
The years during toddlerhood are marked by the development of a sense of mastery and
autonomy. The child sees himself as separate from his parents and has a desire to “do things his
way and by himself:. The child is faced with the conflict of wanting to do things his way and social
demands. Much parental authority is required during these “terrible twos” through age 4.
Your assignment is to observe and describe in detail a parent-toddler interaction in a public
setting such as a park, grocery store, shopping mall, religious setting, etc. Limit you paper to 1 – 2
double-spaced typed pages. Place your name in the upper left-hand corner of the first page. Use
white paper, black ink and 12pt. font size.
What are the characteristics of adult-toddler interactions? To what extent does the
communication rely on verbal and non-verbal channels? How are these conversations similar and
different from interactions between adults? How does the environment contribute to the
interaction?
Pay particular attention to the mood of the interaction: How does the adult appear in the
interaction? In what behaviors is the child engaging to establish his/her autonomy/independence?
In what behaviors does the adult engage in order to establish authority?
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Take-home assignment 2
Due: March 5, 2008
***No late papers will be accepted***
***Feel free to turn papers in earlier than the due date***
You have a choice between 2 assignments. Read the descriptions of the two assignments carefully
before making a decision.
Option 2 - Conservation of Liquids
In this assignment you will conduct a very simple experiment; a test of conservation using
children who are currently in Piaget’s stage of preoperational thought which begins in toddlerhood
and goes into middle childhood (approximately age 2 to 6/7 years of age). Preoperational children
tend to centrate: they focus on one aspect of a situation and neglect others, often coming to illogical
conclusions. They cannot decenter, or think simultaneously about several aspects of a situation.
A classic example is one of Piaget’s most famous experiments. He designed it to test
children’s development of conservation – the awareness that two things that are equal remain so if
their shape is altered so long as nothing is added or taken away. He suggested that children do not
fully understand this concept until the stage of concrete operations, normally in middle childhood.
Your task is to show a child (4-6 years old) two identical clear glasses, both short and wide
and holding the same amount of water or juice. Then pour the water from one glass into a third
taller, thinner glass. Now, ask the child whether both glasses contain the same amount of water, or
whether one contains more. Wait for the child to answer (most likely he/she will say that the tall
glass has more water). Then ask the child why he/she answered the way they did. Then, pour the
water from the tall glass back into the short glass and ask the child whether the glasses now have the
same amount of water (if the child is truly preoperational he/she will say they are equal again)_.
1. Record the child’s age.
2. Record exactly what you ask the child.
3. Record the child’s exact answers to your questions.
4. Answer the question: Is the child in the stage of preoperational thought? What leads you to
draw this conclusion?
Limit your paper to 1 – 2 double-spaced typed pages. Place your name in the upper left-hand corner
of the first page. Use white paper, black ink, and 12pt. font size. Staple multiple pages in the lefthand corner.
Note:
At no time should you laugh at or in any way make the child feel as if he/she is doing or saying
anything wrong. Always be encouraging and supportive of the child’s response. Use words like
good, that’s good, you did a good job often. Besides, the child’s responses are correct for his/her
stage of cognitive development.
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Take-home assignment 3
Due: April 2, 2008
***No late papers will be accepted***
***Feel free to turn papers in earlier than the due date***
Erikson described the period of free experimentation before a final identity is achieved as
psychosocial moratorium. This moratorium allows individuals freedom from the daily
expectations for role performance. this allows for a time of experimentation with new roles, values,
and belief systems before identity achievement is reached.
You are to write a short “What if” paper focusing on what you would do if you had no obligations
and received a two-year fellowship to follow any path or pursue any goals you wished. How would
you spend this period of psychosocial moratorium? Would you experiment with roles different
from those you are currently plaly? Are you currently in a period of psychosocial moratorium? If
so, what roles are you experimenting with now?
The paper should be 1 – 2 double-spaced typed pages and clearly describe how your identity
achievement would be different from what it is now, if at all. Remember to write your name in the
upper left-hand corner of the first page and staple multiple pages in the left-hand corner. Use white
paper, black ink, and 12pt. font size.
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In-class Assignment 1
Discuss psychosocial factors (biological system, psychological system, and societal system) that are
likely to impact the woman described below. As a group, list as many factors for each system as
possible. Finally, decide as a group if the sex and name of the child.
Keep notes of the decisions made by the group. You will need this information as we move
through the stages of the child.
I. Karen
Happily married, planned pregnancy, she and her husband are both high-powered attorneys hoping
to become partners at the law firm, they own their home, she sees her family physician regularly
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------II. Susan
Single college student, planned to attend medical school, works part-time, does not have a good
relationship with the father of the baby and does not know where he is, lives with her parents, no
medical coverage
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------III. Mary
Unhappily married in an abusive relationship, has 3 children, pregnancy unplanned, lives several
hundred miles from other family members and has no close friends.
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In-class Assignment 2
Infancy and Attachment
One of the major developmental tasks in infancy is the development of social attachments. This
attachment is usually formed with the primary carergiver. In the following scenarios we will
assume that the primary caregiver is the mother although attachments can, and often are, formed
with other people who perform a large portion of the child-care activities or who interact regularly
with the child.
As we have discussed, attachment is affected by what the baby and mother do and how they
respond to each other. Because of this, different types of attachments are formed based on how the
mother responds to the baby and ultimately how the baby reacts to the mother. The attachments
formed can be secure, avoidant, or ambivalent (resistant).
Now, refer back to the life circumstances of your group’s mother (Karen, Susan, or Mary). Given
the different circumstances and psychological systems at play, it is possible, though not definite, that
different types of attachments will develop for the three women.
Karen - happily married, planned pregnancy, she and her husband are lawyers, she is healthy, has a
family physician.
Susan – single college student, works part-time, does not have a good relationship with the father of
the baby and does not know where he is, lives with her parents.
Mary – unhappily married in an abusive relationship, has 3 children, pregnancy unplanned.
Based on the discussions your group had, what is your prediction about the type of attachment we
can expect for the mother and child? What support systems do you anticipate the woman will have?
What obstacles will the child have to overcome as he/she faces the psychosocial crisis of trust
versus mistrust?
Keep notes of the decisions made by the group. You will need this information as we move
through the stages of the child.
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www.childtrends.org
search: 2006-08
Lifespan Developmental Psychology
Psychology 3110
Trends and Recent Estimates: Sexual Activity Among U.S. Teens
Read article and take note of:
a.
b.
c.
d.
Trends in teen sexual activity
Differences based on gender and race
Trends in heterosexual sexual intercourse compared to other forms of sexual activity
Relationship between age of dating partner and likelihood of sexual activity
Be prepared to discuss this article in class.
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Identity – Four Cases
Below are brief case studies that illustrate the four possible resolutions of the identity crisis. For
each of the cases below, suggest the most appropriate identity status.
1. Eleanor: Eleanor’s parents are both physicians. In college she majored in French, spending
a semester in France studying French art and culture. Upon graduation she surprised her
parents by announcing that she had applied to medical school. A close relationship with a
friend in nursing and a summer job as a hospital volunteer had helped her arrive at the
decision. Eleanor’s identity status would probably be described as
____________________________.
2. Kevin: Kevin has changed his college major several times; it will be about 6 years before he
graduates. Since his parents have pointedly objected to this extra expense, Kevin has
cheerfully taken a variety of jobs ranging from short order cook to forest firefighter. He likes
work that allows him time to think and be alone; his few friends are very much the same.
Kevin’s grades are generally high, though his record is marred by a number of
“incompletes”. He has had one very satisfying relationship with a young woman and is
searching rather anxiously for another. Kevin’s identity status would probably be described
as _________________________.
3. Wendy: Wendy’s mother is a psychologist who is heavily involved in women’s groups and
women’s issues. Wendy admires her mother very much, having seen her strength tested in a
very bitter divorce when Wendy was just 8 years old. Wendy believes that she, too, will be a
strong and assertive woman. She avoids people (especially men) who either don’t see her in
that light or try to bring out her “other sides”. She certainly steers clear of her stepmother,
who (although pleasant) is a very disorganized and an “arty” person. Wendy’s college
grades are very high, and her course selections reflect an unvarying interest in psychology,
politics, and women’s studies. Wendy’s identity status would probably be described as
___________________________.
4. Ronald: Ronald is a freshman at a college near his old high school. He comes home nearly
every weekend but does not enjoy himself once he is there. He avoids talking to his parents
or old high-school friends, preferring to play computer games in his room. Periodically he
engages in impulsive shopping; after these sprees he comes home and talks excitedly about
the latest electronic gadget he has acquired. He gets angry if his parents ask what he
considers to be foolish questions, and angrier still if they patronize him. Ronald is enrolled
in courses he has been told are easy, and he does not have strong feelings about his studies or
his grades. Ronald’s identity status would probably be described as
_______________________.
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Lifespan Developmental Psychology
Review - Exam I
Following are a few questions that you can use to help prepare for the exam. These questions are
not exhaustive of all of the material we covered. This is intended to serve as a study aid only.
Please refer to your notes and the relevant areas in the text as you prepare for the exam.
1. Which of the following is an assumption of the text? (Be sure to review the Newman and
Newman assumptions in the text)
a. psychological growth occurs only up to age 25.
b. individual lives show continuity and change over the lifespan.
c. it is best to study each element of human behavior separately
rather than trying to look at interrelationships between systems.
d. the environment is more important than heredity in determining
development.
2. According to the psychosocial theory, what are the major systems that interact to produce
human experience?
a. somatic (biological), ego (psychological), and societal systems
b. democratic, capitalist, and egalitarian systems
c. fantasy, reasoning, and communication systems
d. (somatic) biological, physiological, and metabolic systems
3. Which of the following is a component of the societal system?
a. reasoning
b. cultural myths
c. reality testing
d. motor skills
4. In the case of Rose, a change in social relationships leads to which of the following?
a. being rejected by her children
b. physical symptoms
c. self-insight
d. self-acceptance
5. Which of the following best defines a longitudinal design?
a. a study that compares people of different ages at one time.
b. a study that follows a group of people over a number of years.
c. a study that follows a group of people of different ages over a period of time.
d. a study that looks back in time to an earlier period of a person's life.
6. Which of the following is a special focus of psychosocial theory?
a. it addresses stability across the life span rather than change.
b. it focuses on the individual, not on society.
c. it addresses new changes from infancy through old age.
d. it attributes development primarily to unconscious forces.
7. Which of the following is not a central concept of psychosocial theory?
a. stages of development
b. functional autonomy of motives
c. coping
d. psychosocial crisis
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8. Which of the following terms refers to the tension between the person's competencies and
societal demands at each stage of life?
a. core pathology
b. developmental task
c. psychosocial crisis
d. critical period
9. What is one assumption of Freud's psychoanalytic theory?
a. all behavior is a product of chance.
b. all behavior is motivated
c. all behavior is a product of reinforcement
d. all behavior is a product of personal aspirations
10. Bob has recently lost his job. After a few days of feeling discouraged and angry about it, Bob
decides to visit a career counselor. He goes to the library and borrows some books on emerging
career opportunities. He talks to some people who also lost their jobs and finds out how they got
started in a new field. Which term best summarizes Bob's efforts?
a. coping behavior
b. stagnation
c. identity formation
d. radius of significant others
11. Which is the psychosexual stage in which the conflict focuses on the subordination of the
child’s will to the demands of the culture for appropriate toilet habits?
a. genital
b. phallic
c. anal
d. oral
12. One of the basic assumptions of Piaget's theory of cognitive development is that organisms
strive to achieve ______.
a. concrete operational thought
b. metacognition
c. psychosocial tasks
d. equilibrium
13. During which stage do the Oedipal and Electra conflicts occur?
a. genital
b. latency
c. phallic
d. anal
14. In cognitive developmental theory, adaptation is viewed as a product of two complimentary
processes. They are
a. fixation and denial
b. stimulus and response
c. reward and punishment
d. assimilation and accommodation
15. How does a father's presence during labor and delivery affect childbirth?
a. labor and delivery take longer
b. mothers are more self-conscious
c. mothers have shorter labor when fathers are present
d. fathers' presence has not systematic impact on the length of labor
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16. Which of the following is an example of a cultural attitude of shame toward pregnancy?
a. giving help to a pregnant woman
b. viewing a pregnant woman as sexually desirable
c. keeping pregnancy a secret as long as possible
d. eating special foods during pregnancy
17. Which of the following describes the embryo during the early weeks of gestation (3-4 weeks)?
a. insensitive to disruptive influences of teratogens
b. almost ten inches long
c. particularly sensitive to disruptive influences of teratogens
d. responsive to light.
Questions to consider.
1.
What can happen in a person's development if a psychosocial crisis is resolved
toward the negative pole?
2.
Considering Rose, Mary, Susan, and Karen, how do the three systems (ego, somatic,
and societal) interact?
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Lifespan Development
Review - Exam 2
For each stage of development be able to identify the psychosocial crisis, central process, prime
adaptive ego quality, and the core pathology.
Chpt. 6. Infancy
1. Which of the following sensory/motor systems is LEAST well developed in newborns?
a. vision
b. hearing
c. taste
d. voluntary motor activity
2. Jean Piaget described the period from birth to 2 as the stage of ______________.
a. sensorimotor intelligence
b. Oedipal conflict
c. initiative versus guilt
d. preoperational thought
3. As infants approach an unfamiliar person, they look to their mother and use her facial
expressions as a source of information about the situation. Under these conditions, the
mother serves as a(n) _________________.
4. What are the characteristics of the mother and child for the three types of attachment?
5. By what age do children show object permanance?
Chpt. 7. Toddlerhood
1. Children begin toddlerhood with uncoordinated hesitant movement skills and
a. remain this way until the next stage of development
b. make amazing accomplishments in acquiring coordination and complex
locomotor skills by the end of the stage.
c. their locomotor skills are already developed by this stage
d. none of the above
2. Which of the following is not a characteristic of representational skills?
a. frees children from real events
b. allows children to express relationships they have known in the past
c. allows children to portray events and relationships they wish would
occur
d. increases children's reliance on sensorimotor schemes
3. Mischel found that children who can delay gratification tend to be
a. less intelligent
b. little achievement goals
c. more intelligent
d. none of the above
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4. Which of the following is not an important factor in a toddler's ability to control impulses
a. increased ability to withstand delays in gratification
b. increased verbal abilities
c. development of symbolic imagery
d. increased understanding of the concept of distance
True or False
1. During toddlerhood children learn to recognize symbols and signs.
2. In the first few months of life, infants produce the full range of sound of all human language in
their cooing and babbling.
Chpt. 8. - Early School Age
1. What are sex-role standards?
a. cultural expectations about appropriate behavior for males & females
b. knowing that gender is stable
c. wanting to do the things that members of your sex are expected to do
d. wanting to grow up to be like your same-sex parent
2. According to behavioral learning theory, internalization is a result of
a. empathy
b. identification
c. cognitive judgments
d. rewards and punishments
3. When a person decides whether something is morally right or wrong based on how individuals
in positions of authority view it, the person is said to be at which level of moral reasoning?
a. preconventional
b. conventional
c. postconventional
d. unconventional
4. A person's evaluation about his or her own worthiness is called
a. self-esteem b. egocentrism c. self theory
d. dissonance
5. What is the psychosocial crisis of early school age
a. trust versus mistrust
b. initiative versus guilt
c. industry versus inferiority d. autonomy versus shame and doubt
True or false
1. One's level of self-esteem is associated with the willingness to take risks and one's expectations
about success or failure.
Questions to consider.
1. What are two characteristics of children who have well-developed pretending skills?
2. What are three ways toddlers can use language to help them manage their impulses?
3. What are the four elements of understanding gender as a concept?
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Lifespan Developmental Psychology
Review - Exam 3
Following is a list of review questions that may help you prepare for the exam.
1. What factors influence a middle school age child's self-evaluation?
2. Compare/contrast physical maturation between girls and boys and the effects of early and
late maturation.
3. What are characteristics of formal operational thought and what factors contribute to its
development?
4. What are characteristics of adolescent emotional development?
5. What factors influence sexual activity in males and females?
6. What are the possible identity developments?
7. What is psychosocial moratorium?
8. What factors contribute to autonomy from parents?
9. What factors influence sex-role identity and how does it contribute to career choice?
10. What role do discipline styles have in a middle school aged child's ability to form friendships?
11. Be familiar with the psychosocial crisis, central process, adaptive ego quality, and core
pathology for each stage.
12. What are 5 ways which parents influence a child's reading achievement?
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Lifespan Developmental Psychology
Review Exam 4
Following are a few questions that you can use to help prepare for the exam. These questions are
not exhaustive of all of the material we covered. Please refer to your notes and the relevant areas
in the text as you prepare for the exam.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
What are the ego qualities that have led to the ability to resolve the crisis in middle
adulthood in favor of generativity?
Compare and contrast the psychosocial stages of middle and later adulthood. What
skills (tasks) are important in both period for successful development, and what
skills are relatively unique to each stage for successful development? What
characteristics of behavior in the former must change in order to develop
successfully in the latter?
Suppose a large proportion of older adults in a society fail to achieve a sense of
integrity, and instead close their lives in a state of despair. What would be the
implications of this outcome for individuals in earlier life stages?
What is the relationship between health and intellectual ability?
Describe an ideal environment that would prevent the deterioration of cognitive
abilities and would optimize cognitive functioning in later adulthood.
What is the relationship between perception of age and life satisfaction?
Explain how one's point of view about death is likely to change from toddlerhood
through later life.
What is social support and how does it contribute to the health and well being of
very old adults?
What factors predict physical functioning in the very old?
Your successful, well-rounded, satisfied 94-year-old grandfather heard that you
were taking a course on lifespan development. He calls you on the phone and
wants you to tell him about development; specifically all those factors that have led
him to where he is today. How would you explain development from a
psychosocial perspective making sure to include a discussion of how each stage is
dependent on the resolution of the previous psychosocial crisis? Take a few minutes
and describe development according to Newman and Newman.