The Developing Person
Through the Life Span
Eighth Edition
Kathleen Stassen Berger
Part I
Chapter One
Introduction
Defining Development
The Life-Span Perspective
Using the Scientific Method
Cautions from Science
Defining Development
• Understanding How and Why
– The Scientific Method
– The Nature-Nurture Debate
– Critical and Sensitive Periods
– Genetic Vulnerability
Defining Development
• Including All Kinds of People
• Observing Changes Over Time
The Life-Span Perspective
• Development Is Multidirectional
• Development Is Multicontextual
– The Historical Context
– The Socioeconomic Context
The Life-Span Perspective
• Development Is Multicultural
– Learning Within a Culture
– Ethnicity Race and Culture
The Life-Span Perspective
• Development is Multidisciplinary
• A VIEW FROM SCIENCE: Mirror
Neurons
• Development Is Plastic
– Plasticity and David’s Future
Using the Scientific Method
• Observation
• The Experiment
• The Survey
Using the Scientific Method
• Studying Development over the Life
Span
– Cross-Sectional Research
– Longitudinal Research
– Cross-Sequential Research
Cautions from Science
• Correlation and Causation
• Quantity and Quality
• Ethics
– Protection of Research Participants
– Implications of Research Results
– What Should We Study?