Developmental
Psychology
Chapter 4
From Birth to Death Life Span
Development
IX. Developmental Psychology
(7–9%)
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Life-Span Approach
Research Methods (e.g., longitudinal, crosssectional)
 Heredity-Environment Issues- Nature vs. Nurture
 Developmental Theories- Piaget, Freud, Erikson,
 Dimensions of Development:
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Physical
Cognitive- Piaget
Social
Moral-Kohlberg, Gilligan
Sex Roles, Sex Differences
Postpartum Depression
 http://www.healthatoz.com/healthatoz/Atoz
/common/standard/transform.jsp?requestU
RI=/healthatoz/Atoz/dc/caz/ment/depr/post
part.jsp
Erik Erikson
 Personality
theorist
 Student of Freud
 Built on Freud, found that
 Early childhood important for development
of personality (Life Span approach)
 Supported structure of the ID, Ego and
Superego- unconscious drives
 Believed that the main them in life was
quest for identity
Erikson and Identity Formation
 Identity
is the major core of personality
 Identity is: a stable image of the relation
between the self and the social world.
 Major psychological events (Dilemmas)
occur in typical life and can be anticipated.
“We all face predictable psychological
conflicts as we develop.”
 Identity Formation is a life long process


Has 8 stages
One built on the other
Erikson 8 Stages
 Each
stage has a main a developmental
task and some developmental milestones
that must be accomplished to progress.
 Crisis
and conflicts are inherent in each
stage
 Each stage has demands and possibilities
Erikson Stages
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Stage One: first year Trust vs. Mistrust (secure and
insecure attachments)
Stage Two: 1-3 years Autonomy vs. shame + doubt
Stage three: 3-5 years Initiative vs. guilt
Stage four: 6- 12 years Industry vs. Inferiority or
Adequacy vs. Inadequacy
Stage five: Adolescence: Identity vs. Role Confusion
Stage six: Young Adulthood: Intimacy vs. Isolation
Stage seven: Middle Adulthood: Generative vs.
Stagnation
Stage 8: Late Adulthood: Intimacy vs. Despair
Adolescence
Identity vs. Role Confusion

Turbulent period, culturally defined
 Between childhood and Adulthood
 Physical Development


Puberty
Sexual Maturation
Developmentally- adolescents are questioning:
•
•
•
•
Attitudes
“Who am I”
Sometimes there is role confusion
Conflicting roles: student, friend, athlete, worker,
son…
Adolescent- high emotion
“Romeo and Juliet syndrome”
 Rousseau
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
suggests three features:
Instability and emotional conflict-caused by
biological maturity
“He becomes deaf to the voice he used to
obey…he is a lion in a fervor,
He distrusts his keeper and refuses to be
controlled.”
Diversity of Identity:
Adolescents have multiple identities.
 Ethnic
Identity
Puberty-Biological Event

Girls- 9-12 years old, begin
 Boys- 11-14 years
 Hormonal changes

Cause rapid physical and sexual maturity

Immature- social experience, intellectual and
knowledge

Identity Formation- puberty- “Time to begin a
new self image”
Adolescence transition
 Adulthood



transition-
Responsibility for oneself
Independent decisions
Financial independence
Early and Late Maturation
 Bodily
awareness concerns
 Timing of puberty may cause
dissatisfaction over body
 Early maturation for boys is seen positive
in society (seen as athletic, self
assured…)
 Girls seen as less prestige

Poor self image.. (not in middle school)
Problems of Childhood

Normal Problems
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Overprotection
Sibling Rivalry
Childhood Rebellion
Divorce

• Delayed speech
• Telegraphic speech
• Stuttering

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Autism
Toilet Training disturbances
Feeding Disturbances
• Overeating
• Anorexia Nervousa
• Pica
Learning Disorders
• Dyslexia
• ADHD
Serious Problems

Speech Disturbances

Conduct Disorders
Autism
 Behaviors:
 Temper
tantrums Parroting back = Echolalia
 Repetitive Actions- rocking, flapping arms
 Sensory blocking- non responses
 Sensory spinout- watching faucet drip
Causes of Autism
 Congenital
defects in brain
 Symptoms occur before year 1 old
 Brains are larger than normal
 25% approach normalcy
 Treatment
helps- behavior modification
 Ivar Lovaas is a pioneer in the field

Shaped behavior through rewards and
punishment
Child Abuse: Defined- physical or emotional
harm caused by violence mistreatment or neglect
 Widespread-
3.5-14% abused by parents2million children physically abused in
US/year
Parents have high level of stress- causes
more abuse
Early Maturing Girls
 May
force premature identity formation
 Treated as an adult too early
 Creates distorted sense of self

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Date sooner
More independent
More active in school
In trouble at school
Early sex experiences
Parents and Teens
David Elkind (researcher)
 Hurried Adulthood
parents push kids too much
Causes too much stress
 Parents
affect Identity Formation: sometimes
creates- conflict

Dating, sex, substance abuse, freedom
 Parents
give up
should be authoritative- don’t give in or
Adolescent Perceptions
Elkind
 Imaginary Audiences:
teens are
preoccupied by imagining audiences


Concerned that they are being watched
Affects behavior
Kids try to control outside impressions
Autism: “Rain Man”
 Children
in own thoughts
 Fantasies
 Private impulses
 Extreme isolation
 Affects 1 in 2500
 4 times more boys than girls
 No interest in other people
 Not affectionate
Adolescents and Peer Group

Peer group
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People who share similar
Status
Security-identity
Social Network
During adolescence there is increased
identification with peer group
 Conformity peeks Group pressure can shut down personal growth
Foreclosure:
 Close
identification with a peer group and
or conformity can Shut Down personal
Growth = Foreclosure
Is it ok to loot during a riot?
Kohlberg
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Link to good web site
Kohlberg, who was born in 1927, grew up in Bronxville, New
York, and attended the Andover Academy in Massachusetts, a
private high school for bright and usually wealthy students. He did
not go immediately to college, but instead went to help the Israeli
cause, in which he was made the Second Engineer on an old
freighter carrying refugees from parts of Europe to Israel.
After this, in 1948, he enrolled at the University of Chicago, where
he scored so high on admission tests that he had to take only a few
courses to earn his bachelor's degree. This he did in one year. He
stayed on at Chicago for graduate work in psychology, at first
thinking he would become a clinical psychologist.
However, he soon became interested in Piaget and began
interviewing children and adolescents on moral issues. The result
was his doctoral dissertation (1958a), the first rendition of his new
stage theory.
Kohlberg
Moral Development
 Questions
of conscience solidifies during
adolescence
 Kohlberg- said- we learn moral values
through thinking and reasoning
 He posed dilemmas to study kids
 Found-
3 levels of moral development
based on reasoning
3 levels of Kohlberg
 Pre-Conventional-
Moral thinking result
of consequences


Punishments and rewards
Exchange of favors
 Conventional
Level- moral thinking -
based on desire to please others

Or to follow accepted rules and values
level- moral thinking 
based on self accepted thinking (mature)
 Post-Conventional
Kohlberg-6 Stages

People advance through stages differently many
don’t reach the end.

Stage 1-2 (Pre-conventional) young children and
delinquents
 Stage 3-4 (Conventional) group oriented morals


Older children and most adults
Stage 5-6 (Post Conventional) Self directed
morals- higher principles
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
20% of Adult population
Higher principles
Gilligan Moral
Development
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CAROL GILLIGAN Link
1936-Current
She is currently a Professor at the Harvard Graduate School of
Education and a principle investigator on numerous studies of girls'
and women's development.
In 1970, Gilligan was a research assistant for Lawrence Kohlberg. In
outrage and despair of the lack of attention given to women and girls
in psychological research, she began to study and research women's
development.
During the past 20 years, Gilligan has contributed to research on
adolescence, moral reasoning, and conflict resolution. She is best
known for her book called In a Different Voice: Psychological Theory
and Women's Development.
Gilligan and Moral Development
 Justice
or caring
 Found that caring about others or concern
for others = moral development
 Boys
look for justice
 Girls look for solution for all parties
Outline Both Gould and Levinson
and compare to Erikson

Gould

Levinson
Roger Gould Development
Patterns

“I started my academic psychiatric career as the
head of the U.C.L.A. outpatient and community
psychiatry department.

That’s where my lifelong focus on normal adult
development began. I have written papers and
textbook chapters as well as a book for the
general public (Transformations, Growth and
Change in Adult Life) based on research that I
and my colleagues did on the predictable
sequence of changing patterns and
preoccupations during the adult years.”
Gould’s Adult Development
Patterns

Age 16-18 Escape from dominance
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Age 18-22 Leaving the family
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Finding substitutes for family- closer relationships
Age 22-28 Building a workable life
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Escape from parents
Seeking competence <accomplishment>
Reaching out to others <intimacy>
Togetherness
Ages 29-34 Crisis of questions
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Minor life crisis
Serious questioning of what life is all about
Is this it?
Confidence waivers
Extra marital affairs + divorce occur commonly
Gould Continued
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Age 35-43 Crisis of Urgency
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Realization of reality of death
Only limited years
More desire for success – goals/career
Generativity- (the desire to leave a legacy)
• Nurturing, teaching, serving others- helps alleviate

Age 43-50 Attaining Stability
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Calm acceptance of Fate
“The die is cast.”
Appreciation of family
Age 50 and up Mellowing

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Savor life
Les concern for glamour, wealth, accomplishment,
abstract growth
Levinson: Midlife Crisis
5
periods of transition
 People in these periods express concerns
about identity, work and relationships
 Begins
ages 37-41
 Instability,
anxiety, change
 Last chance to achieve goals
Midlife Basics
 Menopause
 Hormone


depletion
Estrogen drops
Causes fatigue, hot flashes, anxiety, irritability,
depression
 Andropause “Empty
nest”
reduction of testosterone
6 elements of Well-being during
Adulthood
 Self Acceptance
 Positive
Relations with others
 Autonomy (personal freedom)
 Environmental mastery
 A purpose in life
 Continued personal growth
Kubler-Ross Death and Dying
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Web site:
Dr Elisabeth Kübler-Ross pioneered methods in the
support and counseling of personal trauma, grief and
grieving, associated with death and dying.

She also dramatically improved the understanding and
practices in relation to bereavement and hospice care.

Her ideas, notably the five stages of grief model (denial,
anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance), are also
transferable to personal change and emotional upset
resulting from factors other than death and dying.
Bereavement and Grieving