Introduction

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Development – Sequence of age-related changes that occur as a person progresses from conception to death.
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4 broad periods:
1.) Prenatal Development (between conception and birth)
2.) Childhood
3.) Adolescence
4.) Adulthood

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Begins with conception, ends with birth
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Fertilization creates a zygote- one celled organism resulting from union of sperm and egg
◦ All other body cells develop from this single cell
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Development is rapid during this period
◦ What would happen if this speed of development continued after birth?

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 a.) Germinal b.) Embryonic c.) Fetal

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Conception – first 2 weeks of life
Zygote is created
◦ It becomes a microscopic mass of multiplying cells
◦ Migrates from fallopian tube to uterus
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On 7 th day – the zygote implants on the uterine wall
◦ Placenta forms during this process
◦ Placenta- Structure allowing oxygen and nutrients to pass into fetus from mother’s bloodstream and bodily wastes to pass out to mother

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2 weeks – end of second month
Vital organs and bodily systems begin to form
◦ Heart, spine, brain gradually emerge
◦ Arms, legs, hands, feet becoming noticeable
Developing organism now called embryo
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Highly vulnerable period

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2 months – birth
Organism now called fetus
◦ Capable of physical movement, organs are growing and beginning to function
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Final 3 months
◦ Brain cells multiply
◦ Respiratory, digestive systems mature

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Importance of maternal nutrition
◦ Malnutrition =
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Effect of drug consumption
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Tobacco use =
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Fetal Alcohol Syndrome – Collection of congenital problems associated with excessive alcohol use during pregnancy
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STD’s

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Reality of childhood: orderly, predictable, gradual progression
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Motor Development- Progression of muscular coordination required for physical activity
◦ Grasping, crawling, running, etc.
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Older view of Motor Development:
◦ Maturation – development reflects a gradual unfolding of one’s genetic blueprint
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New View:
◦ Motor abilities develop as result of infants ongoing exploration of own world

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Developmental Norms- Typical (Median) age at which individuals display behaviors and abilities.
◦ Important to realize these are group averages
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Cultural Variations:
◦ Culture we are raised in (environment) can alter how quickly we reach developmental norms as children
 Ex.) Kipsigis

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Attachment- Close emotional bond between infant and caregiver (usually mother)
◦ Attachment is not instantaneous
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Separation Anxiety- Emotional Distress seen in many infants when they are separated from caregivers
◦ Ex study
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Explanations for attachment
◦ Behaviorists-
◦ Monkey study-
◦ Biological Explanation-

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Mary Ainsworth outlined 3 attachment types between infant and caregiver
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1.) Secure attachment – children play and explore comfortably with mom present; upset when she leaves and calm upon return
◦ Mothers are responsive
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2.) Anxious- Ambivalent – Anxious when mom is near; protest when she leaves; not particularly comforted upon return
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3.) Avoidant- Seek little contact with mothers and not distressed when she leaves
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These are dependent on role of mother
These affect later relationships with others

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Jean Piaget Theory:
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Piaget developed stage theory of how thinking develops in children
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4 stages:
◦ 1.) Sensorimotor Stage
◦ 2.) Preoperational Stage
◦ 3.) Concrete Operational Stage
◦ 4.) Formal Operational Stage

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1.) Sensorimotor Stage- Birth to age 2
◦ Children have some symbolic thought by end of period
◦ Children begin to coordinate senses with movement
◦ Towards end of stage:
◦ Object Permanence – Child recognizes that objects continue to exist even when invisible
 Demo
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2.) Preoperational Stage – Age 2- 7
Symbolic thought more fully developed with flaws:
◦ Centration – Focus on only one feature of a problem
◦ Irreversibility – Inability to envision reversing an action
◦ Egocentrism – Limited ability to see other’s viewpoint
◦ Animism – Belief all things are living

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3.) Concrete Operational Stage- Age 7 – 11
◦ Flaws of previous stage corrected:
 Reversibility, decentration
◦ Conservation – Awareness that physical quantities remain constant in spite of changes in shape or appearance
 Example conservation task
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4.) Formal Operational Stage- 11 – Adulthood
◦ Abstract thought develops
◦ Able to envision hypothetical possibilities related to love, justice free will

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Kohlberg Theory of Moral Reasoning
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When we are younger :
◦ Acts are right or wrong because of rewards or punishment
◦ Laws are finite rules, no exceptions
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As we become older:
◦ Understand laws are necessary for social order
◦ However, more flexibility in morals

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Changes accompanying adolescence:
◦ Growth Spurt
◦ Puberty
 Secondary sex characteristics – facial hair, muscle growth
 Primary sex characteristics- structures necessary for reproduction
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Females begin puberty at earlier age today
◦ Why?
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Who experiences most emotional difficulty?
◦ Girls maturing early or late?
◦ Boys maturing early or late?

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Consensus among experts is that adolescence is not a particularly difficult period.
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Not all experience storm and stress
◦ However, it is the most common here than all other ages
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Class thoughts?

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Main challenge of adolescence is to form clear sense of identity
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People experiment with identities
◦ Examples
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Make decisions about how present selves to world
◦ Fashion, interests, facebook wall

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As people get older, tend to decline in:
◦ Extroversion, neuroticism, openness in experience
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As people get older, tend to increase in:
◦ Agreeableness
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Question of Midlife Crisis
◦ Debate whether this turbulent period of doubt and reappraisal of one’s life is typical
◦ What does research suggest?

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Transitions in Family Life
◦ % postponing marriage to lage 20’s/early thirties is increasing
 Why?
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Adjusting to Marriage
◦ Difficulties may arise from substantial differences in role expectations
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Adjusting to Parenthood
◦ # choosing to remain childless increasing
◦ Vast majority still have children, though
◦ New child can disrupt routines, and lead to postpartum distress
◦ Research on marital satisfaction for couples with children:

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Adjusting to the empty nest
Empty nest- when children leave the home
◦ Most adjust effectively
◦ When do problems arise?
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Age-Related Changes
◦ Hair grays, hairline recedes, baldness
◦ Proportion of body fat increases, visual acuity declines
◦ Hearing sensitivity declines
◦ Women reach menopause
◦ Memory loss is moderate
◦ Speed in problem solving and information processing declines

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Erik Erikson believed we progress through 8 stages during life.
He felt we must resolve a crisis in each stage
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8 stages:
◦ 1.) Trust vs. Mistrust
◦ 2.) Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt
◦ 3.) Initiative vs. Guilt
◦ 4.) Industry vs. Inferiority
◦ 5.) Identity vs. Role Confusion
◦ 6.) Intimacy vs. Isolation
◦ 7.) Generativity vs. Self-Absorption
◦ 8.) Integrity vs. Despair

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1.) Trust vs. Mistrust (to age 1)
◦ Are our needs met from adults caring for us?
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2.) Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt (2-3)
◦ Is child able to take some personal responsibility for feeding, dressing?
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3.) Initiative vs. Guilt (3-6)
◦ Is child able to function socially in families?
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4.) Industry vs. Inferiority (6- puberty)
◦ Can child function socially in school and neighborhood?

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5.) Identity vs. Role Confusion- Adolescence
◦ Does adolescent find sense of self?
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6.) Intimacy vs. Isolation – early adulthood
◦ Does individual find capacity to share intimacy with others?
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7.) Generativity vs. Self-Absorption- middle adulthood
◦ Does individual show concern for future generation?
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8.) Integrity vs. Despair – Retirement years
◦ Does individual find meaning from life or bitterly dwell on past?