Human Development Chapter 1 Study guide
Define development
the pattern of movement or change that begins at conception and continues through the human life span.
Why should we study development?
What do developmentalists study?
all kinds of people (young, rich, poor, old, etc) to try to identifiy universalities (beyond birth and death) and differences (beyond unique genetics)
Describe development according to lifespan persepctive?
Briefly describe Lifelong in the life-span perspective?
development is lifelong no age period dominates development studies
Briefly describe mutidimensional in the life-span perspective?
no matter what the age, your mind, body, emotions, and relationships are changing and affecting each other. Development has biological, cognitive, and socioemotional dimensions.
Define Biological processes
change in a person's physical nature
Define Cognitive processes
changes in a person's thought, intelligence, and language
Define Socioemotional processes
changes in a person's relationships with other people, emotions, personality
Briefly describe Multidirectional in life span perspective
Change occurs in every direction, not always a straight line.
Throughout life we experience gains and losses
Briefly describe Multidisciplinary in life span perspective
The study of lifespan overlaps many fields, including biology, psychology, religion, anthropology, etc
Briefly describe Multicontextual in life span perspective
Human lives are embedded in many contexts including
historical conditions (people born at the same time experiencing the same historical events), economic constraints, family patterns, when you were born
what are the 3 Influences of Context
define normative age graded influence
influences that are similar for individuals in a particular age group
Define normative history graded influences
influences that are common to people of a particular generation because of a particular historical circumstances
define nonnormative or highly individualized life events
unusual occurrences that have a major impact on an individual's life
briefly describe plastic in the life span perspective
the capacity for change. Every individual and every trait within each individual can be altered at any point in the life span. However, possible, we posses less capacity for change as we grow older.
briefly describe the involvement of growth,maintenance, and regulation in the life span perspective
Development is a co-construction of biological, cultural, and individual factors working together. For example, the brain shapes culture, but it is also shaped by culture and the experiences that individuals have or pursue
briefly describe construction through biological, sociocultural, and individual factors working together in the life span persepctive
these are co constructors of development. As individuals, we can actively choose things from the environment that optimize our lives
what are some contemporary concerns in the study of human development
define culture
encompasses the behavior patterns, beliefs, and all other products of a particular group of people that are passed on from generation to generation
define ethnic group
people whose ancestors were born in the same region and often share a language, culture and religion
define race
a group of people regarded as genetically distinct from others based on physical appearance
what are the four ages of development>
Nature vs Nurture debate
Nature believes behaviors are innate, hard wired, genetically determined
Nurture believes behaviors are learned, flexible, and not genetically determined
Stability Change debate
about whether we become older renditions of our early experience or whether we develop into someone different form who we were at an earlier point in development
Continuity - Discontinuity issue
debate about the extent to which development evolves
gradual cumulative changes or distinct stages
Briefly describe Urie Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Theory
Development reflects the influence of several environmental systems