Chapter 1.1 five principles of lifespan development

Kuther, Lifespan Development: Lives in Context. © 2017, SAGE Publications. 2
Understanding Human Development:
Approaches and Theories

Dr. Kuther's Chalk Talks: Part I

What is Lifespan Human Development?
• The ways in which people grow, change, and
stay the same throughout their lives, from
conception to death

Phases of Life
• Phases of Life
– Prenatal (conception to birth)
– Infancy and toddlerhood (Birth to 2 years)
– Early childhood (2 to 6 years)
– Middle childhood (6 to 11 years)
– Adolescence (11 to 18 years)
– Early adulthood (18 to 40 years)
– Middle adulthood (40 to 65 years)
– Late adulthood (65 and beyond)
– Death

Development is
• Multidimensional
• Multidirectional
• Plastic
• Influenced by multiple contexts
• Multidisciplinary

Development is Multidimensional
• Development entails changes in many areas of
development:
– Physical development
• Body maturation and growth
– Cognitive development
• Maturation of thought processes
– Socioemotional development
• Changes in personality, emotions, views of
oneself, social skills, and interpersonal
relationships

Development is Multidirectional
• Development consists of:
– Gains and losses
– Growth and decline
– Example:
• Older adults’ social networks narrow and
have fewer friends; however, their
relationships become more significant and
meaningful

Development is Plastic
• Development is malleable or changeable
– Examples:

Development is Influenced
by Multiple Contexts
• Context:
– Where and when a person develops and
includes:
• The physical and social environment
• Neighborhood
• Country
• Culture
• Historical time period
• Values, customs, and ideals

Contextual Influences
• Cohort – A generation of people born at
the same time
– History-graded influences:
• Wars, epidemics, and economic shifts (i.e.,
The Great Depression)
– Age-graded influences:
• Events tied to chronological age (i.e., age
when someone graduates from high school)

Development is Multidisciplinary
• The contributions of many disciplines are
needed to understand how people grow,
think, and interact with their world
– Psychologists
– Sociologists
– Anthropologists
– Biologists
– Neuroscientists
– Medical researchers

Three Fundamental Questions
about Human Development
1. Do people remain largely the same over
time or do they change dramatically?
2. What role do people play in their own
development?
3. To what extent is development a function
of inborn genetic endowments, as
compared with the environment in which
individuals live?

VIDEO CASE
Context and Development: Large Family
Family size is an important context for development. A large
family offers unique supports.

Continuities and Discontinuities
in Development
• Continuous
– Slow and gradual change
• Example: A middle-aged adult experiencing
gradual loss of muscle
• Discontinuous
– Abrupt change
• Example: Puberty

Individuals Are Active in Development
• Individuals interact with and influence the
world around them
• Individuals create the experiences that
lead to developmental change
• Example:
– Children who are learning language
frequently ask the question “Why?” Adults
answer their questions, furthering their
knowledge

Nature and Nurture
Influence Development
• Nature:
– Developmental change is caused by inborn
genetic endowments or heredity,
maturational processes, and evolution
• Nurture:
– Individuals are molded by the physical and
social environment in which they are raised,
including the home, school, workplace,
neighborhood, and society

Current Focus on
the Nature-Nurture Issue
• Developmental scientists attempt to
determine how nature and nurture work
together to influence how people grow
and change throughout life

Chapter 1.1 five principles of lifespan development

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