Intro. To Human Development
Thursday, September 4, 2014 2:26 PM
Development; refers to changes over time in person's body, thought, and behavior due to biological and
environmental influences
• Development is examined using a chronological approach
Developmental psychologist; focus on common features of human development & usually divide life
span into developmental periods or stages that most people share
• Most people go through the stages in the same sequence BUT the timing does have
individual differences
• Culture, disabilities, abuse influence timeline of milestones in development
*Table 1-1 in book*
Interaction of Developmental Forces
1. Human Development is a result of several interacting forces
2. Interdisciplinary approach is necessary to fully understand all forces that impact the lifespan
3. Forces include biological potentials, social and environmental factors, and individual responses
to those circumstances
Guiding themes
1. Biological & Environmental affects development
2. Development occurs within a social context
3. Development is best understood by considering domains or categories of human experience
4. Development is best interpreted when placed in a theoretical framework
5. Development is best studied through use of scientific methods
The Nature of Human Development
• Individual biology and environment interact
○ Genes and experience interact
• Development is deeply embedded in sociocultural context
○ Maturation - developmental changes that are largely influenced by biological processes
○ Growth - physiological, quantifiable changes
○ Learning - what we learn as a result of interacting with our environment
○ Most development throughout the lifespan is a result of successive interactions between
biology and experience
• Children are viewed more favorably today than in the past as a result of changing historical
context
○ Immediate and obvious impact of children in war and child soldiers with PTSD
and depression
○ Child abuse laws began after there were animal rights laws put in place
• Collectivist cultures stress interdependence and cooperation ; individualistic cultures stress
competition and personal achievement
• Individualistic cultures emphasize individual achievement and competition
The Domains of Human Development
• Physical; changes in physical shape, size, sensory capabilities, motor skills
• Cognitive; acquisition of skills perceiving, thinking, reasoning, problem solving, language
• Personality; acquisition of stable and enduring personality traits
• Sociocultural; processes of socialization and enculturation
Human Development Page 1
,Theoretical Frameworks of Human
Development
Sunday, September 7, 2014 10:27 PM
Theories; broad frameworks of understanding; organized, coherent sets of ideas that help us
understand, explain, and make predictions
Basic Ideas about Theories
• No theory is either right or wrong
• It is best to consider what each theory contributes and to use knowledge to better understand
the phenomenon being studies
• Theories are based on data
• All theories change over time
Biological Views of Human Development
• Biological determined processes and events exert important influences on development
• Genetics studies biological instructions encoded in human genome
• Developmental Neuroscience focuses on links between brain function, behavior, and thought
• Evolution and Natural Selection focus on adaptation of a species to its environment
Human Development Page 2
,Developmental Neuroscience
Tuesday, September 9, 2014 2:40 PM
Adele Diamond
• Studies the relationship between brain structures, brain function, thought, emotion, and behavior
○ Specific focus on executive function
• Executive Function
○ Frontal lobe
Ability to shift
Sustained attention
Working memory
Nursing
• What can you do as a nurse
• How can you help people feel less stressed?
○ Provide referrals
• How can you assist parents?
○ Provide referrals
• How can you help?
○ Listen, talk, provide care
• How can you help?
○ Important for the brain that the body is healthy; promote self-care
Evolution
• Charles Darwin
• At the core of his theory is the theory of natural selection
○ Centers on the concept of survival of the fittest
○ Behaviors/characteristics that are better suited for the environment will lead to increased
survival and increased probability that the gene will be passed on
○ This occurs over many generations
• Theory very relevant to those who study human development
• Attachment
○ How does evolution assist in describing attachment
○ Remember environment and genetics
Psychodynamic Approach
• Role of unconscious mind and interactions of psychic processes emphasized
• Sigmund Freud
○ Three Processes
Id - impulses
Ego - mediator
Superego - conscious
○ Five Stages
In each stage sexual energies are channeled in different directions
If there is difficulty in a stage a person may become fixated
Sigmund Frued's Five Stages
Age Stage Description
0-18 months Oral Infant experiences pleasure from
stimulation of mouth, lips, and oral
activities especially sucking
18 mo - 3 years Anal Child's pleasure focuses on the anus and
elimination functions
Human Development Page 3
, 3 yr - 6 yr Phallic Child's pleasure focuses on the genitals
especially through masturbation
6 yr - 12 yr Latency Child represses sexual interests and
instead focuses on developing cognitive
and interpersonal skills
12 yrs + Genital Adolescence triggers the reemergence
of sexual impulses, with gratification
dependent on finding a partner
Erik Erikson
• Neo-Freudian
• Does not focus on psychosocial development or the onconscious
• Focuses on conscious process (ego)
• Core concept is ego identity
• Sense of who we are, self-concept or self-image
• Stages go through the lifespan
Erikson's Psychosocial Stages
*ages stages and descriptions from work*
Age Stage Description
0 - 12 Trust vs. mistrust Basic trust from environment and caregivers; needs are met; global
months impression that the world is a safe place.
However; if needs are not met they see the world as unforgiving and
untrustworthy place
12 mo - 3 Autonomy vs Toddlers can discover body and how to control it; feeding, dressing,
years shame & doubt toilet training & mobility; self-confidence
However; failure leads to feeling shame and self-doubt
3 yr - 6 yr Initiative vs guilt Manipulate world around them, gain sense of initiative to interact
with those around them
However; severely criticized leads to feeling guilty for actions
6 yr - 12 yr Industry vs Numerous skills developed in school and home, sense of self is
inferiority enriched by realistic development of such competencies; compared
with peers
Negative comparison shows inferiority
12 yr - 18 Ego identity vs ego Roles from life integrated into identity; seek basic values and morals
yr diffusion Two opposing roles lead to ego diffusion
18 yr - 40 Intimacy vs Individuals shares oneself with another person of either sex without
yr isolation fear of losing personal identity
Conflicts resolved
40 yr - 65 Generativity vs Direct energies to solution of social issues, resolving of conflicts
yr self-absorption Failure to resolve earlier conflicts leads to pre occupation with self
65 yr + Integrity vs Judge their lives; either satisfied with lives of meaning and
despair involvement or believe it is misdirected efforts and lost chances
leading to despair
Behavioral Views
• Processes that produce observable behavior are highlighted
○ Argued unobservable constructs was unscientific
• Pavlov
○ Classical conditioning: biologically based responses to environment
○ Naturally occurring reflexes become associated with environmental cue
Human Development Page 4
Thursday, September 4, 2014 2:26 PM
Development; refers to changes over time in person's body, thought, and behavior due to biological and
environmental influences
• Development is examined using a chronological approach
Developmental psychologist; focus on common features of human development & usually divide life
span into developmental periods or stages that most people share
• Most people go through the stages in the same sequence BUT the timing does have
individual differences
• Culture, disabilities, abuse influence timeline of milestones in development
*Table 1-1 in book*
Interaction of Developmental Forces
1. Human Development is a result of several interacting forces
2. Interdisciplinary approach is necessary to fully understand all forces that impact the lifespan
3. Forces include biological potentials, social and environmental factors, and individual responses
to those circumstances
Guiding themes
1. Biological & Environmental affects development
2. Development occurs within a social context
3. Development is best understood by considering domains or categories of human experience
4. Development is best interpreted when placed in a theoretical framework
5. Development is best studied through use of scientific methods
The Nature of Human Development
• Individual biology and environment interact
○ Genes and experience interact
• Development is deeply embedded in sociocultural context
○ Maturation - developmental changes that are largely influenced by biological processes
○ Growth - physiological, quantifiable changes
○ Learning - what we learn as a result of interacting with our environment
○ Most development throughout the lifespan is a result of successive interactions between
biology and experience
• Children are viewed more favorably today than in the past as a result of changing historical
context
○ Immediate and obvious impact of children in war and child soldiers with PTSD
and depression
○ Child abuse laws began after there were animal rights laws put in place
• Collectivist cultures stress interdependence and cooperation ; individualistic cultures stress
competition and personal achievement
• Individualistic cultures emphasize individual achievement and competition
The Domains of Human Development
• Physical; changes in physical shape, size, sensory capabilities, motor skills
• Cognitive; acquisition of skills perceiving, thinking, reasoning, problem solving, language
• Personality; acquisition of stable and enduring personality traits
• Sociocultural; processes of socialization and enculturation
Human Development Page 1
,Theoretical Frameworks of Human
Development
Sunday, September 7, 2014 10:27 PM
Theories; broad frameworks of understanding; organized, coherent sets of ideas that help us
understand, explain, and make predictions
Basic Ideas about Theories
• No theory is either right or wrong
• It is best to consider what each theory contributes and to use knowledge to better understand
the phenomenon being studies
• Theories are based on data
• All theories change over time
Biological Views of Human Development
• Biological determined processes and events exert important influences on development
• Genetics studies biological instructions encoded in human genome
• Developmental Neuroscience focuses on links between brain function, behavior, and thought
• Evolution and Natural Selection focus on adaptation of a species to its environment
Human Development Page 2
,Developmental Neuroscience
Tuesday, September 9, 2014 2:40 PM
Adele Diamond
• Studies the relationship between brain structures, brain function, thought, emotion, and behavior
○ Specific focus on executive function
• Executive Function
○ Frontal lobe
Ability to shift
Sustained attention
Working memory
Nursing
• What can you do as a nurse
• How can you help people feel less stressed?
○ Provide referrals
• How can you assist parents?
○ Provide referrals
• How can you help?
○ Listen, talk, provide care
• How can you help?
○ Important for the brain that the body is healthy; promote self-care
Evolution
• Charles Darwin
• At the core of his theory is the theory of natural selection
○ Centers on the concept of survival of the fittest
○ Behaviors/characteristics that are better suited for the environment will lead to increased
survival and increased probability that the gene will be passed on
○ This occurs over many generations
• Theory very relevant to those who study human development
• Attachment
○ How does evolution assist in describing attachment
○ Remember environment and genetics
Psychodynamic Approach
• Role of unconscious mind and interactions of psychic processes emphasized
• Sigmund Freud
○ Three Processes
Id - impulses
Ego - mediator
Superego - conscious
○ Five Stages
In each stage sexual energies are channeled in different directions
If there is difficulty in a stage a person may become fixated
Sigmund Frued's Five Stages
Age Stage Description
0-18 months Oral Infant experiences pleasure from
stimulation of mouth, lips, and oral
activities especially sucking
18 mo - 3 years Anal Child's pleasure focuses on the anus and
elimination functions
Human Development Page 3
, 3 yr - 6 yr Phallic Child's pleasure focuses on the genitals
especially through masturbation
6 yr - 12 yr Latency Child represses sexual interests and
instead focuses on developing cognitive
and interpersonal skills
12 yrs + Genital Adolescence triggers the reemergence
of sexual impulses, with gratification
dependent on finding a partner
Erik Erikson
• Neo-Freudian
• Does not focus on psychosocial development or the onconscious
• Focuses on conscious process (ego)
• Core concept is ego identity
• Sense of who we are, self-concept or self-image
• Stages go through the lifespan
Erikson's Psychosocial Stages
*ages stages and descriptions from work*
Age Stage Description
0 - 12 Trust vs. mistrust Basic trust from environment and caregivers; needs are met; global
months impression that the world is a safe place.
However; if needs are not met they see the world as unforgiving and
untrustworthy place
12 mo - 3 Autonomy vs Toddlers can discover body and how to control it; feeding, dressing,
years shame & doubt toilet training & mobility; self-confidence
However; failure leads to feeling shame and self-doubt
3 yr - 6 yr Initiative vs guilt Manipulate world around them, gain sense of initiative to interact
with those around them
However; severely criticized leads to feeling guilty for actions
6 yr - 12 yr Industry vs Numerous skills developed in school and home, sense of self is
inferiority enriched by realistic development of such competencies; compared
with peers
Negative comparison shows inferiority
12 yr - 18 Ego identity vs ego Roles from life integrated into identity; seek basic values and morals
yr diffusion Two opposing roles lead to ego diffusion
18 yr - 40 Intimacy vs Individuals shares oneself with another person of either sex without
yr isolation fear of losing personal identity
Conflicts resolved
40 yr - 65 Generativity vs Direct energies to solution of social issues, resolving of conflicts
yr self-absorption Failure to resolve earlier conflicts leads to pre occupation with self
65 yr + Integrity vs Judge their lives; either satisfied with lives of meaning and
despair involvement or believe it is misdirected efforts and lost chances
leading to despair
Behavioral Views
• Processes that produce observable behavior are highlighted
○ Argued unobservable constructs was unscientific
• Pavlov
○ Classical conditioning: biologically based responses to environment
○ Naturally occurring reflexes become associated with environmental cue
Human Development Page 4
