GROWTH and DECLINE

CHAPTER 1

DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY
is the branch of psychology that studies intra-individual changes and inter-individual changes within these intra-individual changes. is the study of development change covering the life span from conception to death.

DEVELOPMENT:
means a progressive series of changes that occur as a result of maturation and experience.

implies qualitative change

I. Developmental Psychology, which studies growth and decline from conception to death, has six major objectives: 1. To find out the common and characteristic age changes 2. When these changes occur 3. What causes them 4. How they influence behavior 5. Whether they can be predicted 6. Whether they are universal or universal

II. There are five incentives to studying developmental changes: 1. Traditional beliefs 2. Practical problems engendered by these changes 3. A desire to disprove or prove theories about developmental changes

4.

An attempt to determine the relative importance of natures and nurtures influence on developmental changes 5. A desire to substantiate material accumulated from research or from practical experience

III. Attitudes toward developmental changes are influenced 1. By the individuals appearance and behavior 2. By cultural stereotypes 3. By cultural values 4. By role changes, and 5. By personal experiences

IV. There are 10 significant facts about development: a. Early foundations are critical b. Maturation and learning are responsible for development c. Development follows a definite and predictable pattern d. All individuals are different

e. Each phase of development has characteristic behavior and hazards f. Development is aided by stimulation and is affected by cultural changes g. There are social expectations for every stage of development and h. There are traditional beliefs about individuals at all ages

V. Even though all individuals are different, they follow definite and predictable patterns of developments that are similar for all.

 VI. Developmental tasks serve three useful purposes: 1. They are guidelines to enable individuals to know what society expects of them. 2. They motivate individuals to do what society expects. 3. They show individuals what lies ahead and what will be expected of them later.

VII. The 3 common potential hazards relating to developmental tasks are: 1. Inappropriate expectations 2. The bypassing of a stage of development due to failure to master the developmental tasks for that stage 3. The crises individuals experience as they pass from one stage of development to another

VIII. The life span of today differs from that of the past in 2 ways: 1. The proportion of individuals at different age levels is becoming increasingly similar 2. And American men and women live longer than those in other countries

The life span can be divided into 10 periods:

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

PRENATAL INFANCY BABYHOOD EARLY CHILDHOOD LATE CHILDHOOD

LIFE SPAN PERIODS cont.

6. PUBERTY 7. ADOLESCENCE 8. EARLY ADULTHOOD 9. MIDDLE AGE 10. OLD AGE

X. The recent focus of scientific interest in the life span has been on middle and old age, while the focus of interest was formerly centered on the early years of life.

XI. There are many obstacles in studying life-span development, the most common of which are: 1. Getting representative samples of subjects 2. Establishing rapport with subjects 3. Finding a satisfactory method for studying development at different ages

4. Verifying the accuracy of the data obtained. 5. Conforming to ethical standards regarding research at different age levels

XII. The most difficult and least satisfactorily coped-with obstacles in studying life-span development are finding suitable methods and conforming to ethical standards of research.

XIII. Because happiness and unhappiness are SUBJECTIVE states, information about them must come from introspective and retrospective reports, or from answers to questionnaires, all of which lack scientific accuracy.

XIV. At all ages, there are three essentials of happiness 1. ACCEPTANCE 2. AFFECTION and 3. ACHIEVEMENT
all of which must be fulfilled to the individuals satisfaction if happiness is to be attained.

XV. The major obstacles to happiness at any age may be subjective or environmental, though the former tend to dominate.