Chapter 9

Life Span Development

 Nature VS. Nurture
Genetics and Environment
• Which has the greatest influence?
Methods of Studying Childhood Development

• A. Longitudinal - observation of the same groups of individuals

over a period of time (i.e.) days-weeks –months or a lifetime.
• B. Cross-Sectional- Observation of groups of individuals at
different age levels but at the same time.
• C. Real- Life- Observation of individuals without their knowledge
but in their own environment.
• D. Controlled Lab.- Setting up an experiment with a purpose in
mind.
 INFANCY

• Neonatal Range- Birth – 4 weeks. Inborn

reflexes include: rooting, sucking, blinking,
coughing, sneezing.
 Perceptual Development

• Vision: Research reports that infants do have color vision, though

muted.
• By 4 months true color vision has occurred.
• Babies are very nearsighted. They can see clearly about 8-12“ at
birth.
• Depth perception: Babies can see depth.
• The Visual Cliff Experiment
 Development Continued

• Hearing
• Physical Development
• Motor Development
• Memory Development- Infants show memory
as early as 2 weeks of age.
 COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT

•Jean Piaget: 1896-1980

•The development of knowledge is a

form of adaptation and interplay
with the environment.
The 4 Stages of Cognitive Development
1. Sensory – Motor: Birth -2 years

• Child operates in the here and now. Reality is

what can be seen . If it is not seen it does not
exist.
• Object Permanence- The idea that objects
continue to exist even if unseen. 1st. Begins
by age 8 months of age.
 2. Pre-Operational Stage (2-7 years)
Characterized by systemic reasoning

• Pre-Conceptual (2-4 years)

• Rapid development of language
• Child classifies incorrectly
• Perceptual (4-7 years)
• Reasoning occurs, however it is centered
on appearances rather than implications
 Piaget’s
Conversation Experiment
 3. Concrete Operations
7-11 years

Systematic reasoning appear

Muller –Lyer illusion Which line is longer?
 4. Formal Operations
(Age 11-15)

• Child uses theories to solve problems and

thoughts
 Language Development

•Language Milestones:
• 1st birthday ?
• 2nd. birthday ?
• 3rd. Birthday ?
• Adult ?
THE STORY OF GENIE
 Social Development

• Imprinting- In birds, will follow the first moving object they seen
after hatching.
• Conrad Lorenz- Canada geese
• Bill Lishman- Story of “father goose”
• Humans- Attachment- An early affectionate relation ship between
a parent and the child.
 Play Activity

• Solitary play- < 1 ½ years

• Parallel play- 1 ½ -3 years
• Cooperative play- 3 years
 Sex Role Development

• Gender identity occurs by age 3. Knowing

that you are a “girl” or a “boy”
 ADOLESCENCE

• The period of life from puberty to the completion of physical

growth
• Growth spurt: girls 10 ½ boys 12 ½ (on average)
• Puberty: Physical changes associated with sexuality maturity.
 Physical Changes

• MALES FEMALES
• Height Height
• Pubic hair Pubic hair
• Penis growth Development of breasts
• 1st. Ejaculation Fist period (Menarche)
 Early and Late Maturers
Advantages and Disadvantages
BOYS
• Advantages Disadvantages

• EARLY: Popular Cautious

School leaders Worry about being liked
• _________________________________________________________
LATE: Benefit from a longer period Insecure
in childhood Poor opinion of self
Risk taker
 Early and Late Maturers
Advantages and Disadvantages
GIRLS
• Advantages Disadvantages

• EARLY: make better adjustments Less sociable

into adulthood Shy
Introverted
_____________________________________________________
LATE: Benefit from a longer period Insecure
in childhood Poor opinion of self
Risk taker
 Teenage Pregnancy
Statistics

• 2000 750,000 / year

• 2014 250,000 /year
• 80% Not married
• 40% Elected abortion
• 10% Spontaneous abortion
• 50% Live birth
• 7% Put baby up for adoption
Kohlberg's Theory or Moral
Reasoning / Development

•The story of Heinz

(See Handout)
 Peer Groups

• Can have a positive or negative effect on its members

• Peer groups can be:
• Gang
• Sports team
• Religious group
• Friends you associate with regularly

• Adolescents will do things in a group that they would not ordinarily do on

their own. Good or Bad
 Divorce

•Child's later decisions on

marriage
•Can feel they are to blame in
some way.
 Adolescent Suicide

• Tripled since 1950

• What are the 3 leading causes of death in adolescents?
• 1.
• 2.
• 3.
 Adolescent Suicide

Tripled since 1950

• What are the 3 leading causes of death in adolescents?

• 1.Accidents (car, alcohol, texting)
• 2.Suicide (Has jumped to #2 from # 3 since 2016)
• 3.Homicide
 College Student Suicide
According to the Center for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC), suicide is considered the second leading cause of
death among college students, the second leading cause of death
for people ages 25–34, and the fourth leading cause of death for
adults between the ages of 18 and 65.
Males take their lives almost four times the rate females do.
Males also commit approximately 77.9% of all suicides, however, the
female population are more likely to have thoughts of suicide than
males.
Males more commonly use a firearm to commit suicide while
females commonly use a form of poison.
 Marriage
86% Women marry
80% men marry

• Marriage rates in the USA have been declining significantly since

1970
• Divorce almost 50 % end in divorce
• 20% first 5 years
• 33% first 10 years
• 40% first 15 years
• 47.5% after 15 years
• 2nd. Marriage 60-67% Divorce rate
• 3rd. Marriage 73-74% Divorce rate
Percent Never Married and Age
Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census

MALES
1970 2010
20-24 35.8% 88.7%
25-29 10.5% 62.2%
30-34 6.2% 36.5%
35-39 5.4% 23.5%
40-44 4.9% 20.4%
Percent Never Married and Age
Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census

FEMALES
1970 2010
20-24 54.7% 79.3%
25-29 19.1% 47.8%
30-34 9.4% 27.2%
35-39 7.2% 17.7%
40-44 6.3% 13.8%
 Career Choice

• 1. Fantasy Period: Elementary school. Often not realistic.

• 2. Tentative Period: Puberty years. Student matches interest with

ability.
• 3. Realistic Period: End of High school at earliest. Adolescent
plans education to match career requirements
 Stages of Acceptance of Death
Psychiatrist Dr. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross

• 1. Denial: Refuses to believe news.

• 2. Anger: “Why me?
• 3. Bargaining: Buy time. Look for miracle cures, become more
religious
4. Depression: Thoughts of uncorrected mistakes
5. Acceptance: Quiet expectation