Psych

Introduction to developmental psychology

Presentation of model of development

One model in first chapter

What is development

Systematic changes and continuities (things that stay the same) in an individual

Aunt still gives sloppy kisses, but now she is stooped over and has a cane

Three different domains

Psychosocial: personality and relationships with people

Growth is physical changes

Different stages of the lifespan (table 1.1)

Terminology: age grade and age norms and social clock

Age grade: defined age group in society like young adult age grade

Certain responsibilities and statuses that go along with being a young adult (voting, fighting for country)

Rites of passage mark transitions, one age grade to another in which more responsibilities occur

Examples of rites of passages include bar mitzvah, getting diploma

Age norms: things that we expect of people at a particular age

We expect people who are late teens early twenties to go to school or work

Older people must be productive contributing members of society and give back to next generation

Social clock: time we expect people to do things in a specific culture

When people are gonna get married, usually in mid-twenties or early thirties

Development in the future

Increases in life expectancy

Age differences between males and females has narrowed a bit over time

Poor people don’t live as long as better off people do

People who are more educated tend to have a better off life, have better jobs and better incomes, better access to healthcare, etc

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Nature- nurture issue in development

Less of controversy now than it sued to be

What youre born with vs the environment

How much are we influenced by genetic make up vs the environment in which we grow up

Everything involves an interaction between nature and nurture

Personality is 60 percent nature 40 percent nurture

Color of eyes, shape of nose, much more genetically determined

Researchers now know that some genes have an off/on switch,...