LIFESPAN DEVELOPMENT A PSYCHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE

Martha Lally & Suzanne Valentine-French College of Lake County

College of Lake County

Lifespan Development A Psychological Perspective

Martha Lally & Suzanne Valentine-French

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This text was compiled on 08/20/2020

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TABLE OF CONTENTS Developmental Psychology, also known as Human Development or Lifespan Development, is the scientific study of ways in which people change, as well as stay the same, from conception to death. You will no doubt discover in the course of studying that the field examines change across a broad range of topics. These include physical and other psychophysiological processes, cognition, language, and psychosocial development, including the impact of family and peers.

1: INTRODUCTION TO LIFESPAN DEVELOPMENT Developmental Psychology, also known as Human Development or Lifespan Development, is the scientific study of ways in which people change, as well as stay the same, from conception to death. You will no doubt discover in the course of studying that the field examines change across a broad range of topics. These include physical and other psychophysiological processes, cognition, language, and psychosocial development, including the impact of family and peers.

1.1: PRELUDE TO LIFESPAN DEVELOPMENT 1.2: LIFESPAN PERSPECTIVE 1.3: CONCEPTIONS OF AGE 1.4: PERIODS OF DEVELOPMENT 1.5: ISSUES IN LIFESPAN DEVELOPMENT 1.6: HISTORICAL THEORIES ON DEVELOPMENT 1.7: CONTEMPORARY THEORIES ON DEVELOPMENT 1.8: RESEARCH METHODS 1.9: RESEARCH INVOLVING TIME-SPANS 1.10: EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH 1.R: INTRODUCTION TO LIFESPAN DEVELOPMENT (REFERENCES)

2: HEREDITY, PRENATAL DEVELOPMENT, AND BIRTH In this chapter, we will begin by examining some of the ways in which heredity helps to shape the way we are. We will look at what happens genetically during conception, and describe some known genetic and chromosomal disorders. Next we will consider what happens during prenatal development, including the impact of teratogens. We will also discuss the impact that both the mother and father have on the developing fetus.

2.1: HEREDITY 2.2: GENOTYPES AND PHENOTYPES 2.3: GENETIC DISORDERS 2.4: CHROMOSOMAL ABNORMALITIES 2.5: BEHAVIORAL GENETICS 2.6: PRENATAL DEVELOPMENT 2.7: TETRATOGENS 2.8: MATERNAL FACTORS 2.9: 2.9 PRENATAL ASSESSMENT 2.10: COMPLICATIONS OF PREGNANCY 2.11: BIRTH 2.12: ASSESSING THE NEONATE 2.R: HEREDITY, PRENATAL DEVELOPMENT, AND BIRTH (REFERENCES)

3: INFANCY AND TODDLERHOOD We will now turn our attention to the physical, cognitive, and socioemotional development during the first two years. Researchers have given this part of the lifespan more attention than any other period, perhaps because changes during this time are so dramatic and so noticeable. We have also assumed that what happens during these years provides a foundation for one’s life to come. However, it has been argued that the significance of development during these years has been overstated.

3.1: PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT IN INFANCY AND TODDLERHOOD 3.2: INFANT SLEEP 3.3: FROM REFLEXES TO VOLUNTARY MOVEMENTS 3.4: SENSORY CAPABILITIES 3.5: NUTRITION 3.6: PIAGET AND THE SENSORIMOTOR STAGE