Lifespan Human Lifespan Human Development Development

PSY 223PSY 223

MTWR 10:15-12:20MTWR 10:15-12:20

SB 106SB 106

Dr. Nicole Alea

Syllabus & Course MaterialsSyllabus & Course Materials

available online at: available online at:

http://people.uncw.edu/alean/PSY223.htmhttp://people.uncw.edu/alean/PSY223.htm

Lifespan human Lifespan human developmentdevelopment

A A fieldfield of study that aims to of study that aims to understandunderstand constancyconstancy & & changechange in physical, in physical,

cognitive, social, & emotional factors cognitive, social, & emotional factors throughout the throughout the lifespanlifespan..

What do you think?What do you think?

Development is continuous, gradual Development is continuous, gradual progression, with new abilities, skills, & progression, with new abilities, skills, & knowledge gradually added at a relatively knowledge gradually added at a relatively uniform pace.uniform pace.

OROR

Development occurs at different rates, Development occurs at different rates, alternating between periods of little alternating between periods of little change and periods of abrupt, rapid change and periods of abrupt, rapid change.change.

Basic issuesBasic issues1.1. Continuous or discontinuous development?Continuous or discontinuous development?

QuantitativeQuantitative - adding on - adding on more or more complex more or more complex skills skills

QualitativeQualitative – new skills – new skills emerge at particular emerge at particular periodsperiods

What do you think?What do you think?

Humans everywhere follow the Humans everywhere follow the same general sequence of same general sequence of development. development.

OROR

Each human passes through a Each human passes through a unique course of development.unique course of development.

Basic issuesBasic issues2.2. One course of development or many?One course of development or many?

UniversalUniversal – basic – basic process for everyone; process for everyone; differences are simply differences are simply variations in basic variations in basic processprocess

Context-specificContext-specific -- unique process for unique process for everyone; differences everyone; differences result from different result from different environmentsenvironments

What do you think?What do you think?

Human intelligence is determined Human intelligence is determined almost exclusively by genetic almost exclusively by genetic factors. factors.

OROR

Human intelligence is largely the Human intelligence is largely the result of experiential factors.result of experiential factors.

Basic issuesBasic issues3.3. Nature or Nurture?Nature or Nurture?

NatureNature – human – human development is biologically development is biologically (genetically) determined(genetically) determined

NurtureNurture - the physical and - the physical and social environment influence social environment influence human developmenthuman development

Contemporary Contemporary developmental developmental psychologists say psychologists say “both”“both”Are kids born bad?Are kids born bad?

When do humans stop When do humans stop developing?developing?

Traditional population pyramid: more children & youngTraditional population pyramid: more children & young

Projected population pyramid: equal young & oldProjected population pyramid: equal young & old

Lifespan PerspectiveLifespan PerspectivePaul Baltes (1987)Paul Baltes (1987)

Max Planck Institute for Human Max Planck Institute for Human DevelopmentDevelopment

http://www.mpib-berlin.mpg.de/**Table 1.5: Major Theories of Human **Table 1.5: Major Theories of Human

Development**Development**

1.1. Development as lifelongDevelopment as lifelong (**Table (**Table 1.1**)1.1**)

PeriodPeriod Approximate age rangeApproximate age range

Prenatal Prenatal Conception to birthConception to birth

Infancy & toddlerhoodInfancy & toddlerhood birth – 2 yearsbirth – 2 years

Early childhoodEarly childhood 2-6 years2-6 years

Middle childhoodMiddle childhood 6-11 years6-11 years

AdolescenceAdolescence 11-20 years11-20 years

Early adulthoodEarly adulthood 20-40 years20-40 years

Middle adulthoodMiddle adulthood 40-60 years40-60 years

Late adulthoodLate adulthood 60 years-death60 years-death

What abilities decline with age?What abilities decline with age?

What abilities increase with age?What abilities increase with age?

MultidirectionalityMultidirectionality: decline & growth at : decline & growth at allall points in lifespanpoints in lifespan

– development doesn’t occur in one directiondevelopment doesn’t occur in one direction– ratio shifts with ageratio shifts with age

2.2. Multidirectional & Multidirectional & multidimensionalmultidimensional

ratio between gains & losses shifts across lifespanratio between gains & losses shifts across lifespan

Gains > Gains > LossesLosses

Losses > GainsLosses > Gains

MultidirectionalityMultidirectionality: decline & growth at : decline & growth at allall points in lifespanpoints in lifespan

– development doesn’t occur in one directiondevelopment doesn’t occur in one direction– ratio shifts with ageratio shifts with age

MultidimensionalityMultidimensionality: pattern of decline & : pattern of decline & growth varies growth varies acrossacross & & withinwithin domains domains

2.2. Multidirectional & Multidirectional & multidimensionalmultidimensional

VocabularyVocabulary

MemoryMemory

Ability to learn foreign languageAbility to learn foreign language

Emotional understandingEmotional understanding

gains & losses depend on domaingains & losses depend on domain

Natural occurring plasticity Natural occurring plasticity through through compensationcompensation

Plasticity through trainingPlasticity through training

Less plasticity with Less plasticity with increasing ageincreasing age

3.3. PlasticityPlasticity Humans have a range of functioningHumans have a range of functioning

4.4. Embedded in multiple contextsEmbedded in multiple contexts Age-graded influencesAge-graded influences::

related to chronological agerelated to chronological age

History-graded influencesHistory-graded influences::

related to generational (cohort) eventsrelated to generational (cohort) events

Nonnormative influencesNonnormative influences::

related to unique experiencesrelated to unique experiences

Research Methods Research Methods

Developmental psychology in the Developmental psychology in the news…news…

Can a violent video game called Grand Theft Auto Can a violent video game called Grand Theft Auto be responsible for an 18-year-old, Devin Moore, be responsible for an 18-year-old, Devin Moore,

murdering three people? murdering three people?

A scene from the violent video game Grand A scene from the violent video game Grand Theft Auto. Theft Auto.

January 18, 2006January 18, 2006

““Playing violent video games, Playing violent video games, like Grand Theft Auto, leads to like Grand Theft Auto, leads to

increased aggression in increased aggression in adolescents.”adolescents.”

1.1. Correlational designCorrelational design: see how two (or more) : see how two (or more) pre-existingpre-existing variables are variables are relatedrelated

Correlation Correlation coefficientcoefficient Correlation Correlation coefficientcoefficient rr = = rr = = ++.20.20 ++.20.20

Sign: direction of relationSign: direction of relationSign: direction of relationSign: direction of relation

+ variables move in same direction - variables move in opposite direction+ variables move in same direction - variables move in opposite direction

Ranges 0 to 1: Closer to 1 stronger the relationRanges 0 to 1: Closer to 1 stronger the relationRanges 0 to 1: Closer to 1 stronger the relationRanges 0 to 1: Closer to 1 stronger the relation

Number: strength of relationNumber: strength of relationNumber: strength of relationNumber: strength of relation

+.+.2020 +.+.2020 +.46+.46 +.46+.46 -.09-.09 -.09-.09

General Research DesignsGeneral Research Designs

CannotCannot make cause & effect conclusion make cause & effect conclusion

third variable problemthird variable problem: other variable : other variable might account for relationmight account for relation

What conclusions can we make? What conclusions can we make? What conclusions can we make? What conclusions can we make?

Video Games Video Games Video Games Video Games Aggressive Aggressive Behavior Behavior

Aggressive Aggressive Behavior Behavior r r = +.20= +.20

directionality problemdirectionality problem: do not : do not know the direction of relationknow the direction of relation

Personality Peer Personality Peer pressurepressure

Personality Peer Personality Peer pressurepressure

““Playing violent video games, Playing violent video games, like Grand Theft Auto, like Grand Theft Auto, leads to leads to

(i.e., causes)(i.e., causes) increased increased aggression in adolescents.”aggression in adolescents.”

VariablesVariablesVariablesVariables

Dependent (DV)Dependent (DV)Dependent (DV)Dependent (DV)

Outcome variableOutcome variable

General Research DesignsGeneral Research Designs2.2. Experimental designExperimental design: manipulate variable to : manipulate variable to

test the effects on outcome variabletest the effects on outcome variable

(Aggressive behavior)(Aggressive behavior)(Aggressive behavior)(Aggressive behavior)

VariablesVariablesVariablesVariables

Dependent (DV)Dependent (DV)Dependent (DV)Dependent (DV)

Outcome variableOutcome variable

General Research DesignsGeneral Research Designs

Independent (IV)Independent (IV)Independent (IV)Independent (IV)

Manipulated variableManipulated variable

(Aggressive behavior)(Aggressive behavior)(Aggressive behavior)(Aggressive behavior)

2.2. Experimental designExperimental design: manipulate variable to : manipulate variable to test the effects on outcome variabletest the effects on outcome variable

Group 1: nonviolent game Group 1: nonviolent game Group 2: violent game Group 2: violent gameGroup 1: nonviolent game Group 1: nonviolent game Group 2: violent game Group 2: violent game

How do I know if experiment worked? How do I know if experiment worked? How do I know if experiment worked? How do I know if experiment worked?

Because have Because have random assignmentrandom assignment to IV to IV– rules out rules out confoundsconfounds – other explanations – other explanations– without it, do not have a without it, do not have a “true” experiment“true” experiment

What conclusions can we make? What conclusions can we make? What conclusions can we make? What conclusions can we make?

Independent (IV)Independent (IV)Independent (IV)Independent (IV) Dependent (DV)Dependent (DV)Dependent (DV)Dependent (DV)

CanCan make cause & effect conclusion make cause & effect conclusion

““Playing violent video games, Playing violent video games, like Grand Theft Auto, leads to like Grand Theft Auto, leads to

increased aggression in increased aggression in adolescentsadolescents.”.”

Developmental Research Developmental Research DesignsDesigns

VariablesVariables MeasureMeasure Effects from…Effects from…

Building blocks of Building blocks of ALLALL developmental research developmental research

Changes Changes in a personin a person

experiences unique to experiences unique to a a generationgeneration

circumstances during circumstances during data collectiondata collection

birth yearbirth yearCohortCohort

time of time of measurementmeasurement

TimeTime

chronological agechronological ageAgeAge

Developmental Research Developmental Research DesignsDesigns

Cross-sectionalCross-sectional: age & cohort vary, time constant: age & cohort vary, time constant

TimeTime

CohortCohort 20052005

19951995 1010

19901990 1515

19851985 2020

rr = = +.30+.30

rr = +.20 = +.20

rr = +.10 = +.10

Can only conclude Can only conclude age differencesage differences

Developmental Research Developmental Research DesignsDesigns

LongitudinalLongitudinal: age & time vary, cohort constant: age & time vary, cohort constant

TimeTime

CohortCohort 19951995 20002000 20052005

19851985 1010 1515 2020r = r = +.30+.30

r = +.20r = +.20 r = +.10r = +.10

Can conclude Can conclude age changeage change

Advantages & DisadvantagesAdvantages & Disadvantages

Measures age Measures age changechange

Time effectsTime effects

Practice effectsPractice effects

Nonrandom drop-out Nonrandom drop-out

Lack of generalizabilityLack of generalizability

LongitudinalLongitudinal

DisadvantagesDisadvantagesDesignDesign AdvantagesAdvantages

Cross-sectionalCross-sectionalPractical & Practical &

quickquickAge differencesAge differences

Cohort effectCohort effect

With all the problems, what should researchers do? With all the problems, what should researchers do? With all the problems, what should researchers do? With all the problems, what should researchers do?

Developmental Research Developmental Research DesignsDesigns

SequentialSequential: combine cross-sectional & : combine cross-sectional & longitudinal designslongitudinal designs

TimeTime

CohortCohort 20052005 20102010

19951995 1010 1515

19901990 1515 2020

19851985 2020 2525

Age & cohort effects can be teased apartAge & cohort effects can be teased apartAge & cohort effects can be teased apartAge & cohort effects can be teased apartAge change that generalizes to other cohortsAge change that generalizes to other cohortsAge change that generalizes to other cohortsAge change that generalizes to other cohorts

Considered the “best” developmental Considered the “best” developmental research design…but hardly ever done?research design…but hardly ever done?

In-class Assignment 1In-class Assignment 1

The purpose of this assignment is to give The purpose of this assignment is to give you an opportunity to apply and practice you an opportunity to apply and practice

what you have learned about general and what you have learned about general and developmental research designs. developmental research designs.