Transcript Chapter 1

Chapter 1:
The Development Through
Life Perspective
The Development Through Life Perspective
• Chapter Objectives
– To introduce the basic assumptions that
underlie the organization and focus of the text
– To introduce the psychosocial approach to the
study of development, including the
interrelationships among the biological,
psychological, and societal systems
– To note historical changes in life expectancy
and examine the implications of these
changes for the study of development over
the life span
The Development Through Life Perspective
• Assumptions of the Text
– Growth occurs at every period of life, from
conception through very old age
– Individual lives show continuity and change as
they progress through time
– We need to understand the whole person,
because we function in an integrated manner
– Behavior must be interpreted in the context of
relevant settings and personal relationships
– People contribute actively to their
development
The Development Through Life Perspective
• A Psychosocial Approach: The Interaction and
Modification of 3 Major Systems Produces
Human Life
– The biological system
– The psychological system
– The societal system
• The psychosocial impact of poverty
– Overview of the psychosocial approach
The Development Through Life Perspective
Figure 1.1 The Biological System
The Development Through Life Perspective
Figure 1.2 The Psychological System
The Development Through Life Perspective
Figure 1.3 The Societal System
The Development Through Life Perspective
• Conditions Leading to Poverty
– Decline in well-paying, blue-collar jobs
– Large increases in single-mother households
due to births to unmarried women and to
divorce
– Erosion of the economic safety net for poor
children, including the decline in cash
transfers and benefits to families in the new
welfare program, Transitional Assistance to
Needy Families
– Decline in purchasing power of minimum
wage
The Development Through Life Perspective
• The Psychosocial Impact of Poverty
– African American, Hispanic, and Native
American families are over represented
among poor Americans
– Chronic poverty is linked with health
problems, delays in reaching developmental
milestones, and reduced life expectancy
– Some children living in poverty are resilient
escape its negative effects, and continue to
develop optimally
The Development Through Life Perspective
• Case Study: Rose
– Thought Questions
• How does this case illustrate the interconnections
among the biological, psychological, and societal
systems?
• Given what you know about the assumptions of
psychosocial theory, how might Rose’s stage of
development influence her perceptions of this
situation and her approach to coping with this
conflict?
• How might you frame a research question based
on the information raised in this case study?
• How do the assumptions of this text influence your
approach to understanding the case of Rose?
The Development Through Life Perspective
The Development Through Life Perspective
Figure 1.4 Percentage Surviving by Age: 1900-1902, 1949-1951, and
2000.
The Development Through Life Perspective
The Development Through Life Perspective
• Factors that Contribute to Longevity
– High family income
– Having no hypertension, arthritis, or back pain
– Being a nonsmoker
– Having normal body weight
– Consuming a moderate amount of alcohol