Lecture Notes: Human Development

Introduction

• Begin study of human development from conception to death.
• Importance of introducing oneself on the learning platform.
• Life is a process of exciting and precious development.

Weekly Objectives

1. Describe human development and its evolution.
2. Describe domains and periods of human development.
3. Provide examples of individual differences.
4. Discuss the principles of the lifespan perspective.

Big Ideas in Human Development

• Importance of science in understanding development.
• Individual uniqueness vs. universality.
• Scientific methods in studying development.
• Validity and ethics in scientific conclusions.

Historical Focus

• Initial focus on infants and children.
• Now includes lifespan or womb-to-tomb development.

Positive and Negative Development

• Positive examples: toilet training, educational enrollment.
• Negative examples: traumatic events, isolation after retirement.

Core Concepts of Human Development

• Lifelong: Development continues from conception to death.
• Multidirectional: Changes occur in all directions.
• Multicontextual: Influenced by physical, familial, and community contexts.
• Multicultural: Influenced by shared beliefs and cultural expectations.
• Multidisciplinary: Encompasses biosocial, cognitive, and psychosocial aspects.
• Plasticity: Traits can be molded, yet maintain identity.

Domains of Development

• Physical: Growth of body and brain, sensory capacity, motor skills, health.
• Cognitive: Learning, attention, memory, language, reasoning, creativity.
• Psychosocial: Emotions, personality, social relations.

Periods of Development

• Time periods are social constructs.
• Example: Thai children using knives skillfully by age four.

Influences on Development

• Heredity: Inherited biological traits (nature).
• Environment: Socioeconomic status, culture, family (nurture).
• Maturation: Natural sequence of physical and brain development.

Family Structures

• Nuclear Family: Two parents and their children.
• Extended Family: Includes additional relatives.
• Trends: Increasing extended families due to economic reasons.

Impact of Socioeconomic Status

• Influences educational outcomes, health, and development.
• Example: Food deserts in segregated areas.

Culture and Ethnicity

• Culture: Total way of life, includes customs, beliefs, language.
• Ethnicity: Group united by culture, ancestry, religion, language.

Normative vs. Non-normative Events

• Normative: Predictable, age-related events.
• Non-normative: Unusual events, atypical timings.

Cohorts

• Group born during the same time period sharing common experiences.
• Example: People born during WWII.

Critical and Sensitive Periods

• Critical Period: Necessary events must occur for normal development.
• Sensitive Period: More open to certain experiences.

Lifespan Development Approach

• Lifelong, Multidimensional, Multidirectional: Development occurs across life.
• Plasticity and Context: Unique individual pathways influenced by environment.

Conclusion

• Human growth as a dynamic process.
• Encouragement to attend office hours for questions.