Week 2- Human Development

1. Week 2- Human Development • Review Theoretical Perspectives • Organize notebook • Last weeks journal responses • Heredity & Environment • Genotypes & Phenotypes • Taking Sides: Prenatal Development and Infancy • Homework

2. Theory 1: Sociocultural Roots are in Vygotsky’s theories. Social interaction is a critical force in development and eventually the child will learn to function intellectually on his/her own. Culture plays a huge role in development. Theory 2: Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Theory Development involves the interaction of a changing child with its changing surroundings and relationships. Theory 3: Life Span Perspective Incorporates historical factors that may influence psychological development. AKA age cohort effect. Group of individuals that were born in the same year or general time period. As the cohort develops, they share the same historical experiences. Ex. Kennedy assassination, 9/11 Contextual Perspective Definition: Children develop according to their interaction with their particular environment.

3. Dynamic Systems Perspective [refer to Table 1-2(pg. 13) for theories] Definition: Development occurs through the interaction of systems (biological, psychosocial, environmental) and therefore can change due to its environment. Theory 1: Complexity Each part of system is unique but related to other systems and parts. Ex. Family with cousins, in-laws, marriages, etc. Theory 2: Wholeness and Organization Systems are organized and are more than the sum of its parts. Ex. How families interact as a unit and individually. Theory 3: Identity and Stabilization Systems change but the identity remains the same. Ex. Some family members join the family others pass away, but the family stays stable by building relationships. Theory 4: Morphogenesis Systems grows and adapts to external and internal changes. Ex. Marriage, college, divorce Theory 5: Equifinality Although genetic and environmental influences may be different for all, individuals still reach the same developmental milestones. Ex. Potty training, learning to walk, etc.

4. Ethological and Evolutionary Perspective Definition: Biological nature and needs influence a child’s cognition and behavior. Theory 1: Ethological Theory- developed by biologists. Development is series specific (i.e. humans). We have adaptive and survival instincts. We exhibit biological behaviors yet they are not mutually exclusive. Our behavior may be influenced by environmental experiences. Scientists view behaviors which are consistent cross-culturally. Ex. Smiling, crying, etc. Theory 2: Evolutionary Developmental Psychology Cognition can be influenced by our surrounding experiences (i.e. growing up in a city vs. an island) and the interactions we have with other people. What are people’s intentions? Having the ability to discern that answer.

5. Theory 1: Behaviorism (B.F. Skinner) Emphasizes the experiential side of learning and is considered gradual and continuous. Principles of learning stay the same through all ages. Classical conditioning- two stimuli are repeatedly presented together. Then the child learns to have the same reaction to both of them individually. Ex. Fear of noise= fear of furry animals-bang a pot and show a rat. Operant conditioning-learning that relies on positive rewards and negative consequences for exhibited behavior. Ex. Time-outs and praise Theory 2: Cognitive Social Learning Theory (Albert Bandura) Children learn by observation and imitation in addition to classical and operant conditioning. Children do not blindly imitate behaviors; rather they select specific behaviors to imitate which is related to how they process information. Attend to a model’s behavior Retain the observed behaviors to memory Must have the capacity (physically and intellectually) to reproduce the observed behavior. Child must be motivated to reproduce the behavior. Theory 3: Information-Processing Approaches Similar to computers in that there is an input in the form of a stimuli and then there is an output(response) in the form of an action, decision, memory. Learning Perspectives Definition: Learning takes place through experiences, imitation and stimulus and responses.

6. Structural – Organismic Perspective Definition: All human beings go through structured stages during development. Each stage must be passed through to reach full development. Theory 1: Psychodynamic Theory (Freud) Experiences from early childhood affect who you are today. Id- instinctual drives Ego- rational and socially appropriate behaviors Superego- development of a conscience through exposure to parental/societal morals and values. Stage 1- Oral (infant) 0-1 Stage 2- Anal (early childhood) 1-3 Stage 3- Phallic (play age) 3-6 Stage 4- Latency (school age) 6-12 Stage 5- Genital (adolescence- maturity) 12-65+ Theory 2: Piagetian Theory (Jean Piaget) Used two basic theories of biology and biological change (organization and adaptation). Organization-child’s view of the world changes in an organized manner as it develops. Adaptation- Human mind changes as it experiences the world around themselves. 4 stages of cognitive development: Stage 1- Sensorimotor(0-2)- child learns about himself and his environment through motor and reflex actions. Object permanence. Modify behavior by the senses: frown, a stern or soothing voice Stage 2- Preoperational(talking-7)- child begins to use symbols to represent objects. Also personifies objects. He is now better able to think about things and events that aren't immediately present. Oriented to the present, the child has difficulty conceptualizing time. Very self-centered. Touch is key to learning. Stage 3-Concrete(1st grade-early adolescence)- child develops an ability to think abstractly and to make rational judgments. Allow for questions and repetition of information back to you. Stage 4-Formal Operations(adolescence)- capable of hypothetical and deductive reasoning. Teaching- adolescent can consider many possibilities from several perspectives.

7. Table of Contents- Human Development EDG 531

8. Heredity vs. Environment pg. 11 • Welcome to Discovery Education Player • Discussion Questions: • Is there biological evidence to show that personality traits are hereditary? Ex. shyness • Why do children that have the same parents and same environmental influences have different personalities? • Do you feel that heredity or environment influences personality traits? Does age play a role? • Can human characteristics that have a genetic basis be modified by intervention? • Do you think that such interventions might lead to a societal view that some characteristics are more acceptable than others? Explain.

9. Genotypes & Phenotypes pg. 13 • Genotype: describes the actual set (complement) of genes carried by an organism. Ex: genetic code for brown eyes. • Phenotype: refers to the observable expression of characters and traits coded for by those genes. Ex: Seeing brown eyes.

10. Handout 2-B: The Interaction of Heredity & Environment pg. 12 Answer the following questions about the ways in which genotypes and phenotypes have influenced your decisions. • Give an example from your own life of a way in which a physical genotype has influenced your decisions (e.g., a tall male decides to pursue basketball rather than gymnastics). • How did the environment hinder or help in this decision? (Think of people, events, and activities that might have played a role). • Give an example from your own life of a way in which a temperamental genotype has influenced your decisions (e.g., a shy female decides to spend time on computers rather than on cheerleading). 4. How did the environment hinder or help in this decision?

11. Journal Response pg. 14 "Give me the child until he is seven and I will give you the man," -Jesuit quote • How do people change over the years? • Can the adult already be found in the child of seven? • What account would you give that child, of the life you have lived since? • Do you agree with the Jesuit maxim that the documentary is based upon?

12. Homework • Journal Response • Chapters 4 and 5 Multiple Choice Questions: Directions: 1. Click on link below. On-line Quiz site • Click on student edition • Choose assigned chapter. • Click on multiple choice quiz and take the quiz. • Click on submit answers. You may take the quiz as many times as you like before emailing me the results. • Once you are satisfied with your results, type your name (first and last) in the “my name” section and then type in my email address (jweaver@cbsd.org) in the “my instructor” section. • Then click “email the results.” Due by Tuesday.