Chapter 1 (Part #1): The Life-Span Perspective

development

___ is the pattern of movement or change that begins at conception and continues through the life-span. Most involves growth, although it also includes decline brought on by aging and dying

ethnicity

a characteristic based on cultural heritage, nationality characteristics, race, religion, and language.

social policy

a national government's course of action designed to promote the welfare of its citizens

cross-cultural studies

comparison of one culture with one or more other cultures. -These provide information about the degree to which development is similar, or universal, across cultures, and the degree to which it is culture specific.

normative history-graded influences

influences that are common to people of a particular generation because of historical circumstances -Ex: in their youth American baby boomers shared the experience of the Cuban missile crisis, the assassination of JFK, and the Beatles invasion. -Ex: Other examples of these influences include economic, political, and social upheavals such as the Great Depression in the 1930s, World War II in the 1940s, the civil rights and women's rights movements of the 1960s and 1970s -Long-term changes in the genetic and cultural makeup of a population (due to immigration or changes in fertility rates) are also part of normative historical change.

normative age-graded influences

influences that are similar for individuals in a particular age group. -These influences include biological processes such as puberty and menopause. -They also include sociocultural, environmental processes such as beginning formal education (usually at about age 6 in most cultures) and retirement from the workforce (which takes place during the fifties and sixties in most cultures).

socioeconomic status (SES)

refers to the grouping of people with similar occupational, educational, and economic characteristics

life-span perspective

the perspective that development is lifelong, multidimensional, multidirectional, plastic, multidisciplinary, and contextual; involves growth, maintenance, and regulation; and is constructed through biological, sociocultural, and individual factors working together (Paul Baltes)

nonnormative life events

unusual occurrences that have a major impact on an individual's life. -These events do not happen to everyone, and when they do occur they can influence people in different ways. -Examples include: the death of a parent when a child is young, pregnancy in early adolescence, a fire that destroys a home, winning the lottery, or getting an unexpected career opportunity

characteristics of the life-span perspective

-The life-span perspective includes these basic conceptions: Development is lifelong, multi-dimensional, multidirectional, and plastic; its study is multidisciplinary; it is contextual; it involves growth, maintenance, and regulation of loss; and it is a co-construction of biological, cultural, and individual factors. -Three important sources of contextual influences are (1) normative age-graded influences, (2) normative history-graded influences, and (3) nonnormative life events

change

Contexts, like individuals, ___. Thus, individuals are changing beings in a changing world. -As a result of these changes, contexts exert three types of influences: (1) normative age-graded influences, (2) normative history-graded influences, and (3) nonnormative or highly individualized life events. -Each of these types can have a biological or environmental impact on development.

contemporary concerns

Health and well-being, parenting, education, sociocultural contexts and diversity, and social policy are all areas of some ___ ___,that are closely tied to life-span development. -Important dimensions of the sociocultural context include culture, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and gender. -There is increasing interest in social policy issues related to children and to older adults.

features

These are the distinct ___ of a life-span perspective on development: - The Importance of Studying Life-Span Development - Characteristics of the Life-Span Perspective - Some Contemporary Concerns

context

All development occurs within a ___, or setting. - include families, schools, peer groups, churches, cities, neighborhoods, university laboratories, countries, etc. -Each of these settings is influenced by historical, economic, social, and cultural factors

the importance of studying life-span development

Development is the pattern of change that begins at conception and continues through the human life span. It includes both growth and decline. Studying life-span development helps prepare us to take responsibility for children, gives us insight about our own lives, and gives us knowledge about what our lives will be like as we age.

culture

the behavior patterns, beliefs, and all other products of a group that are passed on from generation to generation

gender

the characteristics of people as males and females