HSH206 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Senescence, Cognitive Development
What is human development?
Development
Development: Can be defined as systematic changes (Meaning they occur in an orderly and
patterned way) and continuities (ways in which we remain the same or continue to reflect our past
selves) in the individual that occur between conception and death 'womb to tomb'.
There are 3 broad domains of human development- Physical, cognitive and psychosocial.
Biological development- The growth of the body and its organs, the functioning of the physiological
systems, physical signs of aging, changes in motor abilities etc.
Cognitive development- Changes and continuities in perception, language, learning, memory,
problem solving and other mental processes
Psychosocial development- changes and carryover in personal and interpersonal aspects of
development, such as motives, emotions, personality traits, interpersonal skills and relationships
and roles played in the family and larger society
Changes in one area of development can affect other areas eg. A baby who develops the ability to
crawl has new opportunities to develop the mind by exploring kitchen cabinets and to hone their
social skills by following parents from room to room.
Periods of the lifespan
Many people think of the lifespan as having tremendous positive gains in capacity from infancy to
young adulthood, little changes during early adulthood and middle age, and loss of capacity in the
older ages.
Aging involves more than just biological aging- it refers to a range of changes both positive and
negative, in the mature organisms. Development involves gains, losses, neutral changes and
continuities in each phase of the life span.
The table below gives a rough idea of the different stages of the lifespan/developmental status.
There are differences in functioning and personality among individuals of the same age.
Interestingly, the most diverse of all age groups appears to be elderly adults.
Prenatal Period
Conception to Birth
Infancy
First 2 years of life
Early childhood
2 to 5 years
Middle Childhood
6 to 12 years
Adolescence
12 to 20 years
Early Adulthood
20 to 40 years
Middle Adulthood
40 to 65 years
Late Adulthood
65 years and older
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Document Summary
There are 3 broad domains of human development- physical, cognitive and psychosocial. Biological development- the growth of the body and its organs, the functioning of the physiological systems, physical signs of aging, changes in motor abilities etc. Cognitive development- changes and continuities in perception, language, learning, memory, problem solving and other mental processes. Psychosocial development- changes and carryover in personal and interpersonal aspects of development, such as motives, emotions, personality traits, interpersonal skills and relationships and roles played in the family and larger society. Many people think of the lifespan as having tremendous positive gains in capacity from infancy to young adulthood, little changes during early adulthood and middle age, and loss of capacity in the older ages. Aging involves more than just biological aging- it refers to a range of changes both positive and negative, in the mature organisms. Development involves gains, losses, neutral changes and continuities in each phase of the life span.
