Published on 31 Jan 2013
School
Department
Course
Professor
SDS 150R: Lifespan Development
January 10/13: Assumptions of Lifespan Development
Assumptions of Development
Development has the potential to be ongoing throughout the life course
o Debunks original belief that early change/development happens early on and
maxes out later declining in adulthood
o Rather- growth and change may continue into later years of life
Development doesn’t follow a single pathway
o Variation between individuals, groups and generations
o Eg. Canada households over the past 10-15 years marriage and families
Development occurs across multiple domains at the same time concurrently
o Various areas of change may be happening simultaneously but not necessarily at
the same rate
o In a child: cognitive, physical and social skills develop at the same time
Development is a production of persons environmental interaction
o Involves understanding individuals characteristics as wells as the environmental
and social context
Characteristics of Development
Lifelong Process: development continues throughout life
Embedded Stories: Occurs within a historical context, difference in development over
decades/centuries etc.
Selection: Choices that we make based on how we respond to our environment
Multi-Directional: Interactions between biological and environmental determinants
(culture, family, geography)
Plasticity: change is ongoing, flexibility and adaptability of humans ability to regenerate
yourself
Life Course Influences
Normative Age-Grades
o Connected to chronological age
o May be related to physical development
o Reflects societally and cultural expectations
Normative History-Graded
o Connected to historical event or time period
o Shared by a group of individuals (not all)
o Not necessarily the same way
Non-Normative
o Connected to a particular individual
o Not related to age or history
o Unexpected event or timing (teen pregnancy)
Orientations Towards Change
Ordered (Continuous)
o One must occur before the other
o Connect to age