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Human Development
Meridith Pease Selden, Ph.D.

Developmental Psychology
The study of how humans grow, develop, and
change throughout the life span
Prenatal environment
Infant aCachment
CogniEve development (Piaget)
Psychosocial Development (Erikson)
ParenEng

Developmental Psychology
Key Issue:
ConEnuity v. Stages

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Prenatal Development
ConcepEon
When a sperm penetrates the ovum

ConcepEon
Approximately every 28 days an ovum is
released
Drawn into one of the fallopian tubes
Remains viable for 1 day

ConcepEon
The sperm swims upstream in the female
reproducEve tract
Remains viable for 6 days

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ConcepEon
Most concepEons result from intercourse on
the day of ovulaEon or during the 2 days
preceding it
When (in a womens cycle) does ovulaEon occur?

Prenatal Development
Zygote
Lasts about 2 weeks
FerElizaEon ACached to the uterine wall

Prenatal Development
Embryo (2 8 weeks)
Forms three cell layers
that will give rise to all
parts of the body

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Prenatal Development
Fetus (week 9 birth)
Growing and nishing phase

Teratogen
(PronunciaEon: Ter-rat-ogen)
Any environmental agent that causes damage
during the prenatal period
Drugs (prescripEon & nonprescripEon)
Alcohol
Tobacco
Caeine

Teratogen
Tobacco
Eects include:
Low birth weight
Increased chances of miscarriage
Clea lip
Prematurity
Asthma
Cancer (later in in childhood)

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Teratogen
Alcohol
Fetal alcohol syndrome
(FAS)
Baby is born with:
Mental retardaEon
Facial abnormaliEes
Behavioral abnormaliEes

Teratogen
Coee
Most widely used drug in the world
Research is mixed!
Crosses the placenta

Labor

DilaEon and eacement of the cervix (Stage 1)

TransiEon (Stage 1)
Pushing (Stage 2)
Birth of the baby (Stage 2)
Birth of the placenta (Stage 3)

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ACachment
Strong aecEonate bond a child forms with
the mother or primary caregiver
Harlows monkeys

Securely ACached
(Might be) Distressed by separaEon
AcEvely seek contact upon return
Crying is reduced immediately

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Avoidant ACached
Not distressed by parents departure
Respond to stranger as if a parent
Unresponsive during reunion

Resistant ACachment
Remain close to the parent
Usually distressed when parent leaves
Angry, resisEve behavior during reunion

Disorganized/Disoriented ACachment
At reunion respond in a confused,
contradictory way
Reects the greatest insecurity

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Jean Piaget
(1896-1980)

Piaget
Schemes
Plans of acEon to be used
in similar circumstances
AdaptaEon
AssimilaEon
AccommodaEon

AdaptaEon
Involves building schemes through direct
interac*on with the environment
AssimilaEon
AccommodaEon

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AssimilaEon
Process of kng new experiences into an
already exis*ng scheme

AccommodaEon
Process by which exisEng schemes are
changed ( or new schemes are created) in
order to t new informaEon

Piagets Stages

Sensorimotor (0 to 2 years)
PreoperaEonal (2 to 7 years)
Concrete operaEonal (7 to 11/12 years)
Formal operaEonal (11/12 and beyond)

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Sensorimotor Stage
(Birth - 2)
Infants gain understanding of the world
through senses and motor acEviEes

Object Permanence
RealizaEon that objects con*nue
to exist when they can no longer
be perceived

PreoperaEonal Stage
(2-7 years)
Exhibit Egocentrism
Acquire symbolic funcEon

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Egocentrism
Assumes that other people see situaEons from
his or her viewpoint

Symbolic FuncEon
Understanding that one thing can stand for
another

Concrete OperaEonal Stage

(7-11/12 years)
Acquire conservaEon
Begin to understand reversibility

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Formal OperaEonal Stage

(11/12 - adulthood)
Able to reason hypotheEcally and deducEvely
Able to establish abstract relaEonships

HypotheEco-DeducEve Reasoning
Ability to apply logical thought to abstract and
hypotheEcal situaEons

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Eric Erickson
(1902-1994)

Stage 1 (birth - 1)
Trust vs. Mistrust

Stage 2 (1 or 1 -3 years)
Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt

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Stage 3 (3-5 years)

IniEaEve vs. Guilt

Stage 4 (5-12 years)

Industry vs. Inferiority

Stage 5 (adolescence)
IdenEty vs. Confusion

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Stage 6 (young adulthood)

InEmacy vs. IsolaEon

Stage 7 (middle adulthood)

GeneraEvity vs. StagnaEon

Stage 8 (late adulthood to death)

Integrity vs. Despair

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Child Rearing Styles

CombinaEons of parenEng behaviors that
occur over a wide range of situaEons
3 key features
Acceptance (and involvement)
Control
Autonomy granEng

Child Rearing Styles

Permissive
Indulgent
Neglecpul

Authoritarian
AuthoritaEve

Teaching the Desired Behavior

ParenEng Styles

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ParenEng Styles
Permissive
Permissive indulgent
Warm and accepEng but uninvolved
High in acceptance
Low in control
High in autonomy granEng

ParenEng Styles
Permissive
Permissive neglecpul (uninvolved)
Amounts to neglect
Low acceptance
Low control
Indierence to autonomy granEng

ParenEng Styles
Authoritarian
Children are expected to follow the strict rules
established by the parents
Low in acceptance
High in control
Low in autonomy granEng

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ParenEng Styles
AuthoritaEve
DemocraEc, responsive to their children, and
willing to listen to quesEons
High acceptance
AdapEve (high) control
Appropriate autonomy granEng

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