LIFESPAN DEVELOPMENT

Lifespan Development

Lifespan Development

Introduction

Life Span Development or Developmental psychology is the branch of psychology that studies developmental change covering the life span horn conception to death. Development is defined as "the pattern of movement or change that begins at conception and continues throughout the human life span Maturation refers to patterns of development that are genetically determined and are influenced very little by the environment. Canalization is used to describe characteristics that are rather resistant to environmental forces, taking a narrower developmental path. (Madigan, 2007)

The fact that children have been starting puberty sooner is one example of a Secular trend which is defined as long-term differences across cohorts that indicate the impact of environment on development. The heritability index is used to estimate the degree to which a certain characteristic can be attributed to genetic factors.

Theory of Erik H. Erikson

In his work widely disseminated and universally welcome, Childhood and Society, the psychoanalyst Eric H. Erikson describes to his disciples the eight steps that must be overcome successfully throughout the life cycle of human beings to set and achieve a life free of conflict neurotics. Erikson is a gap, which does not reach the rejection of the doctrines of psychoanalytic orthodoxy. Its orientation is essentially psycho-social orientation, while those of Freudian psychoanalysis are psychosexual. Erikson presents a theory of evolutionary conflict resolution, while the Freudianism proposes a theory of conflicts with its resulting anxiety. (Impett, 2008)

Erikson's stages

1. Learning to learn to trust versus mistrust (security)

This is the period from infancy to the second year of life. The child, who is loved, protected, fed and well-managed, developed the ability to have faith in others and grow with a sense of security and optimism. Emotionally neglected and abandoned, it develops as person insecure and distrustful.

2. versus learning to be free to be hesitant (autonomy)

Between eighteen months and 4 years of age, children with loving parents, emerge from this stage, liberal and fearless obsessive order. Initiatives and has displayed independence. Those who fail at this stage are negativities, severe head explosions tend to obfuscation. The latter, are children who invite rejection. Erikson's Life-Span Development Theory: Critics say eight stages are too rigid and that their sequencing lacks research support. (Goldbeck, 2007)

Authoritarian parenting: restrictive and punitive parenting style in which there is little verbal exchange between parents and children; children socially incompetent.

Authoritative parenting: positive parenting style; parents encourage children to be independent, yet enforces rules and restrictions; verbal exchange allowed; children socially competent.

Neglectful parenting: parenting style of involvement; children socially incompetent.

Indulgent parenting: parenting style of involvement with few rules or restrictions on child; children socially incompetent.

Bronnfenbrenner theory

Bronfenbrenner's theory focuses on social contexts where it develops the child and the people who influence their development. Ecological theory is proposed by Bronfenbrenner, it seeks to explain the importance of environments in the psychological development of people. Bronfenbrenner offers an ecological perspective of human behavior that views the ecological environment as a set of well-organized structures at different levels, in which each of these levels contains the ...