This chapter explores the process of human development across the lifespan, highlighting the influence of heredity and environment. It deals with the major stages of development from infancy to old age.
Human Development - Quick Look Revision Guide
Your 1-page summary of the most exam-relevant takeaways from Introduction to Psychology.
This compact guide covers 20 must-know concepts from Human Development aligned with Class 11 preparation for Psychology. Ideal for last-minute revision or daily review.
Complete study summary
Essential formulas, key terms, and important concepts for quick reference and revision.
Key Points
Definition of Development: A Lifelong Process
Development includes physical, cognitive, and socio-emotional changes from conception to death.
Life-Span Perspective Assumptions
Development is lifelong, multi-directional, highly plastic, and influenced by historical context.
Differences Between Growth & Maturation
Growth is quantifiable body increase, while maturation follows a pre-determined genetic timeline.
Role of Heredity and Environment
Development results from interactions between genetic inheritance and environmental influences.
Stages of Development Overview
Major stages are prenatal, infancy, childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and old age, each with unique features.
Prenatal Stage Influencers
Maternal age, nutrition, and teratogens impact fetal development, potentially causing congenital disabilities.
Infancy: Motor Development
Motor skills follow cephalocaudal (head to toe) and proximodistal (center outward) trends.
Cognitive Development According to Piaget
Infants enter the sensorimotor stage, lacking object permanence until about 8 months.
Attachment in Infancy
Secure attachment leads to healthy socio-emotional development, as shown in Harlow’s monkey study.
Childhood: Cognitive Milestones
In preoperational stage (2-7 years), children exhibit egocentrism and struggle with conservation tasks.
Piaget’s Concrete Operational Stage
Ages 7-11 mark logical reasoning about concrete events and the ability to perform reversible operations.
Adolescence: Identity Formation
Key tasks include establishing personal identity and navigating between dependence and independence.
Egocentrism in Adolescence
Adolescents may experience 'imaginary audience' and 'personal fable', enhancing self-focus.
Challenges in Adolescence
Common issues include peer pressure, substance abuse, and the quest for autonomy and self-identity.
Adulthood: Transition and Roles
Includes navigating career, marriage, and parenting roles, with individual variations according to culture.
Development in Middle Adulthood
Physical changes include gradual decline in health, while cognitive function may stabilize or decline.
Old Age: Changing Perspectives
Challenges include loss, health decline, and adjusting to new family roles, affecting psychological well-being.
Influences on Developmental Outcomes
Sociocultural, economic, and contextual factors shape individual life experiences, impacting development.
Research Influences on Development
Multidisciplinary studies from psychology to anthropology examine human development from various angles.
Significance of Attachment
Life-long benefits stem from secure attachment formed in early childhood, impacting future relationships.
Moral Development According to Kohlberg
Kohlberg identifies levels of moral reasoning progression, influenced by developmental stages.
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