This document provides an introduction to developmental science, outlining five key characteristics: 1) It is multidisciplinary, drawing from many academic fields. 2) It studies people of all kinds, everywhere, seeking universal patterns as well as individual differences. 3) Development is studied across multiple contexts like family, culture, and history. 4) Developmental science recognizes cultural diversity and the social construction of concepts like race and ethnicity. 5) Human traits demonstrate plasticity and change over time rather than being fixed. The scientific method is applied through hypotheses testing using methods like observation, experimentation, surveys and case studies.

2. Zooming In and Zooming Out

3. Applying the Scientific Method

5. 3 Defining Development “The science of human developmentseeks to understand how and why people– all kinds of people, everywhere, of every age– change or remain the same over time.”

6. 4 Understanding How and Why First Element: Developmental study is a science… theories data analysis critical thinking sound methodology empirical is based on data empirical evidence is followed by applications… not theoretical

7. 5 Thescientific method is a way to answer questions that requires empirical research and data-based conclusions. scientific method: begins with curiosity develop a hypothesis test the hypothesis draw conclusions

8. 6 Including All Kinds of People Second element in Developmental Science: studying all kinds of people young and old rich and poor every ethnicity, background sexual orientation

9. 7 “Both the universal and the unique are evident in each developing person.”

10. 8 The Nature-Nurture Controversy Nature refers to the influence of genes that people inherit. Nurture refers to environmental influences that affect development after an individual is conceived.

11. 9 The Nature-Nurture Controversy has many other names: heredity versus environment maturation versus learning …the basic question… “How much of any characteristic, behavior, or pattern of development is the result of genes and how much is the result of experience?”

12. 10 Difference Is Not Necessarily Deficit difference-equals-deficit error the mistaken belief that a deviation from some norm is necessarily inferior to behavioral or characteristics that meet the standard

13. 11 Observing Changes over Time Third Element in Developmental Science: Are individuals changing or remaining the same over time? transformations consistencies of human life beginning to end understanding each segment of life

14. 12 Observing Changes over Time

15. 13 Dynamic Systems The dynamic-systems approachis a view of human development as an ongoing, every changing interaction between the physical and emotional being and between the person and every aspect of his or her environment, including the family and society.

16. 14 Dynamic Systems stresses the fluctuations and transitions throughout life the dynamic synthesis of multiple levels of analysis the interaction between people and within each person parent and child prenatal and postnatal life between ages 2 and 102

17. 15 Five Characteristics of Development Multidirectional - changes in direction; development is dynamic, not static each fraction of a second years are analyzed, revealing unexpected twist and turns

18. 16 Development follows many paths, and one way to express the variability…. continuity refers to characteristics that are stable over time (e.g., biological sex). discontinuity refers to characteristics unlike those than came before (e.g., speaking a new language, quitting a drug).

19. 17 A critical period refers to a time when a particular type of developmental growth (in the body or behavior) must happen. A fetus develops leg and arms between 21 and 50 days after conception.

20. 18 A sensitive period refers to a time when a certain type of development is most likely to happen and happens most easily. early childhood is considered a sensitiveperiod for language learning.

21. 19 Developmentalists are delving deeper into persons and looking more broadly at their contexts. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder (DMS) The American Psychiatric Association’s official guide to the diagnosis (not treatment) of mental disorders.

22. 20 Five Characteristics of Development 2. Multidisciplinary Scientists from many academic disciplines, each with their unique perspective contributing to the study of human development—together their contributions providing a full view of the whole person

23. 21 The ecological-systems approachisthe view that in the study of human development, the person should be considered in all the contexts and interactions that constitute a life.

24. 22 Urie Bronfenbrenner a leader in understanding the ecological systems approach, he believed that developmentalists need to examine all systems surrounding the development of each person microsysems exosystems macrosystems

25. 23 The Ecological Model microsysems a person’s immediate surroundings exosystems local institutions, such as schools and churches macrosystems larger social setting, including cultural values, economic polices, and political processes

26. 24 3. Multicontextual “…humans develop in dozens of contexts that profoundly affect their development…” Family Historical Economical Five Characteristics of Development

27. 25 Historical Context A cohort isa group of people who were born at about the same time and thus move though life together, experiencing the same historical events and cultural shifts.

28. 26 Socioeconomic Context socioeconomic status (SES) (“social class”) is a person’s position in society as determined by income, wealth, occupation, education, place of residence, and other factors. Example: middle class

29. 27 Culture and Development “People in different cultures hold varied views of development, and from the very beginning humans are profoundly affected by the cultures that surround them.”

30. 28 Five Characteristics of Development 4. Multicultural the patterns of behavior that are passed from one generation to the next any group may have its own culture— values customs clothes dwellings cuisine assumptions people are influenced by more than one culture

31. 29 Ethnicity and Race An ethnic group is a group whose ancestors were born in the same region and who often share a language, culture, and religion. Race refers to a group of people who are regarded by themselves or by others as genetically distinct from other groups on the basis of physical appearance. Social Construction is an idea that is built more on shared perceptions than on objective reality. Examples.. Yuppie Senior citizen childhood

32. 30 Ethnicity and Race Ethnic categories arise from history, sociology, and psychology, not from biology. ethnic groups share certain attributes: ancestral heritage national origin Religion Culture language

33. 31 Ethnicity and Race Race is used to categorize groups of people based on appearance. 95% of the genetic differences between one person and another occur within, not between, supposed racial groups. race is misleading as a biological category race = social construction an idea created by society perceived racial differences lead to discrimination affect cognition

34. 32 Genetic Codes and Brain Activity Genes affect everything, including most psychological disorders. So does the individual’s environment. zooming out – developmental researchers can shed light on the effects of nurture zooming in – researchers can add to our understanding of nature

35. 33 Mirror Neurons mirror neuronsare brain cells that respond to actions performed by someone else in the same way they would if the observer had done that action.

37. 37 Observation Scientific observation is a method of testing a hypothesis by unobtrusively watching and recording participants’ behavior in a systematic objective manner, in a natural setting, in a laboratory or in a searches of archival data.

38. 38 The Experiment Experiment: a research method in which the researcher tries to determine the cause-and-effect relationships between two variables by manipulating one (called the independent variable) and then observing and recording the resulting changes in the other (called the dependent variable).

39. 39 The Experiment independent variable: the variable that is introduced to see what effect it has on the dependent variable (Also called experimental variable) dependent variable: the variable in an experiment that may change as a result of whatever new condition or situation the experimenter ads. In other words, the dependent variable depends on the independent variable.

40. 40 The Experiment experimental group: is a group of participants in a research study who experience some special treatment or condition (the independent variable). control group: a group of participants in a research study who are similar to the experimental group in all relevant ways but they do not experience the experimental condition (the independent variable).

42. 43 Longitudinal Research Longitudinal research is a research design in which the same individuals are followed over time and their development is repeatedly assessed. 3 1 2

43. 44 Some Findings from Longitudinal Research

44. 45 Cross-Sequential Research Cross-sequential research is a hybrid research method in which researchers first study several groups of people of different ages (a cross-sectional groups over the years (a longitudinal approach). Allows researchers to disentangle differences related to age and to the historic period.

45. 46 Applying the Scientific Method

46. 47 Correlation and Causation Correlation the relationship between two variables, if one is more (or less) likely to occur when the other variable does. Positive= both variables increase or decrease Negative= one variable increases while the other decreases Zero= if no correlation is evident

47. 48 Quantity and Quality Quantitative research provides data that can be expressed with numbers, such as ranks or scales. Qualitative research considers qualities instead of quantities. Descriptions of particular conditions and participants’ expressed ideas are often part of qualitative studies.

48. 49 Ethics in Research Code of ethics is aset of moral principles that members of a profession or group are expected to follow. Meeting ethical standards is very important, especially when working with children.

49. 50 Protection of Research Participants Researchers must ensure that participation is voluntary, confidential, and harmless. Scientists are obligated to report research as accurately and complete as possible. cannot distort the results to support any political, economic, or cultural position.