Development Theories Conception Through Adolescence

Why Study Development Theories?

Learning Objectives In this lesson, you will learn to: Define human development. Understand some of the important issues in developmental psychology. Identify the different types of theories.

 The study of human development is a rich and varied subject. We all have personal experience with development, but it is sometimes difficult to understand how and why people grow, learn, and act as they do

For example
Consider the following scenario: Three-yearold Sarah has started trying to dress herself each morning. She regularly wears her shoes on the wrong feet, misses buttons, and puts shirts on inside-out. When her mother tries to help her, Sarah becomes angry and shouts, "NO! ME DO IT! Why does Sarah behave this way? Is her behavior related to her age, family relationships, or individual temperament? Developmental psychologists strive to answer such questions.

Development
Development describes the growth of humans throughout the lifespan, from conception to death. The scientific study of human development seeks to understand and explain how and why people change throughout life. This includes all aspects of human growth, including physical, emotional, intellectual, social, perceptual, and personality development

Developmental Theories
Models intended to account for how and why people become as they are.
Theories explain behavior, as well as predict behavior that can be tested and observed. They help nurses assess and treat a persons response to an illness.

Areas of Theory Development

Biophysical (Gasells theory)
Psychoanalytic (Sigmund Freud, Erik Erikson, Robert Havighurst)

Cognitive (Jean Piagets theory)

Moral (Jean Piagets and Lawrence Kohlbergs theories)

Intrauterine Life (40 weeks or 280 days)

Fertilization Zygote Mormula Implantation Organogenesis Birth

Risk Factors
Nutrition Stress
Age

Newborn (1-st month of life) Infant (1 month 1 year)

Physical Changes Psychosocial Changes Cognitive Changes

Health Risks
Injury prevention Child Maltreatment
Overfeeding

Toddler (12-36 months)

Physical changes - self care activities - walking - cardiopulmonary system become stable Cognitive changes - memory - language Psychosocial Changes - independence

Health Risks
Injury prevention

Preschooler (3-5 years)

Physical Changes Weight Muscles New skills Psychosocial Changes Meet with other children Playing Cognitive Changes Artificialism Animism

Health Risks
Injury prevention

School-age child (6-18 years)

Physical Changes Weight Growing Independence Psychosocial Changes Moral Relationships Sexual identity Cognitive Changes Ability to think

Health Risks
Stress Accidents

Adolescent (18-years)
Physical Changes Sex-specific changes (shoulders, hip) Alteration in distribution of muscle and fat Reproductive system development (estrogen, testosterone) Psychosocial Changes Family identity Group identity Sexual identity Vocation identity Cognitive Changes Depend on persons social environment

Health Risks
Accidents Suicide Substance abuse Eating disorders Sexually Transmited Diseases

Health concerns
Perception Health education