UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS Department of Psychology

1st Term, A.Y. 2015 - 2016

Chapter/Unit Overview
Explain the nature of human development.
Discuss the developmental changes in the physical,
cognitive, social and moral domains.
Determine the theoretical perspectives that
influence the developmental theories.

Exercise 1

Nature of Human Development

Nature

world within the skin

inherited physiological, emotional, intellectual,
characteristics that make up the individual

vs

and

social

complex interplay
external force that influences the individual

Nurture

Blank state tabula rasa

Developmental Stages and Domains

Human development is the study of physical, social,

cognitive, and moral changes experienced by an
individual all throughout his or her lifespan
(developmental stages: prenatal, infancy, childhood,
adolescence, and adulthood).

PSY 1 General Psychology

Human Development

How the number of neurons in

the brain changes
Development of senses
Your ability to control your
body
How you interact with others

Nature

Nurture

Both

Developmental Research Designs

Cross-Sectional Design

Longitudinal Design

Several groups of subjects with

different developmental stages
studied at one time
Advantage/s: quick; no risk of
confusing age effects with
effects of changes in the
society;
Disadvantage/s:
risk
of
sampling error by getting
different kinds of people at
different ages

One group of subjects studied

repeatedly as they ages
Advantage/s: no risk of
sampling differences; can study
consistency within individuals
over time
Disadvantage/s:
timeconsuming; participants may
drop out (relocation, illness and
death); hard to separate effects
of age from changes in society

Instructor: F. Diaz

UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS Department of Psychology

1st Term, A.Y. 2015 - 2016

Looking Back
Case of Heather DAoust
Last 2008, a 14-year-old girl
was arrested after striking her
adoptive mother at least 15
times with a claw hammer
Adoptee
parenticide
is
commonly associated with
Reactive attachment disorder
(RAD)

For the first 3 years of his life, Alex was raised in an orphanage in Romania
where the number of infants and children greatly exceeded the number of
caregivers. He was given adequate nutrition allowing him to develop well
physically, but spent most his days alone in a crib with almost no interaction
with others. He was adopted by a family in the US. His adoptive mother
described him as being friendly and engaging but also self-abusive and
having a dark side. For instance, Alex would make himself go into seizure
by slamming his head on the floor. He was also aggressive toward others,
one time attacking his younger sister, beating her senseless. When asked
if he wanted his adoptive mother to love him, he said to her, I never want
you to love me. When his adoptive mother asked him if he loved her, he
replied, No, I dont love anybody. Afters years of exhausting every
treatment, his adoptive parents arranged for Alex to live with another family.

Begins with fertilization (union of sperm and egg) and

ends during birth (9 mos./266 days).

GERMINAL
STAGE.
Conception to 2 weeks
Division of the zygote into
several
cells;
zygote
attaches itself in the uterus
(implantation) 10-14 days
after conception

EMBRYONIC STAGE. Occurs 2-8 weeks

after conception (development of the heart,
spinal cord, stomach and esophagus;
development of the arms, hands, legs,
fingers, toes, shoulder, head, eyes, ears,
nose and mouth at the end of the stage);
sense of touch

Update: DAoust was charged as an

adult and was sentenced to 16 years
to life.

Prenatal Period: Prenatal Exposure

Teratogens
- substances that
can
cause
permanent
damage to the
developing
embryo or fetus

FETAL STAGE. 9 weeks to birth.; vital organs and body parts are
now starting to develop and function; sex; sense of taste and
hearing

Infancy/Childhood: Brain & Neural Devt

Adult size

Exercise 2

The baby at the left is the oldest, at almost 1 month; the baby at
the right is the youngest, at just 2 days. The 1-month-old was
born 9 weeks early; the 2-day-old was full term and weighs
almost 8 lbs. The baby in the middle, born full-term but weighing
only 2 pounds is the most worrisome.

PSY 1 General Psychology

Human Development

5%

The infants brain is about

25% of its adult size, while
25%
the infants body is about
5% of its adult size.
During the final period of
fetal development, an
amazing neural growth is
250,000 per minute
Neural growth continues
into the first 18 to 24 mos.
of life

Instructor: F. Diaz

UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS Department of Psychology

Exercise 3

1st Term, A.Y. 2015 - 2016

Infancy/Childhood: Brain & Neural Devt

Neuroplasticity

Neural Prunning

Exercise 4

Exercise 5

Infancy/Childhood: Motor Development

Infancy/Childhood: Motor Development

Cephalocaudal
Principle

Proximodistal
Principle

Most infants follow an orderly pattern of motor development but there are large individual
differences in the ages at which each milestone appears.

PSY 1 General Psychology

Human Development

Instructor: F. Diaz

UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS Department of Psychology

Around the World

1st Term, A.Y. 2015 - 2016

Infancy/Childhood: Physical Development

Like this Algonquin baby, American Indian infants

spend long hours each day on a cradle board to the
distress of some non-Natives. However, it became
established that its use does not have any negative
effects on development and is in fact, soothing for the
baby. Also, North American children walked at about
the same time as their European-American
counterparts, implying that it is maturation rather than
practice, led to motor skills.
On the other hand, Jamaican babies undergo
stretching exercises and they are among the worlds
youngest walkers.
Babies from Bali, Indonesia skipped crawling phase
as babies are considered divine and crawling is for
animals.

Exercise 6

hugging motion stimulated

by a loud noise

PSY 1 General Psychology

Human Development

Exercise 8

involuntary
sucking
movement elicited by a
stimulus placed in the
mouth

Exercise 7

involuntary
head-turning
movement elicited by a
stimulus on the side of the
mouth or cheek

Exercise 9

Instructor: F. Diaz

UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS Department of Psychology

Infancy/Childhood: Emotional Development

Development of distinct temperaments (i.e., relatively stable
differences in mood and emotional behaviour) in the first 2-3
months of life is significantly due to genetic factors and brain
activity.
Family influence, poverty level and educational opportunities
can change the infants initial temperament

Ainsworths Attachment Theory

TYPES OF
ATTACHMENT

ANXIOUS-AMBIVALENT

AVOIDANT

Types of Temperament
1. Flexible or Easy (40%) adaptable to new situations; regular
rhythms; positive mood; adaptability; low intensity; low sensitivity
2. Difficult or Feisty (10%) not very adaptable to new sitations;
active; intense; distractible; sensitive; irregular; moody
3. Inhibited or Fearful (Slow-to-warm-up) (15%) adapts slowly;
withdraws but may later warm up
4. Average did not into any of the above-mentioned categories

Bolwbys Attachment Theory

DESCRIPTION

SECURE ATTACHMENT

1st Term, A.Y. 2015 - 2016

Children use parents as a secure base from which

they explore their environment.
They become upset if the parent leaves the room but
are glad to see the parent when he/she parent returns

A responsible and accessible caregiver

creates a secure base for the childs
development

Primary bonding relationship becomes a

mental mold for all future friendships and
love relationships

Defenseless and vulnerable

Crucial for physical, cognitive and social
growth

Learn how relationships work

Tends not to use the parent as a secure base

They become upset when the parent leaves and may
often appear angry or become more upset when his
parents returns
These children seek little contact with their parents
and are not concerned when their parents leaves
They usually avoid interactions when the parent
returns

How did these baby monkeys develop socially?

Bowlbys Patterns of Infant Attachment

Type Nature of Pattern

In Play Room

Mother
Leaves

Mother
Returns

Child plays
happily

Child
continues
playing

Child ignores
her

DISMISSING
Greater sense of autonomy
Tend to cut themselves off
emotionally from partner

SECURE
(Im ok, youre ok)

Child plays
happily

Child pauses
as not as
happy

Child
welcomes her,
returns to play

SECURE/AUTONOMOUS
Comfortable in relationships
Able to seek support from others

INSECURERESISTANT
AMBIVALENT
(Im not ok, youre
ok)

Child clings, is
preoccupied
with mother

Child is
Child is angry,
unhappy, may
may cry, hit
also stop
mother, cling
playing

DISORGANIZED

Child is
cautious

Child may
stare or yell;
looks scared,
confused

PSY 1 General Psychology

Human Development

They were aggressive, and antisocial. If they did become

parents themselves, they are abusive to their offspring because
they do not have role models who taught them how to parent or
how to interact with other monkeys.

Adult Attachment

INSECUREAVOIDANT
(Im ok, youre not
ok)

Child acts
oddly may
freeze,
scream, hit
self, throw
things

Exercise 10

PREOCCUPIED
Fears rejection from partner
Strong desire to maintain
closeness

Cannot classfy

Clothed

mother

Wire mother

Instructor: F. Diaz

UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS Department of Psychology

Research Focus

1st Term, A.Y. 2015 - 2016

Exercise 11

The Tiffany Field Study in 1979 showed the importance of

attachment, bonding and social stimulation and development.
Group 1

Group 2

Preterm at risk babies

received the standard care
Removal from the mother
and isolate in a germ-free
environment

Preterm at risk babies

received the new treatment
15 minutes of skin to skin
contact from a nurse every
day

Parenting Style
PARENTING STYLE
Authoritarian Parenting
Style

Authoritative
Style

Parenting

DESCRIPTION
A restrictive punitive style in which parents exhort the child
to follow their directions and to respect work and effort.
The authoritarian parent places firm limits and controls on
the child and allows little verbal exchange.
This parenting style is associated with childrens social
incompetence.
A parenting style in which parents encourage their children
to be independent but still place limits and controls on their
actions.
Extensive verbal give-and-take is allowed, and parents are
warm and nurturant toward the child.
Authoritative parenting is associated with childrens social
competence.

Parenting Style

Parenting Style
PARENTING STYLE
Neglectful
Parenting
Style

Indulgent Parenting Style

DESCRIPTION
A style of parenting in which the parent is very much
uninvolved in the childs life.
It is associated with childrens social incompetence,
especially lack of self-control.
A style of parenting in which parents are highly involved
with their children but place few demands or controls on
them.
Indulgent parenting is associated with childrens social
incompetence, especially lack of self-control.

Research focus
Do
babies
temperaments
change?
The data suggest that
caregivers who are
reassuring and do not
act
frightened
themselves can help
children
overcome
innate fearfulness.
In regard to change in
temperament:
inhibited/fearful
>
negative
>
positive/exuberant
Goodness of fit to describe an environment where an infant temperament
matches the opportunities, expectations, and demands the infant encounters.

PSY 1 General Psychology

Human Development

Instructor: F. Diaz

UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS Department of Psychology

Infancy/Childhood: Cognitive Development

MENTAL PROCESSES
Assimilation is a process
wherein
the
existing
mental patterns were used
in new situations
Accommodation is a
process wherein existing
ideas are modified to fit
new requirements

1st Term, A.Y. 2015 - 2016

Cognitive Stages of Development

SENSORIMOTOR

Birth to 2 years; hidden objects;

object permanence

PREOPERATIONAL

2 7 years; symbolic thoughts;

egocentrism

CONCRETE

7 12 years; conservation;
classification; reversibility

FORMAL

> 12 years; abstraction;

imaginary audience; personal
fable

Jean Piaget Cognitive Stages of

Development

Hidden Object vs. Object Permanence

Childhood: Egocentrism
Three Mountains Task

Knowledge that an object continues to exist even when it can no

longer be heard, touch or seen.

Conservation

The child is shown a 3D model of 3

mountains of different sizes, colors
and features (e.g. cross, house,
snow). A doll is placed from a
different position from the childs.
The child is asked what the doll
can see.
It was found out that 4 year-olds
almost always chose a picture that
represent what they could see
instead of the dolls view.

Tendency to perceive events and experiences based only on ones

own perspectives or interpretation.

Adolescence: Egocentricism
PERSONAL FABLE
An adolescents belief that
she is unique and
invulnerable.
IMAGINARY AUDIENCE

Ability to understand that the basic properties of an object is retained

even though its external appearance is changed.

PSY 1 General Psychology

Human Development

An adolescents belief
that the world is watching
all his/her actiion.

Instructor: F. Diaz

UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS Department of Psychology

Infancy/Childhood: Personality Devt

Personality is developed
based on the psychic
energy or libido (i.e., driving
force or motivating factor
behind
individuals
behaviour)
First 5 years were most
important to social and
personality development
Satisfaction of psychosexual
needs (undersatisfaction vs
oversatisfaction) fixation
(i.e., stuck in a stage)
Sigmund Freud Psychosexual
Stages of Development

Looking Back

1st Term, A.Y. 2015 - 2016

Psychosexual Stages of Development

ORAL STAGE

0 18 mos./ mouth, lips, tongue/

weaning or feeding

ANAL STAGE

18 mos. 3 yrs./ anus/ toilet training

PHALLIC STAGE

3 6 yrs./ penis or clitoris/ Oedipus

Complex
or
Electra
Complex/
Identification

LATENT STAGE

6 yrs. puberty/ interaction with same

sex/ devt of social and intellectual
skills/ calm period

GENITAL STAGE

puberty adulthood/ interest toward

opposite sex

Infancy/Childhood: Social Development

In ancient Roman religion and magic, the fascinus was an embodiment of the divine phallus used to
invoke the deitys divine protection. Pliny the historian calls it a medicus invidiae (i.e., a doctor or
remedy for envy or evil eye); hence, the custom of hanging a phallic charm on a baby's neck, and
examples have been found of phallus-bearing rings too small to be worn except by children in the
belief that it can ward off evil from children, mainly boys, and from conquering generals.

Psychosocial Stages of Development

Each life stage involves

crisis to be resolved.
Primary goal is to satisfy
desires associated with
social needs.
Crisis resolution sense
of identity; failure to
resolve
crises

impairment
of
development
Erik Erikson Psychosocial
Stages of Development

Psychosocial Stages of Development

Trust vs. Mistrust

0 1 yr.
Infancy

Intimacy vs. Isolation

20s 40s
Young Adulthood

Autonomy vs. Shame & Doubt

1 3 yrs.
Toddler

Generativity vs. Stagnation

40s 60s
Middle Adulthood

Initiative vs. Guilt

3 5 yrs.
Early Childhood

Industry vs. Inferiority

5 yrs. to puberty
School Age

Identity vs. Role Confusion

PSY 1 General Psychology

Human Development

Integrity vs. Despair

60s
Late Adulthood

teen years to early 20s

Adolescence

Instructor: F. Diaz

UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS Department of Psychology

Infancy/Childhood: Moral Development

Distinct features:
1. Moral
reasoning
was
classified into 3 distinct
levels.
2. Everyone
progresses
through the levels in order,
from lowest to highest.
However, not everyone
reaches the higher stages of
moral development.
* There is a 6th substage in the earlier
versions of the theory but it has been omitted
because too few people had reached it.

Conventional

Postconventional
Lawrence Kohlberg Moral Stages
of Development

How Rules are Understood

The consequences determine morality; right behaviour is rewarded while
wrong behaviour is punished
Stage 1 OBEDIENCE AND PUNISHMENT ORIENTATION.
What is bad is what you get punished for.
Stage 2 INDIVIDUALISM AND EXCHANGE.
What is bad is what has bad results.
"If you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours."
Conventional morality
Social norms determine morality
(older children, adolescents, and most
adults)
Stage 3 GOOD INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS.
Bad intentions are evil; good intentions are good.
Stage 4 MAINTAINING THE SOCIAL ORDER.
Do your duty. Follow the rules.
Postconventional morality
Reasoning determine morality
(about 20% of the adult population)
Stage 5 SOCIAL CONTRACT AND INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS.
Encourage democracy, protection of individual rights, due process of law.
*Stage 6 UNIVERSAL PRINCIPLES.
Pursue universal ethical principles.
e.g. Mahatma Gandhi

Adolescence: Physical Development

PSY 1 General Psychology

Human Development

SELF-INTEREST (consequence)
1. Fear of punishment or the need
to be obedient
2. Satisfying self-interest which
may involve bargain
SOCIAL APPROVAL (social norms)
3. Conforming to the standards of
others
4. Conforming to the laws of
society
ABSTRACT IDEAS (reasoning)
5. Careful evaluation of all the
alternatives
and
balance
between human rights and law

Research focus

Level of Morality
Preconventional morality
(typically very young children)

Surge
in
physical
growth (6-12 years old)
Female sexual maturity
Menarche is the first
menstrual period c/o
estrogen
Appearance
of
secondary
sexual
characteristics (growth
of
pubic
hair,
development of breast,
widening of hips)

Moral Stages of Development

Preconventional

Moral Stages of Development

Females

1st Term, A.Y. 2015 - 2016

Males
Surge
in
physical
growth (13-14 years old)
Male sexual maturity
(growth
of
genital
organs and production
of
sperm)
c/o
testosterone
Appearance
of
secondary
sexual
characteristics (growth
of facial and pubic hair,
growth of muscles,
deepening of voice)

An Experiment on Moral Development. Infants 6 and 10

months old watched a puppet show in which one kitten helped a
puppy to get a toy, and a different kitten prevented the puppy
from getting the toy. Later, the infants had the opportunity to play
with the kitten puppets, and they tended to choose the kitten
that had helped the puppy. (Hamlin, Wynn, & Bloom, 2007).
Results suggest that the human tendency toward cooperation is
present from a very early in life so that some sense of right and
wrong may be bred in the bone.

Adolescence: Emotional Development

Prefrontal cortex
At age 11, the brain
undergoes
rewiring
that causes vulnerability
to traumatic adolescent
experiences
Risk-taking
irresponsible behaviours
are
due
to
the
underdeveloped
prefrontal cortex (PFC)

Moody, emotional
and
impulsive
behaviours is also
attributed to the
well-developed
limbic
system
(emotional brain).

Instructor: F. Diaz

UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS Department of Psychology

Adulthood: Physical Development

Miiddle
Adulthood
30s to 40s:
weight gain;
late 40s:
decrease
in
physiological
responses
(heart rate, lung
capacity,
muscle
strength,
eyesight)

Late Adulthood
50s to 60s:
Decline in height due to bone
loss; further decrease in
output of lungs and kidneys;
increase
skin
wrinkles;
deterioration of joints; less
sensitivity of sense organs;
hear muscles becomes less
effective at blood pumping
resulting in decrease blood
flow through coronary arteries

Exercise 12

Very Late Adulthood

70s to 80s:
Further decrease in muscle
strength, bone density,
speed of nerve conduction,
output of lungs, heart, and
kidneys

MENOPAUSE
ANDROPAUSE

Adulthood: Cognitive Development

Cognitive abilities are usually at their peak during 20s to 30s.
A gradual decline occurs during 40s to 50s.

Three Cognitive Processes (40 - 80 years old)

1. Slowing in Processing Speed. Rate at which information is
encoded into long-term memory or retrieve from long-term
memory
2. Slowing in Perceptual Speed. Rate at which a particular
sensory stimulus is identified
3. Slowing in Reaction Time. Rate at which a response is
elicited by a stimulus

Exercise 13

1st Term, A.Y. 2015 - 2016

Adulthood: Cognitive Development

Memory Differences
Young adults in their 20s excel in encoding and recalling huge
amount of detail but are not as good at making sense of what
all details mean

Brain Changes
A loss of brain cells occurs in the prefrontal cortex (PFC).
There is a decrease in memory skills result from the slowing
down of memory abilities, reasoning, and attention.
Neural connections multiply and become more meaningful.

Adulthood: Emotional Development

Management of emotions become better.
Older people develop positivity bias (pay less attention to
negative information and more to positive information.

Brain Changes
Amygdala, which is responsible for fear, becomes less active.

PSY 1 General Psychology

Human Development

Instructor: F. Diaz

10

UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS Department of Psychology

1st Term, A.Y. 2015 - 2016

Adulthood: Social Development

Social development is significantly influenced by social and
cultural expectations.
Social changes involve the building of intimate relationships,
fulfilment of career goals, and playing different roles.

Looking Back
The called her Genie a pseudonym to protect
her privacy for having a life bottled up in horrors in
one dimly lit room since infancy.
Alternatively tied up to a potty or in a sleeping bag
in a mesh-sided crib, Genie had contact only with
her abusive father during her 12 years of
confinement. After her discovery in 1970, the
waiflike child became a cause celebre among
researchers and do-gooders who wanted both to
learn from her and save her.
During her four-year-stay at Childrens Hospital at
UCLA, Genie progressed, but only briefly as
doctors argued over her care and affections.
Finger-pointing, hateful allegations and a lawsuit
followed, and ultimately, Genie regressed. Today,
Genie is in her 50s. She is again in a
psychological confinement as ward of the state
and again, she is speechless.

Film/Video
Genie: Secret of the Wild Child (1994)
Up Series
NGC In the Womb
2020 Teen Confidential (video clip)

PSY 1 General Psychology

Human Development

Peter Pan syndrome is a

pop psychology concept
pertaining to an adult
(usually male) who is
socially immature. The pop
icon Michael Jackson is a
good example of an
individual who exemplifies
this syndrome. He built
Neverland Ranch as a way
of regaining the childhood
he never had. The 2,700acre property contains a
private amusement park,
zoo and movie theater.

Gerascophobia is the excessive fear of aging. It is an extremely rare

condition that only 2 cases of adults have been reported. On 2014, a case
report of a 14-year-old boy with a similar diagnosis was published. [See
Perales-Blum, Juarez-Trevio, & Escobedo-Belloc, 2014]

Looking Back

In April 2008, Elizabeth Fritzl and

her three children were released
from years of isolation in an
Austrian cellar from her father,
Josef Fritzl.

Extended Readings
Perales-Blum, L., Juarez-Trevio, M. Escobedo-Belloc D. (2014) Severe
growing-up phobia, a condition explained in a 14-year-old boy. Case
Reports
in
Psychiatry.
2014:
16.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/706439

Instructor: F. Diaz

11

UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS Department of Psychology

1st Term, A.Y. 2015 - 2016

References:
See syllabus

PSY 1 General Psychology

Human Development

Instructor: F. Diaz

12