CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION & OVERVIEW

AHBS 1316/AHSC 1314
Developmental Psychology in Health
Sciences
Asst. Prof. Dr. Izzuddin Ahmad
Nadzirin
 OUTLINE OF THE TOPIC

Explain the overview of human development.

Identify the most important developmental

processes and periods.

Describe key developmental issues.

1
OVERVIEW OF
HUMAN
DEVELOPMENT
OVERVIEW
▰ Development is
the pattern of
movement or
change that begins
at conception and
continues through
the human life span. ▰It includes growth
and decline
▰Psychology is the
scientific study of the
human mind and its
functions, especially
those affecting
behaviour in a given
context.
5
 WHAT IS
DEVELOPMENTAL
WHAT IS
PSYCHOLOGY??
QUALITATIV
E • It collects detailed views of
RESEARCH It is a branch of
participants in the form of words.
?
psychology that focuses
• It interprets the meaning of the
on how
information
reflections.
people
drawing grow
on personal and
change over the course of
a lifetime
• Not measurements, but WORDS!
• Instead of asking what is the
prevalence of obesity, you ask "WHY
and HOW the prevalence is
increasing?"
THE IMPORTANCE OF STUDYING
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

Can gain insight to your own life as a child,

1 adolescent and adult.

From a medical point of view, especially in that

2 area of prevention, learning the development of a
person can be of great value.

Can understand characteristics, problems and needs

3 of people of various ages so that you can utilize
these knowledge to provide developmentally
appropriate care to your future patients and family
THE HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES

Original • Children were basically bad and born into

the world as evil beings
Sin

• Children are like a ‘blank tablet’ and acquire

Tabula their characteristics through experience
Rasa (John Locke ).

Innate • Children are inherently good and they

should be permitted to grow naturally with
Goodness parental control (Jean-Jacques Rousseau ).
LIFE-SPAN APPROACH

▰ Itemphasizes that developmental change

occurs from infancy until adulthood.

▰Paul Baltes proposed 8 characteristics of the

life-span development
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE
LIFE-SPAN DEVELOPMENT
1 Development is lifelong

2 Development is multidimensional

3 Development is multidirectional

4 Development is plastic

5 Development is contextual

6 Development is multidisciplinary

Development involves growth, maintenance and

7 regulation of loss

Development is a construction of biology, culture and

8 the individual
1. Development is Lifelong

All stages of the life span equally contribute in human

development; no age period dominates development.

Many diverse patterns of change. What are the changes

in human development?

• Physical form
• Physical capabilities
• Cognitive capabilities
• Personality
• Roles
2. Development is
Multidimensional

Physical Cognitive
Dimensions Dimensions

Socio-
emotional
Dimensions
3. Development is
Multidirectional
Development involves growth and decline.

For example:
Growth- Human will experience rapid physical
development from infancy to adolescent (e.g: height,
weight).
Decline- However, when reach adulthood stage,
physical development started to decline (e.g: sight,
taste, strength)
4. Development is Plastic

Plasticity the ability to change

It is not restricted to any period of life but that people

of all ages are able to react and adapt to their
environment.
(E.g: Introvert person during childhood extrovert person
when the person reach adulthood stage)

However, we possibly possess less capacity for change

when we become old.
5. Development is Contextual

All development occurs within a context or setting.

For examples:
*Families
*Schools
*Peer groups
*Neighborhood
*Countries
5. Development is Contextual
(cont)
Normative age-graded influences
• Influences that are similar for individuals in a particular age group.
(e.g : Puberty, Menopause, Formal education).
Normative history-graded influences
• Influences that are common to people of a particular generation
because of historical circumstances. (e.g : Generation of world war
2, technology revolution).
Non-normative life events
• Unusual occurrences that have a major impact on the individual’s
life (e.g : Pregnancy in early adolescent, Death of a parent when a
child is young, Early widowhood)
6. Development is
Multidisciplinary

Development is studied by a number of

disciplines like :
1. Psychologists.
2. Sociologists.
3. Neuroscientists.
4. Medical Researchers.
5. Anthropologists.
7. Development Involves Growth,
Maintenance and Regulation of Loss

GROWTH may decrease with age which it starts from infancy until
late adulthood. Growth here not only related to physical growth,
however, it may also include abilities, strength and capabilities.

MAINTENANCE and Maintenance = maintaining levels

of functioning (e.g: decision
REGULATION OF LOSS
making, playing football, reasoning,
take place when individual
memory) that an individual
reaches middle and late
possesses through series of
adulthood. Both of these are
activities (e.g: reading, Sudoku,
increasing with age.
training) to minimize deterioration
of function (REGULATION OF LOSS)
8. Development is Co-Construction of
Biology, Culture and the Individual

Development is a co-construction of biology,

culture and the individual factors working
together.

E.g :
Ahmad (individual factor) can go beyond what his
genetic inheritance (biology) and environment (culture)
give him by actively choosing from the environment.
2
THE NATURE OF
DEVELOPMENT
Major Domains of Development

Physical
Development

Socio-
Cognitive
emotional
Development
Development
Physical Development

Involves changes in the individual’s physical

nature such as :
Height and weight gains
Development of the brain.
Changes in motor skills.
Cardiovascular decline.
Cognitive Development

Involve changes in the individual’s thought,

intelligence and language such as :
Creating a two-word sentence
Memorizing a poem
Solving a crossword puzzle.
Socio-emotional Development

Involve changes in the individual’s relationships

with other people, changes in emotions and
changes in personality such as:
An infant’s smile in response to her mother’s
touch.
A young boy is crying because he has been bullied
by his peers.
The affection of husband and wife.
 Infancy Early Childhood
(birth to 24 month) Middle and Late
Prenatal period (2-6 years) childhood
(Conception to birth) (7-12 years)

Periods of Development
Early Adulthood Middle Adulthood
Adolescence (20s-30s) ( 40s-60s) Late Adulthood
(13-21 years) (60s-70s)
Prenatal Period

The time from

conception to birth.

From a single cell to an

organism complete with a
brain and behavioral
capabilities.

Approximately a 9
month period.
 Infancy

The developmental period

from birth to 24 months.
A time of extreme
dependency on
adults.

Many psychological
activities are just
beginning.
 Early Childhood

The developmental period

expanding from the end infancy
to 6 years old.

‘Preschool years’.

Children learn to become

more self-sufficient and spend
many hours playing with peers.

Develop school readiness

skills.
Middle and Late Childhood

7 to 12 years of age.

Primary school years.

Fundamental skills of
reading, writing and
calculation are mastered.
Adolescence
Period of transition from childhood to early adulthood-
entered at 13 and ending at 21 years.
Begins with rapid physical changes.
Pursuit of independence and looking for own identity
Thought is now more logical, abstract and idealistic.
Early Adulthood
It begins in the early twenties
and lasting through the
thirties.

A time for:
establishing personal and
economic independence.
career development
selecting a soul mate
starting a family and nurturing
children.
Middle Adulthood
It starts around 40 years of age
and extending to 60.

A time for:
Expanding personal and
social involvement and
responsibility.
Assisting the next
generation in becoming
competent.
Late Adulthood
It starts in the 60s and lasting until death.

A time for:
A life review
Retirement
New social roles
(e.g: become grandparent).

Experiencing a decline in strength and health.

An important thing to remember about
these age ranges is that individual
differences exist!
People mature at different levels and reach
developmental milestones at different points

Environmental factors, including culture, play a role in

determining when events occur

Age ranges are only averages, and some people will be

above or below.
35
 TO BE
CONTINUED
36
 The Significance of Age

Is there a best age to be?

No particular age group says that they
are happier or more satisfied than any
other age group.
 The Significance of Age

Developmental psychologists suggested several

classifications of age that include:
* Chronological Age.
* Biological Age.
* Psychological Age.
* Social Age
Chronological Age

The number of years that a person has lived.

The actual age of a person.

Biological Age
A person’s age in terms of
biological health.

Knowing the functional

capacities of a person’s vital
organs.

The younger the person’s

biological age, the longer the
person is expected to live,
regardless of chronological
age.
Psychological Age

Psychological age is how old one feels, acts and behaves.

Psychological age may exceed chronological age if people feel

they are mature or at least feel older than they really are.

For example: Adolescents who feel older than they really are
engage in behaviors typical of an adult:
Positive side: Taking on responsibilities usually reserved for
older people.
Negative side: Teens may get involved in risk-taking behaviors
like smoking
http://www.playbuzz.com/jeffboatman10/this-test-will-
reveal-your-psychological-age
Social Age

It refers to social roles and expectations related to a

person’s age.

However, social age may be much younger or older

than the norm

For example, you have two kids at the age of nineteen.

The normal age of women who have two kids in
Malaysia is thirty (for example). Thus, your social age
then becomes 30
44
3
DEVELOPMENTAL
ISSUES
Each of us has his/her own way of looking at
our own and other people’s development.
These paradigms of human development
while obviously lacking in scholastic vigor,
provide us with a conceptual framework for
understanding ourselves and others. Scholars
have come up with their own models of
human development. Back up by solid
research, they take stand on issues on human
development. 46
 Nature and Nurture

Involves the debate about whether

development is primarily influenced by nature
or nurture.

Nature Nurture
An organism’s An organism’s
biological inheritance environmental experiences
Nature

Behaviour is caused by innate characteristics:

The physiological/biological characteristics we
are born with.
Behaviour is therefore determined by biology.
Also a determinist view – suggests all
behaviour is determined by hereditary
factors: Inherited characteristics, or genetic
make-up we are born with.
48
Nature

All possible behaviours are said to be present

from conception.
Genes provide the blueprint for all
behaviours; some present from birth, others
pre-programmed to emerge with age.
E.g. Piaget: children’s thought processes
change at predetermined age-related stages
are related to changes in behaviour.
49
Nurture

An individual’s behaviour is determined by

the environment – the things people teach
them, the things they observe, and because of
the different situations they are in.
Also a determinist view – proposes all human
behaviour is the result of interactions with the
environment.

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Nurture

Children are born as an empty vessel – waiting

to be filled up by experiences gained from
environmental interaction.
No limit to what they can achieve.
Depends on quality of external influences and
NOT genes.
The quality of the environment is the KEY.
You can become anything provided the
environment is right. 51
 Continuity and Discontinuity

The issue focuses on the extent to which

development involves gradual, cumulative
change or distinct stages.
Think about your development, do you think
you gradually become the person you are?
Or, did you experience sudden, distinct
changes in development to emerge as the
person you are?
Continuity

Development results from a gradual process

occurring over several weeks, months and
possibly years.
For example: A child learns to crawl, and then
to stand and then to walk. They are gradually
learning how to walk.
Discontinuity
On the other hand, some people see
development as consisting of different stages.
The discontinuity view of development
believes that people pass through stages of life
that are qualitatively different from each
other.
For example: Children go from only being able
to think in very literal terms to being able to
think abstractly. They have moved into the
'abstract thinking' phase of their lives.
Is Child Development continuous or
Discontinuous?

Not all psychologists, however, agree that

development is a continuous process. Some
view development as a discontinuous process.
They believe development involves distinct and
separate stages with different kinds of
behaviour occurring in each stage.

55
 Stability and Change

The issue deals with the issue of whether or

not personality traits present during infancy
endure or remain constant throughout the
lifespan.

Change Theorists argue that personalities are

modified by interactions with family,
experiences at school, and acculturation.
Studies of children have often revealed impressive
stability over time in aspects of development such as
the attachment to their parents or in personality.
However, there is evidence which suggests a
contrary view, that change is both possible and
indeed, is likely under appropriate conditions.

57
E.g. A child that is shy in his youth, but as an adult,
he is not shy at all. Developmental psychologists
could study this and attribute the reasons for the
change in personality to either having been trained
to not be shy or assuming that the person is still
naturally shy, he has just learned how to mask the
personality in some way.

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Issues Questions that Raise

Nature/Nurture How do genetic inheritance

(our nature) and experience
(the nurture we receive)
influence our behavior?
Continuity/Discontinuity Is developmental a gradual,
continuous process or a
sequence of a separate
stages?
Stability/Change Do our early personality traits
persist through life, or do we
become different persons as
we age?
 Evaluating the Developmental Issues

Most developmental psychologists acknowledge

that development is:
NOT all nature or all nurture
NOT all stability or all change
NOT all continuity or all discontinuity

All characterize development

throughout the human life span
To be continued…
 End of
Chapter 1