UNIT 1: INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY

1
UNIT 1 INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY

• AREA OF STUDY 2
• LIFESPAN DEVELOPMENT

2
DEFINING LIFESPAN DEVELOPMENT

• A term used to refer to age-related changes that
  occur from birth, throughout a persons life,
  into and during old age
• Psychologists who study lifespan development aim
  to understand, describe, explain and predict the
  many ways in which our thoughts, feelings and
  behaviour change throughout our lives
• A change must be relatively permanent or
  lasting to be considered a developmental change

3
HOMEWORK

• Learning Activity 4.1 (pg.147)

4
WHERE DO YOU DRAW THE LINE?

• Childhood

Birth 2 years
Older Age
2 - 10 years
Infancy
20 - 40 years
Adolescence
Middle Age
40 - 65 years
65 years
10 - 20 years
Early Adulthood
5
STAGES OF LIFESPAN DEVELOPMENT

• Infancy birth to 2 years
• Childhood 2 years to 10 years
• Adolescence 10 years to 24 years
• Early Adulthood 20 years to 40 years
• Middle Age 40 years to 65 years
• Older Age 65 years

6
INFANCY (BIRTH 2 YEARS)

• Dependent on adults for most things
• Many psychological characteristics are rapidly
  developing (eg. perceptual abilities, ways of
  thinking, language and social skills
• Bond between infant and caregiver is important
  for emotional development

7
CHILDHOOD (2 YEARs 10 YEARS)

• Become increasingly independent from parents
• Acquire basic skills of reading, writing and
  maths
• Much time spent in play and social learning
• Cognitive skills develop
• Understanding right and wrong

8
ADOLESCENCE (10 YEARs 24 YEARS)

• Onset of puberty
• Seeking independence from parents and develop
  own identity
• Friends and peer groups exert influence
• Thought processes are logical, complex and
  idealistic

9
EARLY ADULTHOOD (20 YEARs 40 YEARS)

• Establish personal and financial independence
• Consolidate a career
• Select a partner, develop ongoing, intimate
  relationship
• Start a family and take on the role of parenting

10
MIDDLE AGE (40 YEARs 65 YEARS)

• Expanding social and personal involvements and
  responsibilities
• Advancing career
• Supporting offspring

11
OLDER AGE (65 YEARs)

• Retirement from paid work
• Decreasing strength and stamina
• Declining health
• Take on new social roles such as grandparenting

12
HOMEWORK

• Learning Activity 4.2 (pg.148)

13
AREAS OF LIFESPAN DEVELOPMENT

• PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
• SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
• COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT
• EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

14
HOMEWORK

• Learning Activity 4.3 (pg.150)

15
HOW DEVELOPMENT PROCEEDS

• CONTINUOUS DEVELOPMENT
• VS.
• DISCONTINUOUS DEVELOPMENT

16
HOW DEVELOPMENT PROCEEDS

• SEQUENTIAL NATURE OF DEVELOPMENT
• Example
• Mathematics Ability
• First a child develops the ability to count
• Secondly, the ability to add and subtract numbers
• Then they can multiply and divide

17
HOMEWORK

• Learning Activity 4.4 (pg.153)