The outstanding ideas in section I revolved around understanding the life-span perspective. The key components are that development is life long, that it doesn’t just end at early adulthood when you are ‘grown-up’. Development is multidimensional in that biological, psychological, emotional events all influence each other and every area of development. The idea that development being multidirectional was expressed, meaning that our capacity is as a whole and that as we grow in one area other areas become diminished.
Development is plastic in that one event doesn’t determine total outcome or that learning cognition doesn’t stop at a certain age, etc. Development is also contextual in that normative and non-normative events greatly influence out outcome. It is also discussed how cultural traditions and social policies are influence by life-span development. In section II, Santrock addresses the nature of development in biological, cognitive, socioemotional terms.
He also looks at the general periods of development and our perspectives on age and issues that affect our development. Section III looks at different theories on development; it discusses the psychoanalytic theories of Freud and Erickson, the cognitive theories of Piaget and Vygotsky, the behavioral and social cognitive theories of Skinner and Bandura, the ethological theories of Lorenz and Bowlby, the ecological theory of Bronfenbrenner.
In the final section IV, Santrock discusses the types of approach to scientific research in the area of life-span development and ways to minimize bias in study. This chapter provided an intriguing overview of the life-span perspective. Previously when I thought of growth, I thought of it as a life-long process, but didn’t really think of the multidirectional aspect of capacity as a whole meaning other areas would diminish. I think I was most surprised that our life expectancy has increased by 30 years in the 20th century.
Many technologies I think we take for granted as always having been around, so it surprises me that there has been such a dramatic change in just 100 years time especially considering the length of time humans have inhabited the planet. I think understanding periods of development and putting development in context of normative and non-normative events will help with my family and work relationships. Trying to see the whole person and where they are at can really help with everyday interactions.
I wasn’t particularly fond of the theories section. Many of the theories are antiquated and have been dismissed. I think it is important to understand the history behind the development of ideas in understanding the life-span perspective, but it would be nice to research and/or see a more collective theory addressed. The first chapter provided an broad, but detailed overview that makes me really interested in what we will learn in the class.