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Last updated 07
December
'05 |
Remember, The General Paradigm. DEVELOPMENT OR EVENT: Biological-- Cognitive-- Personal/Social-- You have begun to construct an understanding of development across the lifespan in each domain. And you have begun to integrate the three domains toward understanding their interplay within a real life. One step you can take toward further integration is to consider how the three domains transact with each other at particular points in a life. Following are some examples to consider. Each event may have its initiation from outside the person, or from within a particular domain, or from two or more domains. Our working hypothesis is that any event may eventually involve all three domains; the exercise is to see if you can specify how each domain might be affected and how each might transact with each of the others. Remember that "transaction" means influence in both directions. For additional fun and a more complex view, you can then think about how each event, with changes occurring across the domains, might affect a person's participation in activities, social roles, and relationships with others beyond the immediate. |
DEVELOPMENT OR EVENT: Birth ----- Biological-- Adaptations Cognitive-- Sensori-Motor experience Personal/Social-- Social attachment, rather than "merely" biological |
DEVELOPMENT OR EVENT: Walking Biological-- Falls, injuries, new dangers, Coordination, Transporting things Cognitive-- Map of world traversed, Pursuit of out of sight objects Personal/Social-- Chase games, finding people, autonomy, control of separation |
DEVELOPMENT OR EVENT: 15 - 18 Month Transitions ----- Physical-- Lateralization of brain Cognitive-- Grammar, toward Pre-operational Thinking Personal/Social-- Ability to share unshared experiences, create meanings, transcend time and space to connect with others |
| DEVELOPMENT OR EVENT: 5 - 7 year transitions ----- Biological-- Better integration of neurological and sensory systems, better coordination Cognitive-- Concrete operational thinking, following directions Personal/Social-- Rule-governed games Formal education |
DEVELOPMENT OR EVENT: Puberty ----- Physical changes-- Cognitive-- Formal Operational thinking Social/Personality-- Changes in social status--sexual interest Change in relationships--Intimacy |
DEVELOPMENT OR EVENT: Entering College Biological-- Stress, change in sleep patterns, change in diet, exposure to more diverse viruses and bacteria, Cognitive-- Challenges, transactions with experts, scholars, Personal/Social-- Identity reconstruction, greater autonomy from family, new relationships, diversity, choice of major |
DEVELOPMENT OR EVENT: Birth of first child ----- Biological-- Lactation, Cognitive-- Challenge of infant care, Personal/Social-- New identity as parent, change in partner relationship |
DEVELOPMENT OR EVENT: Birth of Child Creates a More Complex Paradigm because changes in either person may affect changes in the other as well as the self. PARENT CHILD Biological-- Biological-- Cognitive-- Cognitive-- Personal/Social-- Personal/Social |
| DEVELOPMENT OR EVENT: Menopause ----- Biological-- Related changes, Freedom from contraceptive need Cognitive-- ? Personal/Social-- Change in partner relationship, change in social role |
DEVELOPMENT OR EVENT: Myocardial infarction ----- Biological-- Stress, loss of vigor, effects of medical treatment, changes in exercise routine, diet, Cognitive-- Challenge to understand, need to construct new patterns to daily life Personal/Social-- Threat to survival, fear for family, changes in partnership |
DEVELOPMENT OR EVENT: Death of partner ----- Biological-- Changes in sexual activity, sleeping arrangement, eating routine Cognitive-- Grief, challenge to understand death, learning to do tasks formerly done by partner Personal/Social-- Loss of intimacy, new status as widow[er], |
DEVELOPMENT OR EVENT: Late old age transitions ----- Biological-- Senescence Cognitive-- Dementia Personal/Social-- Losses |
| Review the page in the
syllabus that set out "Where we are going"
at the beginning of the semester. |
| We have differentiated
and examined separately each of the three major domains, from
conception
to recycling. Now your task is to integrate them into a
single,
more complex system. As you consider any person, at any point in
time,
you will be able to think about the developments happening in each
domain and how they might affect each other. Your understanding
of
the person will be more complex, more articulate, and potentially more
useful. |
| A PARTING GIFT: I WISH FOR YOU THAT YOU WILL CONSTRUCT FOR YOURSELVES LIVES THAT ARE INTERESTING, SATISFYING, CHALLENGING, AND USEFUL, and MAKE THE WORLD BETTER THAN IT IS NOW. I WISH FOR YOU THE ABILITY TO BE AWARE OF YOUR OWN DEVELOPMENT, and TO APPRECIATE THE CHANGES YOU GO THROUGH. AND I WOULD GIVE TO YOU THE COURAGE TO EXAMINE YOUR EXPERIENCE, TO MAKE CHANGES WHERE YOU CAN, and I WOULD GIVE TO YOU THE DISPOSITION TO BE AT PEACE WITH YOURSELF AND WITH THE WORLD, NOT ALL THE TIME, BUT REGULARLY. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to share my questions about human development with you. |