DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCH LECTURE 1: Introduction to Human Development
Introduction to Human Development
Human development: the way people grow and change across the lifespan
Culture: the total patten of a group's customs, beliefs, art and technology
Globalization: connections between different parts of the world
World is getting virtually smaller and smaller, easier to reach people than in the past
Variations Across Countries
Developed countries: most affluent countries in the world
Make up 17 percent of total world population
Ex. US, Canada, Japan, etc.
Developing countries: less wealth than the developed countries
Make up 83 percent of total world population
Ex. India, China, majority of South America
Two reasons why the US follows a different demographic path:
Total fertility rate is higher than most developed countries
US allows more legal immigration than most developed countries
Variations between developed and developing countries:
Ex. individualism v. collectivism
Variations Within Countries
Majority culture: sets norms and standards
Contexts: settings and circumstances
Ex. rural v. urban living
Socioeconomic status (SES): social class
Gender: expectations of males and females
Ethnicity: cultural origin, traditions, race, religion, language, etc.
Evolutionary theory proposed by Charles Darwin
Young are born with different characteristics
Species change little by little
Humans' evolutionary beginnings shares ancestry with chimpanzees and gorillas
Human evolutionary line split from apes, called hominid line
Hominid line split, resulting in Homo species
Homo species evolved into Homo sapiens
The Origin of Cultures and Civilizations
Upper Paleolithic Period: art, trade and cultural differences begin to appear
Neolithic Period: climate change to allow farming
Development of Civilization: cities, writing, specialized work
Ancient Conceptions of Development
Similarities in Hindu, Ancient Greek and Talmud:
Adulthood is for experience
Old age is for wisdom and peace
Differences found in division of lifespans