Theories of lifespan development Flashcards

Question

Key researchers in the person centred approach

Answer 1

Erikson (1958) Peck (1968)

Answer 2

Bronfenbrenner (1979) Baltes (1987) Sameroff (2010)

Answer 3

Psychosocial stages of development - looking at how we go through different stages in our life and what happens at each particular stage He proposed that human development occurs in eight stages across the lifespan, and each stage involves a specific psychosocial conflict that must be resolved for healthy psychological growth First person that thought about this idea of stages in a person's life

Answer 4

Each stage of a person’s life requires the resolution of an ‘issue’ as part of that person’s ego development. Each stage consists of a crisis/conflict with alternative possibilities wherein the individual may move forward, backward or remain stuck.

Answer 5

This is the idea of sameness and continuity between the self and the outer world

Answer 6

A break in continuity of development, such as moving backward or becoming stuck at a particular point

Answer 7

Successful resolution of each conflict leads to the development of a virtue or psychological strength.

Answer 8

19-40 years Intimacy vs isolation Key Question: Can I form loving and lasting relationships? Virtue: Love Establishing intimate relationships is key. Those who struggle may feel isolated and lonely.

Answer 9

Generativity vs. Stagnation 40-65 years Almost a midlife crisis - reevaluate what's going on for you and that changes the things in your environment. Important events include working and parenting Adults strive to contribute to society and achieve something meaningful (e.g., through work or raising children). Failing to do so may lead to stagnation Virtue: production and care

Answer 10

Integrity vs despair 65 - death Reflecting on life with a sense of fulfillment leads to integrity. Regret or dissatisfaction may result in despair. Virtue: wisdom

Answer 11

Erikson’s (1958) theory was one of the first to explicitly recognise that psychological development continued throughout life - happens across the lifespan rather than just up to that adolescent point Important emphasis on the relationship between the individual and society in affecting personal development.

Answer 12

Most developmental change is seen as occurring in early life - most of the stages take you up to 19 and there's only three after that.

Answer 13

Criticism: Erikson’s model assumes a linear progression through stages tied to chronological age. Impact: Real-life development is often more fluid, with people revisiting earlier stages or confronting challenges "out of order" due to life events (e.g., trauma, career shifts).

Answer 14

Criticism: While Erikson emphasized society and culture more than Freud, he still did not fully account for specific socio-economic, racial, or historical contexts. Impact: This limits how well the theory explains development in marginalized or disadvantaged groups.

Answer 15

Criticism: The model implies a somewhat universal path to development (e.g., marriage, work, retirement). Impact: It may overlook alternative life choices, such as child-free lifestyles, nontraditional careers, or late-life education.

Answer 16

1968 Peck’s theory of psychological development expands on Erikson’s ideas, specifically focusing on adult development—particularly middle to late adulthood. He proposed that psychological growth continues well past Erikson’s stage of “Ego Integrity vs. Despair.” Felt there were more stages of development in the second half of our life Subdivided middle and old age into additional sub-stages to attempt to characterise the crises in more detail. Middle age – 4 crises Old age – 3 crises In doing this, Peck (1968) characterised later life more positively, as a time for growth

Answer 17

Characterises later life in very narrow terms; a period of relative stability, where the primary concern is coming to terms with death and dying - this is not their primary concern Latter two stages (40+) are supposed to represent all of the psychological crises and crisis resolutions of the last 40-45 years of life (Peck, 1968).

Answer 18

Valuing wisdom vs. valuing physical powers - The need to come to terms with a loss of physical strength and stamina, and attractiveness. At the same time we experience gains in judgement and wisdom. Socialising vs. sexualising - The need to redefine individuals in terms of their personality/companionship rather than potential sexual partners.

Answer 19

65+ Ego differentiation vs. work role preoccupation - Core Idea: After retirement, individuals must find self-worth outside of their previous work roles. Positive Outcome: Developing new sources of identity, such as family roles, hobbies, volunteer work, or personal interests. Risk: If individuals remain preoccupied with their former roles, they may experience a sense of loss or worthlessness.

Answer 20

Body transcendence vs. body preoccupation Core Idea: Aging brings physical decline, and individuals must learn to transcend bodily limitations by focusing on psychological and emotional strengths. Positive Outcome: Accepting changes and emphasizing mental health, relationships, and personal growth. Risk: Obsession with health issues or bodily decline can lead to frustration, depression, or diminished life satisfaction.

Answer 21

Core Idea: As people face the reality of mortality, they must shift focus from the self to broader life purposes, like legacy, meaning, and contribution to others. Positive Outcome: Developing a sense of meaning beyond oneself, often through relationships, mentoring, or community involvement. Risk: Becoming preoccupied with the self, fears of death, or regrets, which may hinder psychological well-being.

Answer 22

Normalising patterns of development Age-related focus on development Culture, context and history.

Answer 23

Stage theories are based on the premise that each stage is experienced universally, in the same way in all individuals. Human development shows relative plasticity, so there is no single or ideal developmental pathway for any one person. Presents problems to those who sit outside the parameters of what any given society considers ‘normal’.

Answer 24

Stage theories view developmental change as related to chronological age. Individuals progress in very different ways; regression or stability is not always a bad thing!

Answer 25

The assumption of a universal trajectory of change overlooks the influence of culture, contextual factors, person–environment interactions, and the unique historical experiences of individuals, communities, and generations This is something that needs to be challenged when we are thinking about lifespan theories as it is very reductionist

Answer 26

By the mid 20th Century, life course theory was becoming increasingly popular. Life course theories consider the full social and cultural context of each person, giving a more complete picture of what influences development in our diverse and global society

Answer 27

Part of the life course theory Development doesn’t occur in isolation, it is affected by the context of a person’s life. Internal influences on development such as biology and psychology interact with external influences such as their cultural context and interpersonal relationships.

Answer 28

Part of the lifecourse theory If one of the variables influencing development changes, this can cause changes in other variables at the same or a different level. It is not possible to separate biology and psychology of a person from the environment in which they live. Your current experiences shape your future, and the choices you make later on will be influenced by what you're going through now.

Answer 29

Focusing on how functional abilities change across the lifespan, with an emphasis on individual capabilities and how people adapt to physical, cognitive, and social challenges over time. This approach looks at the functions that are crucial for survival, well-being, and growth, and examines how these functions evolve as individuals age.

Answer 30

It emphasises the importance of adaptation across these ecological systems and highlights how individual capabilities interact with their environment. For example, a person’s cognitive or social functioning may adapt based on family dynamics, cultural practices, or societal changes over time.

Answer 31

Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) ecological systems theory The developing individual is always in interaction with an evolving environment. This environment is changing all the time and as a result we get a 'nest' of interactive structures or settings placed within each other. It suggests that an individual’s development is shaped not only by internal factors but by the interaction with various ecological layers:

Answer 32

Microsystem (innermost level) Mesosystem Exosystem Macrosystem (outermost level)

Answer 33

Where the individual is at a particular moment in time, e.g. at home, work.

Answer 34

Interaction between different microsystems, e.g. success at work may be influenced by home situation

Answer 35

An external environment that influences an individual even if they are not physically present within that environment, e.g. parent’s promotion at work may improve the quality of life for their child(ren).

Answer 36

Beliefs, attitudes and traditions within a given culture that influence the individual, e.g. Western individualism vs. Eastern collectivism

Answer 37

The SOC model, or Selection, Optimisation, and Compensation, is a psychological model of successful aging proposed by Baltes. It suggests that individuals can maintain their well-being and functioning in the face of age-related changes by actively selecting goals, optimising their resources, and compensating for losses.

Answer 38

Lifespan development consists of dynamic interactions between growth (gains, e.g. new job) and decline (losses, e.g. health).

Answer 39

A person’s internal and external resources are finite. As we age: We must devote more resources to maintain function and compensate for biological losses. Resources are replenished less often and drawn upon more exhaustively.

Answer 40

1. Selection: Selecting functional domains on which to focus one’s limited resources 2. Optimization: Maximising gains 3. Compensation: Compensating for losses These processes ensure the maintenance of functioning and minimisation of losses throughout the life course.

Answer 41

Carpentieri et al. (2017) Examined the way that older people talk about their use of selection, optimisation and compensation in the context of physical decline. The authors found that older people who engaged in high levels of SOC talk had high wellbeing despite low physical function. Those who engaged in little SOC talk had low wellbeing despite higher physical function. Selection: “I don’t do ladder work now. I think there was a year when I felt my wrists weren’t strong enough to deal with the ladder, you know, and I just said, ‘Right, that’s it.’ I stopped”. Optimization: Colin had recently begun “making myself go to the gymnasium every day” in an effort to improve his physical and mental fitness. Compensation: “After the first [hip] operation I wasn’t allowed to bend, so I’d sweep the kitchen floor and then I’d have to get [HUSBAND] to come in and put it into a dustpan… And I got one of the long-handled dustpans and brushes…and it’s been fabulous”.

Answer 42

2010 - Integrative model of development Builds on the idea of nested systems but also considers biological and psychological factors at the centre of the various social systems The individual is a biopsychological self-regulating system composed of biological and psychological parts. The self-regulating individual is embedded in, and influenced by, social systems, including: parents; family; friends; community; and geopolitical environment.

Answer 43

Adult development is varied and complex and cannot be understood through the scope of a single theoretical approach We need to draw on multiple models to start thinking about the complex nature of lifespan development

Answer 44

1. the notion that everything is developmental. Lifespan is more than that - dilutes our in-depth understanding 2. emphasis on context - lifespan approach assumes that the individual is a passive agent

Answer 45

Hendricks (2012) 1. Does the model recognise our ties to others? - We are all connected to others through a web of social relationships 2. Are relevant dimensions of time part of the framework? - Influence of historical time or context on life experiences. 3. Is place or location addressed? - Where we live, geographically and socially, affects how life is experienced. 4. What about personal agency? - Individuals are actively involved in inputting meaning and shaping outcomes.

Answer 46

Adult development is the outcome of complex interactions between biopsychosocial and life-cycle factors (Baltes, 1987). The adult lifespan is cumulative and continuous so in order to make sense of any given period, we need to consider whole lives in context (Hendricks, 2012). Lifespan theory presents a broad conceptual perspective for viewing the relationship between adult development, health and wellbeing. No universal theory of lifespan development, each explain different aspects and complement the other. Multidimensional and multidisciplinary approach is necessary to understand the complexity of lifespan development, health and wellbeing.

Answer 47

Erikson’s theory provides a person-centered approach to development, emphasizing the role of social relationships and identity in shaping mental health. Baltes' SOC model, on the other hand, offers a function-centered approach, focusing on adaptive strategies for maintaining wellbeing in the face of aging and resource loss

Answer 48

Significant shifts in an individual's life, impacting their roles, relationships, and overall well-being

Answer 49

Implies that development occurs in a fixed, universal pattern, the same for everyone (e.g., stage theories)

Answer 50

Erikson: a stage-based theorist who supports the idea of ordered sequences. Baltes: offers a more flexible, context-sensitive view of development.

Answer 51

Development is not a fixed sequence, it is shaped by plasticity, context, culture, and history Development is multidirectional – gains and losses occur at all stages Introduced Selective Optimisation with Compensation (SOC): People adapt to changes by selecting goals, optimizing efforts, and compensating for losses – this process varies between individuals.

Answer 52

Accoutns for individual differences and environmental impact

Answer 53

Baltes’ lifespan theory emphasizes that development is: Multidirectional (not just gains or losses) Plastic (changeable) Context-dependent (influenced by culture, history, individual goals) Shaped by individual strategies (e.g., Selective Optimization with Compensation – SOC model) This means that people can develop very differently depending on personal, cultural, and situational factors.

Answer 54

Reduced Predictive Power In psychology, especially in developmental or clinical settings, we often want to predict what challenges someone might face or how they might change over time. If development is too variable, it becomes harder to create models that predict outcomes across groups (e.g., at what age most people achieve certain milestones or decline in certain skills). 2. Harder to Generalise The theory doesn’t claim that people follow universal stages or patterns, so findings based on one group (e.g., Western, educated adults) may not apply to others. This makes it harder to use the theory to create universal policies, interventions, or educational frameworks.

Answer 55

While it reduces predictability, the flexibility of Baltes’ theory is actually a realistic reflection of human life: People don’t all follow the same script — and a good theory should account for that complexity. So, when you critique the theory for being harder to generalise, you're noting a scientific trade-off: Less predictability = less simplicity and universality, but More flexibility = greater accuracy and relevance to real human diversity.

Answer 56

Development doesn't follow a single, linear path of improvement or decline. Instead, different abilities, domains, or skills can improve, decline or remain stable at the same time depending on the individual, the life stage, and the context.

Answer 57

Gains and losses coexist - Development involves both growth and decline — not just one or the other. E.g., an older adult might lose speed in cognitive processing but gain in emotional regulation or wisdom. No universal trajectory – One person might improve in social relationships during adulthood, while another might decline. – Development is not uniform across people or domains. Different capacities change at different rates – For example, as people age, their crystallised intelligence (accumulated knowledge) may stay stable or even increase, while their fluid intelligence (problem-solving speed) may decline.

Answer 58

Challenges the outdated idea that development is only about linear progress in youth followed by decline in old age. Instead, human development is complex, variable and dynamic across the lifespan

Theories of lifespan development Flashcards

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