by what happened before and will affect what is to come. Each period has its own characteristics and valueDevelopment Depends on history and context- Each person develops within a specific set of circumstances or conditions defined by time and place. Human beings influence, and are influenced by historical and social context. Responding to physical and social environments but also interact with and change themDevelopment is Multidimensional & multidirectional- Development throughout life involves a balance of growth and decline. As people gain in one area they may lose in another. People seek to maximize gains & to minimize losses by learning to manage or compensate for themDevelopment is Pliable/Plastic modifiability of performance)- Abilities, such as memory, strength and endurance can be improved with training and practice. Research MethodsObservational Studies- observe behaviors in naturalistic or laboratory setting +can observe wide range of human behavior, behaviors can be clearly defined and studied, see development naturally, Inexpensive- cannot infer causality (causation), does not answer why behaviors take placeSelf Report Studies- interview subjects directly about thoughts and feelings or behaviors+quick, efficient, can control information individuals receive, inexpensive- not feasible with some people, clinical interviews expensive and subject to bias, respondents often give inaccurate infoCorrelational Studies-Documenting systematic, linear relations between variables+can determine how different variables related, identify factors that associated w/increased risk, examine relations in situations that can’t be controlled experimentally-just because 2 variables correlated, doesn’t mean they co-occur, correlations don’t prove causationExperimental Studies-manipulating 1+ variable & determining effect on 2nd variable+can determine causality, can control all other variables -costly, not feasible w/so...
