PSY313H1 Chapter Notes -Heredity, Mental Chronometry, Dementia
Document Summary
All old ppl are senile/incapable of making decisions. The life span perspective: we cant understand adults" experiences without appreciating what came before in childhood and adolescence. Life span perspective : divides human development into 2 phases. Early phase (childhood and adolescence: rapid age related increases people"s size + abilities. Later phase (young adulthoot, middle age, old age: changes in size are slow, abilities continue to develop as ppl continue adapting to env. Identified 4 key features of life span perspective. Multidirectionality :development involves both growth and decline; as ppl grow in one area they may lose in another and at diff rates: ex) ppl"s vocab ability tends to increase through life, rxn time tends to slow down. Plasticity : capacity is not predetermined or set in concrete. Skills can be learned or improved w/ practice, even late in life. But there are limits to degree of potential improvement.
