Lifespan Perspective Paper

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Lifespan Perspective Paper University Of Phoenix Sharmiece Dobson Introduction Developmental psychology appears to be one of the most prominent research specialties in psychology. Before there can be a final product there is often times a development draft first. There is a beginning and an end to everything in life. Charles Darwin had a desire to understand the dynamics of evolution, from that grew the study of lifespan development. According to Boyd & Bee (2006) norms and adolescence was introduced to scientist through a book published by G. Stanley Hall. Hall’s Book gave explanation to the first study of children. The intention of this paper is to define the lifespan development, describe the characteristics of the lifespan perspective, and identify the human development domains and periods. Lifespan Development Defined There had to be a beginning, at least this is what Charles Darwin, a well known credible psychologist, believed. Human development studies began with Darwin and other evolutionists who shared his theories. Darwin wanted to prove his theory of evolution; he believed the only approach to this was him studying human development. (Boyd& Bee, 2006) The definition of a lifespan is the average or minimum length of time an organism, material, or object can be expected to survive or last. (American Heritage Dictionary, 2000) The definition of development based on biology is the process of an individual organism growing organically a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level. (Collins English Dictionary, 2003) Ultimately the two words conjoined define the methodical intra-individual change associated with progresses corresponding to age. In a lifetime a person will change several times. These developmental eras are prenatal period, infancy, childhood, adolescence, and
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