Why Do They Do That?

Recalling information presented in Chapter 1, psychologists keep coming back to the age-old question of nature versus nurture. What causes our behavior? Is it environment or genetics? For each behavior described below, list the possible genetic and environmental explanations for it.

1. A child exhibiting symptoms of ADHD:
   1. Nature:
      ____________________________________________________________________
   2. Nurture:
      ____________________________________________________________________
2. A woman who develops diabetes:
   1. Nature:
      ____________________________________________________________________
   2. Nurture:
      ____________________________________________________________________
3. A teenager who looks and acts just like his dad:
   1. Nature:
      ____________________________________________________________________
   2. Nurture:
      ____________________________________________________________________
4. A man who becomes a serial killer:
   1. Nature:
      ____________________________________________________________________
   2. Nurture:
      ____________________________________________________________________
5. A woman who becomes a teacher, just like her mother and grandmother:
   1. Nature:
      ____________________________________________________________________
   2. Nurture:
      ____________________________________________________________________
      

So Which Is It?

React: Compare and contrast the influence of nature versus nurture.

1. What do you think cause behavior? Is it primarily determined by genetics or environment? Explain your answer.

You Decide

Relate: Describe developmental research techniques

Using information from the textbook, decide which research method(s) you would use to investigate the following topics. Please explain your answer.

1. Is homosexuality biological or is it a personal choice?
   ____________________________________________________________________
2. What are some of the risk factors for career criminals?
   ____________________________________________________________________
3. What is unique about geniuses such as Einstein and Beethoven?

Fetal Time Line

Remember: Discuss prenatal development

For each section of prenatal time span listed below, state the major areas of development that take place as well as any possible dangers to the fetus.

1. Conception:
   ____________________________________________________________________
2. Zero- 2weeks:
   ____________________________________________________________________
3. Two-Eight weeks:
   ____________________________________________________________________
4. About 22 weeks:
   ____________________________________________________________________
5. About 28 weeks:
   ____________________________________________________________________
6. About 38 weeks:

Baby Jack

Remember: Describe the major competencies of newborns;
Explain the milestones of physical, social, and cognitive development during childhood

For this exercise, you are going to follow imagine that you are a psychologist following a little baby boy named Jack.

1. Baby Jack is born into the world on December 21st, he called a _________________.
2. Though Jack may look like an alien, he is actually a human. List some of the physical characteristics he may have at birth:
   ____________________________________________________________________
3. Jack is also born with some interesting abilities. List each of the four reflexes Jack has at this point and their purpose.
   1. 
      ____________________________________________________________________
   2. 
      ____________________________________________________________________
   3. 
      ____________________________________________________________________
   4. 
      ____________________________________________________________________
4. According to Piaget, Jack will be in the _________________________ stage of development until he is _______ years old. List some of the characteristics of this stage:
   1. ____________________________________________________________________
5. At about nine months, however, Jack seems to look for hidden or missing toys. This represents the very beginning of learning _________________ _____________.
6. Interestingly enough, at this age Jack also experiences what is commonly known as separation anxiety and we begin to see the characteristics of his emotional bonds or _________________________.
7. Jack could demonstrate several different types of attachment. For each attachment style below, describe how Jack would behave if his mother left the room:
   1. Securely Attached:
      ____________________________________________________________________
   2. Avoidant:
      ____________________________________________________________________
   3. Ambivalent:
      ____________________________________________________________________
   4. Disorganized-disoriented:
      ____________________________________________________________________
8. Eric Eriksson calls this stage of Jack's attachment __________________ versus ________________. It is at this age that Jack will decide whether he can trust people in his future relationships.
9. By the time Jack is 2 or so, he should be changing considerably. List some of the new behavior we are likely to see in Jack:
   ____________________________________________________________________
10. At this point, Jack's parents may begin to demonstrate certain parenting patterns. Suppose that Jack had a habit of biting his sister. How would each of the following parenting types discipline him?
    1. Authoritarian:
       ____________________________________________________________________
    2. Permissive:
       ____________________________________________________________________
    3. Authoritative:
       ____________________________________________________________________
    4. Uninvolved:
       ____________________________________________________________________
11. Now much of Jack's interaction with his parents will depend on his own ________________, or his own inherent set of personality traits.
12. Right about this age, Jack also enters into another one of Eriksson's stages called ____________________ versus _____________________________.
13. Jack also begins to use words. In fact, it is possible for him to learn up to 50 new words a day! Piaget would say that Jack has also moved beyond his sensorimotor stage and onto the __________________________ ______________________.
14. Jack may exhibit egocentric thought. This means that:
    ____________________________________________________________________
15. He will also have difficulty understanding the principle of conservations. This means that:
    ____________________________________________________________________
16. Like any active and rambunctious 3-year-old, Jack's favorite words may soon become "No!" "Mine!" and "I Do It Myself!" He is beginning to learn about himself and the world around him, and is beginning to test the limits of what he can and cannot do. So he may experience the joy of successfully pouring a glass of milk for himself or the distress of spilling it all over the floor. Eriksson calls this stage ____________ versus ___________________.
17. In time, Jack will go to kindergarten and begin the long road of schooling. About this time, he will also transition into Eriksson's final stage of development _______________ versus __________________.
18. As Jack goes to school he learns that he is very good at certain things (industrious) or that he is not as good as his peers (inferior). Piaget would say that his cognitive development has changed as well. He has entered the _____________ ___________ stage of development.
19. Jack's thinking processes are now characterized by:

But What about You?

Relate: Explain the milestones of physical, social, and cognitive development during childhood

Though it can be hard to believe, much of your physical, social, and cognitive development as a child still has an enormous impact on your adult life. Let's look at this.

1. Contact a parent or caregiver and have him/her describe your temperament as a baby. Record their observations:
   ____________________________________________________________________
2. Are any of these observations about you still true today?
   ____________________________________________________________________
3. Think about your relationships other people. As children, when we were unsure if something still exists when we couldn't see it (object permanence) we began the process of solidarities attachment. Essentially, you were answering the question: "If my mommy leaves, will she come back?" Attachment styles in adults are similar, but the question in this stage is: "Does my relationship remain the same when I am not with you?" Look at the attachment history of some of your past and current relationships. Can you learn anything from this information just described?
   ____________________________________________________________________
4. Look at Eriksson's model. As a child, did you learn to trust the world and the people in it or did you learn to mistrust? How does this affect you today?
   ____________________________________________________________________
5. What about initiative versus shame and doubt? Are you confident and bold or do you find yourself apologizing often or feeling guilty about your actions?
   ____________________________________________________________________
6. Now consider industry versus inferiority. Do you feel as good as others in all areas or in just a few? Do you feel inferior in many areas or do you often feel superior?
   ____________________________________________________________________
7. What was your parents' parenting type? What did you learn from it?

Now What?

React: Explain the milestones of physical, social, and cognitive development during childhood

1. By now you should begin to see common trends from your own childhood that can provide valuable insights into your adult self. How can you use this information in your daily life? Explain your answer.

The Birds and the Bees

Remember: Explain moral and cognitive development in adolescents;
Discuss social development in adolescents

1. Adolescence officially begins at puberty. What are the characteristics mark a girl's transition through puberty?
   ____________________________________________________________________
   
   What are the characteristics mark a boy's transition through puberty?

Living Eriksson

Relate: Explain moral and cognitive development in adolescents;
Discuss social development in adolescents

In this section of the textbook we find the remainder of Erik Eriksson's model of psychosocial development. This is an excellent way to look at our sense of self and our history and to chart our continued course thorough life.

1. Adolescence enters Eriksson's stage at the point of identity versus role confusion. The essential question is "Who am I?" Think back to your adolescence. What was this stage like for you?
   ____________________________________________________________________
2. Look around you. Do you see adults who still show traits of role confusion?
   ____________________________________________________________________
3. In early adulthood most people go through a stage of looking for intimacy. Eriksson called this intimacy versus isolation. Do you know or have you known people who failed to find intimacy? Describe them.
   ____________________________________________________________________
4. In middle adulthood, we approach the stage of generatively versus stagnation. We decide whether we will continue to give back to the community and find our self worth or whether we will stay still or become stagnant. Have you seen an example of this? For example, have you witnessed a person having a mid-life crisis? Describe what you've witnessed.
   ____________________________________________________________________
5. The final stage humans go through, according to Eriksson, is ego-integrity versus despair. Have you witnessed anyone experiencing this stage? What did you observe?

How Do You Know You Are an Adult?

React: Explain moral and cognitive development in adolescents;
Discuss social development in adolescents

1. How do you know you are an adult? Are you an adult when you turn 16 and can drive, or when you are 18 and of legal age? Or, maybe you become an adult at 21, when you can decide to drink. In American society, the distinction between adolescence and adulthood is very blurred because there is no standard "rite of passage." One could argue that many of our social problems result from this ambiguity. Research some common rites of passage. If you were to create a rite of passage for your child becoming an adult, what would it be?

About The White Picket Fence

Relate: Discuss social development in adulthood;
State the impact of marriage, children, and divorce on families

Think about modern ideals of family values. What we have been taught about marriage, children, and divorce might not be supported by psychology. Consider the information presented in the textbook. Define your ideal values. Are they the same or have they changed? Explain your answer.

Looking at Decades

Remember: Explain physical development in adulthood;
Discuss social development in adulthood;
State the impact of marriage, children, and divorce on families;
Discuss how the reality of late adulthood differs from the stereotypes about that period;
Discuss the later years of adulthood
Explain the physical changes that occur in late adulthood;
Identify the cognitive changes that occur in late adulthood

Look at the following decades in the human life span. For each, write the characteristics of that age group and list the physical, emotional, and social changes and transitions.

1. 20 Years Old ---------------------- 30 Years Old
   1. Physical:
      ____________________________________________________________________
   2. Emotional:
      ____________________________________________________________________
   3. Social
      ____________________________________________________________________
   4. Common Transitions:
      ____________________________________________________________________
2. 31 Years Old ------------------- 40 Years Old
   1. Physical:
      ____________________________________________________________________
   2. Emotional:
      ____________________________________________________________________
   3. Social
      ____________________________________________________________________
   4. Common Transitions:
      ____________________________________________________________________
3. 41 Years Old -------------------- 50 Years Old
   1. Physical:
      ____________________________________________________________________
   2. Emotional:
      ____________________________________________________________________
   3. Social
      ____________________________________________________________________
   4. Common Transitions:
      ____________________________________________________________________
4. 51 Years Old -------------------- 60 Years Old
   1. Physical:
      ____________________________________________________________________
   2. Emotional:
      ____________________________________________________________________
   3. Social
      ____________________________________________________________________
   4. Common Transitions:
      ____________________________________________________________________
5. 61 Years Old ------------------ 70 Years Old
   1. Physical:
      ____________________________________________________________________
   2. Emotional:
      ____________________________________________________________________
   3. Social
      ____________________________________________________________________
   4. Common Transitions:
      ____________________________________________________________________
6. 71 Years Old ----------------------- 80 Years Old
7. Physical:
   ____________________________________________________________________
8. Emotional:
   ____________________________________________________________________
9. Social
   ____________________________________________________________________
10. Common Transitions:
    ____________________________________________________________________

Little Old Ladies

Relate: Discuss how the reality of late adulthood differs from the stereotypes about that period;
Discuss the later years of adulthood

Our society has a lot of preconceived ideas about older adults. Look at the following statements. Next to each statement list its implied meaning.

1. She's a little old lady
   ____________________________________________________________________
2. You walk like an old man
   ____________________________________________________________________
3. I must be getting old and senile
   ____________________________________________________________________
4. You drive like a grandpa
   ____________________________________________________________________
5. Looking at your previous responses, reflect on how you believe society sees older adults. Is this an accurate portrayal? Why or why not?

What If

1. We live in a society afraid of death. Why do you think people are afraid of discussing death?
   ____________________________________________________________________
2. Write your obituary. Be sure to include how you died and anything else you would want people to remember about you.

the case of . . . jean sweetland, the woman with too many hats

Jean Sweetland never expected that she would one day have so many different hats to wear. But now, in her early forties, when Jean comes home from her full-time job as a nurse and takes off her nurse's cap, it seems as though her day has barely started. With two teenage children living at home, Jean next must put on her mother's hat and enforce household rules, dispense advice, help with homework, or just provide a shoulder to cry on. Before her husband comes home from his own job, Jean has to pop on her chef's hat and get dinner started; the maid's cap will come out later, when Jean does the family's laundry and cleans the bathrooms. As if all this weren't enough, the responsibility has fallen to Jean for looking after her aging mother as well. Two or three evenings a week Jean slips on her daughter's hat and makes the trip across town to her mother's house, where she spends an hour or so paying bills, restocking the cupboards, and helping with other household chores.

Jean loves her family and she tries very hard to be the mother, wife, and daughter that they all need her to be—but the conflicting demands on her time are stressful and often tiresome. In recent months Jean has increasingly found herself wondering what became of her own wants and needs , and she has begun asking herself hard questions about the direction her life is headed.

1. How typical is the Sweetland family structure? In what ways is Jean's situation typical of women her age?
2. What would be your best guess as to Jean Sweetland's parenting style, and why do you think so?
3. Describe the stage of social development that Jean Sweetland's adolescent children are most likely experiencing. In what ways might their own development be influencing Jean's?
4. If you were Jean's physician, how would you explain to her the changes that might be occurring in her aging mother?
5. Describe how Jean might react if her mother were to die? What stages of grief might she pass through?