Chapter 2 the science of life-span development

This chapter indicates that theories help us explain data and make predictions about various aspects of development. It then presents six different theoretical approaches (i.e., Freudian, cognitive, behavioral and social learning, ethological, ecological, and eclectic theory), but notes that no single approach explains the complexity of development.

But before reading try to do the following:

a) answer and discuss the following questions:

1. Can you explain the purpose of each step in the scientific method?

2. What is the difference between theory, hypotheses, and scientific method? Compare and contrast laboratory research and naturalistic observation.

3. Do the contexts in which you live enhance your health and well-being?

b) explain the term “evolutionary” [ֽi:və'lu:∫(ə)n(ə)rı] (эволюционный) in English.

c) find synonyms and antonyms to:

unconscious, arid, generate .

d) guess the meaning of the following words and word combinations without using the dictionary:

Hypotheses, specific, sexism, ethics, psychoanalytic model, structures, balance, theory, psychosocial, psychosexual, organization and adaptation, cognitive, behaviorists, focus, social, empirical, operant, version, imitation, ethologists, evolutionary, imprinting, critical periods, ecological, socialization, plastic, historically, contextual, multidisciplinary, systematic, standardized tests, cross-cultural, ethnic, physiological, correlation strategies, contrast, experimental, dominated, sensational information, analysis.

e) do the following phonetic exercises:

Ex.1. Transcribe and pronounce the words given below.

Science, measures, view, emphasize, unconscious.

Ex.2. Read the following clusters with assimilation.

Held together; hypotheses that; Erikson's theory; Freud's theory; continuous throughout; Piaget's theory, Standardized Tests.

Ex.3. Pronounce the words from the text containing the sound [w] correctly.

With, when, requirements, well, between, with, women, what.

Ex.4. Pronounce the words from the text containing the sound [r].

Generate, predictions, research, proposed, arise, requirements, incorporates, different, preoperational, directly, approaches, response, produced, environment, contemporary, reinforcement, arid, greyleg, experiences, transactions, proposes, multidirectional, multidisciplinary approach, researchers, questionnaires, requires, extreme, minority, degree, relation, predictions, recognize, reported.

Ex.5. Pronounce the words from the text containing the nasal sound [ŋ].

Identifying, collecting, drawing, revising, things, learning, conditioning, interacting, modeling, imprinting, during, changing, developing, life-long, following, including, surprising.

Ex.6. Pronounce the words from the text containing the voiced sound [ð].

Together, that, the, there, those, than.

Ex.7. Pronounce the words from the text containing the voiceless sound [Ө].

Theories, hypotheses, theory, three, throughout, thought, through, ethnic.

Ex.8. Pronounce the words from the text containing the sound [v].

Involves, view, development, qualitatively, cognitive, observed, environment, behavioral, favor, behavior, version, develop, environmental, comprehensive, observation, interviews, variables, have, various, oversimplify.

TEXT

Scan through the text making use of the active terminological vocabulary.