Lifespan Development Introduction and Theories

Overview

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Learn to analyze how people grow and change by applying major psychological theories—from Freud’s psychodynamic ideas to modern cognitive and evolutionary perspectives—to the entire human lifespan. This course provides a comprehensive framework for understanding the stages of development and the research methods used to study them, offering deep insights into what makes us who we are. By the end of this course, you will be able to use these foundational theories to explain the key forces that shape our lives from birth to old age.

Syllabus

Lifespan Development Introduction and Theories

In this course, you’ll explore how people change from birth to old age, learn what human development means, and discover the stages we go through as we grow. You’ll also find out how researchers study these changes and what the lifespan perspective is all about. We’ll cover major theories that explain why and how we develop, including psychodynamic ideas from Freud and Erikson, behaviorism, cognitive psychology, and other perspectives like humanistic, contextual, and evolutionary approaches. Get ready to explore what makes us who we are - and how we become who we’ll be!