Stiglitz’s Commission on the Measurement of Economic Performance and Social Progress (CMEPSP) argued that well-being is multidimensional and identified eight distinct dimensions. Conventional linear techniques confirm that a large number of dimensions are needed to describe development.

Development is multidimensional, meaning it involves the dynamic interaction of factors like physical, emotional, and psychosocial development. Development is multidirectional and results in gains and losses throughout life. Development is plastic, meaning that characteristics are malleable or changeable.

Multi-Contextual Development The multi-contextual view of development comes from the understanding that there are many overlapping groups in people’s lives. There are as many contexts that changes occur in as there are groups to which a person belongs.

Lifespan theorists believe that development is life-long, and change is apparent across the lifespan. No single age period is more crucial, characterizes, or dominates human development. Consequently, the term lifespan development will be used throughout the textbook. Development is multidirectional.

What are the four assumptions of the Lifespan Perspective? That development is: (1) lifelong, (2) multidimensional (many forces) and multi-directional (growth and decline), (3) highly plastic, and (4) affected by multiple interacting forces.

Within the context of work, a life-span perspective holds that patterns of change and transition occur throughout the working life. Other assumptions of a life-span perspective include: The aging process is multidirectional and involves both losses and gains.

We have considered six major perspectives on development—psychodynamic, behavioral, cognitive, humanistic, contextual, and evolutionary.

As individuals move through life, they are faced with many challenges, opportunities, and situations that impact their development. Remembering that development is a lifelong process helps us gain a broader perspective on the meaning and impact of each event.

The life span perspective conceptualizes human behavior as influenced by developmental processes across biological, historical, sociocultural, and psychological factors from conception to death (Lerner, 2002).

Erik Erikson’s psychosocial theory (1950) is one example of a theory of typical development that has the potential to aid in generating hypotheses and interpreting research findings relating to the transition to adulthood for individuals with ASD and their families.

The principles are: 1. Development is Continuous 2. Development is Gradual 3. Development is Sequential 4. Rate of Development Varies Person to Person 5. Development Proceeds from General to Specific 6. Most Traits are Correlated in Development and Others.

Development does not take place in a vacuum. It is always embedded in a particular socio- cultural context.

COMMON If something exists or happens in a vacuum, it seems to exist or happen separately from the things that you would expect it to be connected with. Such decisions do not occur in a political vacuum, but have serious political implications both at home and abroad.

The major domains of development are physical, cognitive, language, and social-emotional.

In these lessons, students become familiar with the four key periods of growth and human development: infancy (birth to 2 years old), early childhood (3 to 8 years old), middle childhood (9 to 11 years old), and adolescence (12 to 18 years old).

The four growth strategies

• Market penetration. The aim of this strategy is to increase sales of existing products or services on existing markets, and thus to increase your market share.
• Market development.
• Product development.
• Diversification.

Five Stages of Child Development

• Newborn. During the first month of life, newborns exhibit automatic responses to external stimuli.
• Infant. Infants develop new abilities quickly in the first year of life.
• Toddler.
• Preschool.
• School age.