"Psychological development is not just something that happens to children, but is a process common to all ages. Additionally, it refers to all types of change – not just to acquisition but also to decline. This is the basic message conveyed by the concept of life-span development, which we can formally define as – the process of change associated with age which characterizes all human beings from conception to death. A life-span perspective does not refer to a single, coherent theory but to a particular orientation to the study of psychological development. It draws attention to the importance of not drawing an arbitrary line at some particular age point, such as the transition from adolescence to adulthood. The study of development can be applied to all ages, and it follows that no particular age period is more worthy of our attention than any other: all play some part in individuals' lives." Life Span Development. (2006). In R. H. Schaffer, Key concepts in developmental psychology.
This guide provides an overview on USC Libraries resources related Lifespan Development.
