What is the difference between normative age-graded influence and normative history-graded influences on development? How do they differ from non-normative influences? Give an example of each.
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
Correct Answer:
Normative age-graded influences are biological and environmental factors that are closely tied to an individual’s age and are experienced by most people in a particular age group. These include predictable life events such as starting school, puberty, or retirement.
Normative history-graded influences are factors that affect a particular generation or cohort due to historical events or cultural shifts. These influences are tied to a specific time period and are experienced by people of a similar age living through the same historical circumstances, such as a war or a technological revolution.
Non-normative influences are unusual or unexpected events that are not tied to age or historical context. These experiences can vary greatly from person to person and can significantly impact an individual’s development. Examples include surviving a rare illness, winning a lottery, or experiencing the loss of a parent at a young age.
Explanation:
Normative age-graded influences occur because they are part of a socially expected sequence tied to age. For example, most children start school around the age of six. This experience shapes cognitive and social development in a way that is typical for most individuals in that age group. These age-related milestones are common across cultures, although the specific age may vary slightly.
Normative history-graded influences, on the other hand, are tied to the unique historical period in which individuals live. For instance, people who were teenagers during the COVID-19 pandemic may have experienced significant disruptions in education and social life that will distinguish their developmental path from those who grew up in earlier or later times. Such events shape the attitudes, opportunities, and challenges faced by an entire generation.
Non-normative influences are individual and do not follow a predictable pattern. They are rare or unique life events that can drastically alter a person’s life course. For example, a child prodigy becoming famous at a young age is a non-normative influence that will shape their development in ways that are not typical of their age or historical context.
In summary, age-graded influences are common by age, history-graded influences are common by generation, and non-normative influences are unique to the individual.
