Growth and development are dramatic during the first two decades of life, but development is not something that happens only to children and adolescents. T

Growth and development are dramatic during the first two decades of life, but development is not something that happens only to children and adolescents. The traditional approach to the study of development emphasizes extensive change from birth to adolescence (especially during infancy), little or no change in adulthood, and decline in old age. Yet a great deal of change does occur in the decades after adolescence. The life-span approach emphasizes developmental change throughout adulthood as well as childhood (Park & Festini, 2018; Schaie & Willis, as cited in Santrock). Please reflect on the importance of studying life-span development and how recent increases in human life expectancy have contributed to an even greater interest in the life-span development approach and perspective (i.e. development is lifelong, multidimensional, multidirectional, plastic, multidisciplinary, and contextual). Next, expand on more contemporary concerns in life-span development including parenting and education (do children suffer if divorced is introduced in a family, are schools failing to teach children based on their developmental level and, if so, what educational efforts are being made to improve lifelong learning, what role does culture/ethnicity/socioeconomic status play on development, and how does technology affect development). Be sure to address biological processes, cognitive processes, and socioemotional processes in your response. Discuss at least one theory of development that supports this discussion.