Life Span Human Development - Essay Example

Life Span Human Development The purpose of this paper is to provide a brief discussion on the topic of life span human development. The format that this paper will utilize is to first explain the life span perspective of development and then explain how hereditary and the environment interact to produce individual differences in development. According to Kail & Cavanaugh (2010) it is the case that the life span perspective of development holds that ageing is simply a part of life and that there is an associated life-long process of development that begins with conception and ultimately ends with death.

Moreover, according to the Government of Saskatchewan (1999) there is also a multi-dimensional component insofar as the theory holds that there is a biological, cognitive, socio-emotional and spiritual dimension. From this perspective one could argue that a person could develop into a number of different paths owing to a number of different lifelong conditions. Without question the interaction of hereditary factors and the environment interplay with each other to produce differences in human development.

According to Sigelman & Rider (2009) it is the case that one’s genes are patterned throughout our entire lifespan. Whilst many people have commonalities in the way we age and develop physiologically there remains a profound difference in the way we may develop on an individual basis. Some people may be more tall or short or perhaps athletic or sickly. These factors play a major influence on our development. Moreover, people put into different environments may develop differently. For example people in an abusive environment may develop differently than people in a more nurturing environment.

From this perspective there are a number of separate internalities and externalities that help shape who we are over the course of our life. References Government of Saskatchewan (1999) The Lifespan Perspective on Human Development. [online] Available at http://www.sasked.gov.sk.ca/docs/social/psych30/support_materials/the_lifespan_perspective.htm Accessed on March 14th 2011. Kail, R & Cavanaugh, J. (2010) Human Deveopment: A Life-Span View. 5th Edition. Wadsworth. Belmont, CA. USA. Cengage Learning.

[online] Available at http://tiny.cc/uqcsp Accessed on March 14th 2011. Sigelman, C. & Rider, E. (2009) Life Span Human Development. Wadsworth 6th Edition. Wadsworth. Belmont, CA. USA. Cengage Learning. [online] Available at http://books.google.ca/books?id=Nn8tgkPSKB4C&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false Accessed on March 14th 2011.