Human Development and Functioning - Annotated Bibliography Example

? Theories of Human Development and Functioning Task: Hypothesis In the field of human development and functioning, the theory of lifespan psychology has taken new dimensions with preceding years. On that basis, we can say the theory has progressed for the better development of humanity. Hebb, D. (2009). Images of Life-Span Development. The Science of Life-Span Development OLC: Retreived from 22 Jan 2012. Therefore, the present similarities between the theories of lifespan psychology are as follows: according to Freud in his psychoanalytic perspective, theory of lifespan psychology was influenced by biological impulsions and expectations of the social setting. Freud’s theory continue to explain that the measures which an individual takes in handling conflicts depicts his capability to gain knowledge and associate well with others (Hebb, 2009). On that aspect, even in the modern world, lifespan psychology is still measured on the perspective of Freud’s theory in establishing the ability of a person to with withstand adversities. Paquette, D & Ray, J (2003). Ecological systems theory .Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory. Retrieved from 22 Jan 2012. < http://pt3.nl.edu/paquetteryanwebquest.pdf> In contrast, according Urie Bronfenbrenner in his ecological theory, he stated that human development was affected by both micro and macro aspects of the environment. Alternatively, unlike Freud’s and Erikson’s theories of the individual satisfying their egos in attaining human development, Urie maintained that experience, culture and socio-historical aspects influenced the growth of the person( Paquette & Ray, 2003). In addition, the research by Urie stressed on the strong influence of the individual’s ecological setting in terms of shaping his morals, goals and ambitions to achieve satisfaction in life. Furthermore, he has disputed the theories of Freud that lean on sexuality as the drive to maturity and development of the individual within his environment. Pourchot, T & Smith (2004). Some Implications of Life Span Developmental Psychology for Adult Education and Learning. PAACE Journal of Lifelong Learning, 13, 69-82. On that note, we can now evaluate the various applications of lifespan psychology for the benefit of humanity in different settings. Therefore, according to Pourchot and Smith, the constant analysis of human cognition assists in the assessment of adult education. Furthermore, the authors add that the study of lifespan psychology of an adult facilitates the adult developmental progress (Pourchot, T & Smith, 2004). In addition, the writers reiterate that the consistent study of the theories of developmental psychology such as the cultural and ecological systems help in further comprehension of modern human problems and how to solve them. Methodology Rutman, L & et al (2000). Qualitative Research Issues and Methods: An Introduction for Educational Technologists, p.1045-1067. Retreived from 22 Jan 2012 < http://www.aect.org/edtech/39.pdf> While examining the physical and biological aspects of human development there are numerous methodologies that are used. In this instance, qualitative and quantitative models were applied in determining the aspects of the physical and biological perspectives of lifespan psychology. Therefore, according to Rutman, in the context of the topics covered under the lifespan psychology, methodological questions may take the form of: Why is it imperative to study lifespan psychology? What is the significance of lifespan psychology towards enhancement of better living? (Rutman & et al, 2000). The author also tries to formulate qualitative questions such as: Which theories are of significance in understanding the scope of human development? Furthermore, the model of qualitative design adopts questions such as: How are Freud, Erikson, Pavlov and Urie important in the field of lifespan psychology and how can other scientists approach their scientific findings in the advancement of the human development discipline? Similarly, in distinguishing the factors that enhance cognitive development and factors that inhibit its decline, how can scientists improve on the area of cognition for the progress of human development? Rutman continues to expound the aspect socio-emotional development analysis and its role in the form of social context. On that note, we can formulate the qualitative question: Why is analysis paramount towards improvement socio-emotional development in the scope of social welfares pertaining to human development? Similarly, what is relationship between and gender and ethnicity in the identification of human development? Finally, the model can ask: What are the different viewpoints on moral development in terms of its impact on lifespan psychology and the advancement human development? Berk, L (2007). History, Theory, and Research Strategies. Development through the lifespan, 4/e. Retreived from 22 Jan 2012 < http://www.ablongman.com/samplechapter/0205491251.pdf> There is also the qualitative method used by Frederickson and others of interviewing respondents on the views about various matters of human development. For example, respondents were asked to explain how they associate their environment of upbringing and adult moral development. Additionally, the article wanted to know form the various respondents it interviewed on how they handle their infants, adolescent children and spouses towards attaining peaceful living (Berk, 2007). Furthermore, Frederickson wanted to know from his respective correspondents how they assess the cognitive abilities of their children and their viewpoints on training them to learn socio-economic factors. Similarly, the article asked its respondents on their view concerning issues of gender and ethnicity and identity development in promoting lifespan psychology. Coleman, G. (2006). The Methods of Data Collection in Psychology. Journal of Sociology, 21 (2), 12, p.34-52. Apart from utilization of qualitative questions and interviews, there are also quantitative methods that involve counting of data. On that aspect, other methods involve use of statistics in tabulation of data gathered and measurement of numerical. Therefore, according to Coleman, counting the number of respondents who have benefited from quality ecological settings is significant in drawing conclusion of the research (Coleman, 2006). The author continues to note that obtaining of statistical data of physical and biological aspects of human development is paramount in assessing the lifespan of individuals. Similarly, when the respondents interviewed are evaluated through modes of measurement, for instance, the number of years lived, homes and schools changed, that helps in making an imperative conclusion in research methodology. Oertzen, T. (2010). Power equivalence in structural equation modeling. British Journal of Mathematical and Statistical Psychology, 63, 57–272. Retrived http://www.mpib-berlin.mpg.de/en/research/lifespan-psychology/projects/formal-methods-in-lifespan-psychology This article evaluates ways in reducing the expenses encountered in carrying out research in developmental psychology. Because research in development requires longitudinal studies, with numer5aous part6icipants, variables and measurement occasions, it is impossible to determine whether the loss of one occasion of measurement is affected by the variation in research parameters. Oetzen developed an equivalence theory. This theory relates different SEMs to each other and designates them as power equivalent if their statistical power to detect the given effect is identical. This allows the transformation of numerous study design s into identical designs to detect effects of interest (Oertzen, 2010). Oertzen showed analytically that the indication of a displacement of a parameter estimate due to a measurement depended on the position of the error in the data. He also evaluates why, in longitudinal studies, longitudinal change in mediator variable indicating cross-sectional age-related variance in the target variable may not link with the target variable’s longitudinal change. Lindenberger, U., Lovden, L., & Schmiedek, F. (2007). Overview of conceptual agenda and illustration of research activities. International Journal of Psychology, 42, 229–242. In current research orientations, researchers have continued trying to integrate age, spheres of functioning, timescales and levels of analysis in lifespan psychology studies. This constitutes a conceptual framework within developmental psychology. In line with the general principals of lifespan psychology, the author provides a general draft for designing research questions in specific domains of lifespan psychology. These include, studying lifespan changes in performance as interplays between maturation, learning and senescence. These three changeable enrich each other throughout a person’s life; therefore, they must be conceptualized as co-actors inn the driving impetus in the brain-functioning-environment system (Lindenberger, Lovden, & Schmiedek, 2007). The other refers to the amalgamation of domains, timescales and planes of scrutiny. This implies integrating theoretical and practical research across performance domains, to get a clear picture of individual development. The other involves evaluation of age-graded variations in functioning plasticity to determine models of development. Enquiries into the changeability of individual conducts are extensively used to gain knowledge into human development. This is more so in cognitive intervention studies. These evaluations have beneficial validity elevations in regard to increase in experimental control, determination off age differences near asymptomatic functioning levels and the evaluation of transmission and preservation effects The author addresses the methodological improvements in differential psychology (Lindenberger, Lovden, & Schmiedek, 2007). Additionally, he evaluates the targets of such methods, propositions resulting from observations, personal reports and the utilization of questionnaires. Christopher, H., Nesselroade S. & John, R. (2003). Assessing Psychological Change in Adulthood: An Overview of Methodological Issues. Psychology and Aging, Vol 18(4), Dec, 639-657 Christopher and John review the present condition of methods available for use in evaluating variations in adulthood and ageing. This includes the emphasis in statistical models to view intrapersonal change. The authors bemoan the overemphasis in statistical evaluation of data related to lifespan and ageing. For example, the models developed by Oertzen in evaluating correlations between the position of errors and the significance of the errors. Studies have focused on the statistical characteristics of longitudinal models for alterations, such as latent development curve models (Christopher, Nesselroade & John, (2003). They opine that, though these developments are important and have increased the validity and reliability of Data collected, they have led to the deviation from other imperative approaches including cohort differences or functioning effects that influence estimates of age related change. They further recommend that methodological approaches must include both the statistical approaches and the theoretical nature of the developmental feature of human beings. This underscores the importance of a multifaceted approach in lifespan psychology studies. Descriptive approaches, contextualized in the lives of the participants, should be utilized alongside statistical models for analyzing, first the relevance of the data, and second the evidence provided by the data. Thomas L. & Cecil S. (2004) Some Implications of Life Span Developmental Psychology for Adult Education and Learning. PAACE Journal of Lifelong Learning, 13, 69-82. One of the applications of lifespan psychology is in the field of adult education. This article identifies the restraint previously held by educators in adult education on the applicability of the theories developed in this field of psychology. They, however, evaluate the increasing perceived applicability among educators. They embark on the task to draw links between the theory and applicability in adult education. The area they focus on is the following of gains and losses in sensory functioning over the lifespan of a person, research on everyday cognition and adaptive capability (Thomas & Cecil, 2004). Others include theory in past-formal styles of adult cognition. They draw a model of integrating evidence from lifespan psychology into adult education. They emphasize the importance of the multi-perspective nature of developmental psychology in designing effective adult education. These perspectives include ontogenic development and intra-individual plasticity. The application of these theories is anchored in the dialectical interaction of age-graded, history-graded and normative influences allied to adult education. Baltes et al. Lifespan psychology: theory and application to intellectual functioning. Review of Psychology, 23, 56-67. According to Baltes et al, lifespan research and theory is intended to develop knowledge in three areas of individual development. These areas include inter-individual regularities, differences, intra-individual malleability in development. The conglomerated attention to these domains, and the identification of age-related interplays, form the theoretical and methodological foundations of the field. Applications of these theories include predicting childhood intelligence on the basis of infant behavior (Baltes et al, 2001). Research using habituation and recognition-memory paradigms has shown that there is stability in inter-individual differences between infant behavior and childhood intelligence. Both change in and stability of a person differences are important aspects of lifespan cerebral advancement. They conclude that the task on lifespan development conducted at the varied stages of analysis shows lots of convergence, presenting theoretical progress in LP. These benefits have been possible through associations with other fields, including biology. References Hebb, D. (2009). Images of Life-Span Development. The Science of Life-Span Development OLC: Retreived from 22 Jan 2012. < http://www.aect.org/edtech/39.pdf> Paquette, D & Ray, J. (2003). Ecological systems theory .Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory. Retreived from 22 Jan 2012. < http://pt3.nl.edu/paquetteryanwebquest.pdf> Pourchot, T & Smith R. (2004). Some Implications of Life Span Developmental Psychology for Adult Education and Learning. PAACE Journal of Lifelong Learning, 13, 69-82. Rutman, L & et al (2000). Qualitative Research Issues and Methods: An Introduction for Educational Technologists, p.1045-1067. Retreived from 22 Jan 2012. < http://www.aect.org/edtech/39.pdf> Berk, L (2007). History, Theory, and Research Strategies. Development through the lifespan, 4/e. Retreived from 22 Jan 2012. < http://www.ablongman.com/samplechapter/0205491251.pdf> Baltes et al (2001). Lifespan psychology: theory and application to intellectual functioning. Review of Psychology, 23, 56-67. Thomas L. & Cecil S. (2004) Some Implications of Life Span Developmental Psychology for Adult Education and Learning. PAACE Journal of Lifelong Learning, 13, 69-82. Hertzog, Christopher, Nesselroade & John, R. (2003). Assessing Psychological Change in Adulthood: An Overview of Methodological Issues. Psychology and Aging, 18(4), 639-657. Oertzen, T. (2010). Power equivalence in structural equation modeling. British Journal of Mathematical and Statistical Psychology, 63, 57–272. Lindenberger, U. Li, S.-C., Lovden, M., & Schmiedek, F. (2007). Overview of conceptual agenda and illustration of research activities. International Journal of Psychology, 42, 229–242. Read More