Human Growth and Development - Essay Example

? Human Development Human Development There are issues that influence an individual’s growth and development. Family structure, socio-economic status and cultural factors are pertinent aspects that have a dimension on the growth of an individual. Several things were revealed after interviewing a person on these aspects of their life. This paper seeks to discuss a biosocial issue that the individual has lived through in his life. It explains issues of moral and cognitive development. The interviewee’s developmental stage is also discussed based on two theoretical perspectives of human development. Impacts of the individual’s environment and or childhood development on the individual’s current life are articulated. Drug abuse The use of drugs has both intrapersonal and interpersonal factors that cause individuals engage in or over-indulge in it. The respondent uses and is addicted to alcohol. Drug use becomes abusive when it becomes maladaptive and elicits impairments in an individual’s life. Symptoms of drug abuse commonly manifests after a period of twelve months recurrent use of the drug (Sussman & Ames, 2001). The interviewee showed several things that are indicators of drug abuse. After a while of continued use of the drug, the interviewee seems to have developed tolerance to it. Tolerance is the stage at which the body requires increased amounts of the drug so as to elicit the desired pleasure. He explained that when he tries to stop using the drug, he experiences withdrawal symptoms and craves to use the take alcohol to quench the symptoms. Eventually, the individual has been taking more and more alcohol (Craig & Dunn, 2010). He reports that it is difficult to resist the constant desire for alcohol or reduce his consumption. The individual has reached a point where he spends a lot of time in trying to obtain and in taking alcohol. This has affected the performance of the individual in his family and work responsibilities. The last symptom is that the individual continues using the drug despite the knowledge of all the effects it has had on him. In a way, he seems to have resigned to feelings of not being able to help himself quit the habit. The respondent cited the influence of peers as being what drove him into alcohol use. The environment in which one lives is critical in as far as the habits or patterns they will take up are concerned. One’s relatives, peers or colleagues, can initiate one into the use of drugs. These are individuals with whom a person spends most of their time. The individual could imitate what a friend or relative does because they like what they see them do or so as to belong with them (Sussman & Ames, 2001). These are interpersonal factors that affect an individual’s engagement in drugs. There have been studies to assess the role of genetics in the use and abuse of drugs. Although there are propositions that one’s heredity can predispose them to drug use, evidence to that effect is still minimal. Another intra-personal factor in drug use is an individual’s belief that the drug will help them drown their troubles or distress. Moral development and cognitive issues Lawrence Kohlberg conceived moral development as a lifetime process that happens in stages. Stages of moral development relate closely with cognitive stages. The first level of moral development is called pre-conventional morality and has two stages. In the first stage, individuals are preoccupied with obeying rules and are sensitive to punishment (Maisto et al., 2011). This is more eminent in children than in adults. They perceive rules as rigid and absolute. Individuals follow rules so as not to be punished. In the next stage of this level, people start viewing their actions as individual and pursue the things that benefit their needs. Eventually, one gets to the level of conventional morality. Individuals focus a lot on their relationships with others. They appreciate that their actions and decisions affect other people. They regard the larger society as they make their decisions (Kail & Cavanaugh, 2013). Persons at this point endeavor to maintain social order by keeping rules, attending their duties and answering to various authorities. The interviewee is probably in the third level of moral development called post-conventional morality. He questions societal values and norms in relation to his rights. Kohlberg’s highest moral developmental stage is when individuals base their decisions on universal ethical concepts. Persons internalize the concepts of justice regardless of how they may differ with societal rules and norms. Stages of development Different theorists conceptualize human development differently. Erick Erikson perceives human development from a psychosocial point of view. His theory focuses on the effect of an individual’s experiences in their life. The most important element in the theory is the ego. Interacting with others is what shapes one’s ego and it changes continually with change in their experiences. The psychosocial theory of development has seven stages. The interviewee is in the seventh stage. Individuals are preoccupied with giving back to the society (Maisto et al., 2011). Failure in this stage is marked by unproductiveness and stagnation. The respondent could be rated as successful as he believes he is useful to his family and society. Sigmund Freud, on the other hand, views experiences of one’s childhood as the most significant in shaping a person’s personality. He proposed that libido is what drives most of human behavior. Successful completion of a psychosexual stage results in a healthy personality. Unresolved concerns in a psychosexual stage cause the individual to be fixated. Fixation makes an individual to linger on a previous stage. According to Freud’s theory, the interviewee fits in the oral stage. At the oral stage, libido is concentrated around the mouth, and pleasure is found in the things that use the mouth. Oral fixation is manifested in over-dependence and satisfaction is sought through drinking, eating or smoking (Kail & Cavanaugh, 2013). His dependence on and compulsive desire for alcohol could be rated as an oral fixation. Early childhood influence on the individual’s life As the interviewee describes his childhood experiences, he mentions that the father was alcoholic. As much the interviewee enjoyed the affection of both parents considerably, the father was significantly absent. Studies have shown that the absence of a parent has serious impacts on an individual’s life. Children rely on their parents, to teach and affirm them. The interviewee disclosed that he had been arrested severally over issues related to alcohol and other misconducts. Studies have suggested that individuals who grow up without their fathers have more cases of incarceration than those whose fathers are present (Sussman & Ames, 2001). Delinquency amongst children and youth is high where parents are absent. References Craig, G. J., & Dunn, W. L. (2010). Understanding human development. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education/Prentice Hall. Kail, R. V., & Cavanaugh, J. C. (2013). Human development: A life-span view. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning. Maisto, S. A., Galizio, M., & Connors, G. J. (2011). Drug use and abuse. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth. Sussman, S. Y., & Ames, S. L. (2001). The social psychology of drug abuse: [...]. Buckingham [u.a.: Open Univ. Press. Read More