The Developmental Theory - Essay Example

? Development Theory Outline Introduction This section introduces developmental theory and the use of the theories in explaining the development process experienced by Benjamin. Development theory explains how change is achievable in the society especially as one grows up or progresses. The theories focus on social science approaches and disciplines. The developmental theories applicable to the movie are the psychoanalytic theory, learning theory and cognitive theory. Summary of the Movie This section summarizes the movie by focusing on some of the important events in the life of Benjamin. Developmental Theories This section focuses on the development of Benjamin as outlined in the movie. Benjamin experiences an abnormal life development process. He spends his lifetime experiencing events of the opposite spectrum. He is forced to deal with the hardships and frustrations of being different. The movie demonstrates human development reversely. The theories of development are used to explain the Benjamin’s development. Conclusion This section concludes the movie. The cognitive development theory is an appropriate theory for explaining the development of Benjamin. This theory states that children and people have the abilities to generate knowledge and understanding of their world. Development Theory Development theory refers to a collective vision or conglomerate of theories that explain how desirable change in a society is achieved. The development theories draw on several social science approaches and disciplines. Development theory provides a platform for exploring and thinking about human development, learning and growth. The theories also provide a framework for understanding what motivates human behaviors and thoughts (Nederveen, 2010). This case will explore the movie, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button based on the development theories. The movie highlights the life of a man called Benjamin. Benjamin had an opposite life to the life of other people. In this case, his aging was reverse. He was born as an old man and as life progressed, he became younger. After he was born, Benjamin’s father abandoned him because of his unusual appearance and his mother died after giving birth. The development theories are applicable to the movie. These development theories include the psychoanalytic, learning together with cognitive theory. Summary of the Movie The movie starts with an elderly Daisy who is bedridden in a hospital in New Orleans. Daisy asks her daughter to read the diary of Benjamin Button. The reading of the diary introduces the audience to the life of Benjamin Button who was born with a physical and appearance malady that is associated with old men. His father abandoned him after his mother died during delivery. Benjamin’s father left him at a nursing home. At the nursing home, Mr. Weathers and Queenie find the baby. Queenie decides to care for the baby as her own child. Seven years after being born, Benjamin learns to walk. After a short while, he is forced to use crutches in order to move around. He met Daisy, a six-year-old girl, whose mother lived at the nursing home. He gained employment on a tugboat. He also meets his father though his father does not reveal his identity to him. Benjamin works with the crew of the tugboat and they even engage themselves in the Second World War, leading to the explosion of a German submarine. As Benjamin grows old, he is physically transformed reversely. Instead of aging as he grows older, Benjamin becomes a teenager and infant. At the end of the movie, social workers contact Daisy and tell her that they found Benjamin, a preteen, living in a condemned building. The social workers decided to contact Daisy because they found her name on Benjamin’s dairy. The social workers are bewildered by the physical and mental state of Benjamin to the extent that they say that he has dementia. Daisy decides to take care of Benjamin, who has been placed in a nursing home. Benjamin dies in the arms of Daisy as an infant aged 84 years. Developmental Theories Benjamin experiences an abnormal life development process. He spends his lifetime experiencing events of the opposite spectrum. He is forced to deal with the hardships and frustrations because he is different. The movie demonstrates human development reversely. The movie depicts life development and experiences using events, life and love. Though these events are expected to happen in a human’s life, the movie presents them in a reverse manner. The characters in the movie, Benjamin, Daisy and his parents, are placed in a conflict as they try to decide the developmental stage of Benjamin. Throughout his life, Benjamin is in a stage of basic needs where he should be given parental trust. This means that Benjamin undergoes stages where people that interact with him need to provide him with fundamental needs. This will help him develop a sense of trustworthiness. During the normal development of an infant, he or she receives nourishment and care from the parents (Nederveen, 2010). However, in the case of Benjamin, he was thrust into a nursing home where he grew up amidst elderly people. The development of Benjamin was not occurring in an environment of trust or parental influence. His father demonstrated apathetic feelings towards him. The psychoanalytic theory of development states that early childhood experiences have a lasting effect on a child’s course of development (Nederveen, 2010). In this case, Benjamin’s development occurred in an environment of mistrust. His father was distant and frustrated with the physical state of Benjamin. As a result, Benjamin had a problem in developing trust in people who interacted with him. It is vital to note that the relative understanding of a child is modeled by parental interactions. Benjamin’s early life was influenced by events and relationships that occurred in an opposite spectrum. Though he accomplished much, he was not able to live according to a normal developmental pattern. The learning theory is based on quantifiable and observable behaviors. According to the theory, behavioral perspectives should be described according to the environmental influences (Nederveen, 2010). This theory states that learning occurs through processes of reinforcement and association. Benjamin developed through a process of learning his environment. This enabled him to guide his emotions to the appropriate period despite the fact that his body indicated otherwise. During his early years, Benjamin was forced to behave and act according to the behaviors of children of his age. His body and age were trying to pull him away from these actions and behaviors. Particularly, he grows a taste for Havana cigars when he was a child, and reads the encyclopedia. His parents pushed Benjamin to interact with his peers and learn from them. However, his condition placed him in an advanced developmental stage. The cognitive theory focuses on the processes of mental and thought operations that influence change and growth. According to the theory, children are not passive recipients of information because they actively engage in the construction of their understanding and knowledge of the world (Nederveen, 2010). Benjamin’s development can be best explained using the cognitive theory. Throughout his development, Benjamin is in a continuous process of constructing his understanding and knowledge of the world. For instance, he shows that he is not a child by stealing his father’s cigars. Additionally, he fits well with older people and children. When he sent to kindergarten, he could not fit because his cognitive abilities were advanced to the levels of his classmates. Benjamin understood his developmental stage, which explains why he felt childish when he was required to wear shorts instead of long pants. His intimate relationships are also driven by his cognitive abilities. His relationships are based on his ability to build related identities. Benjamin comprehends his situation because of his stage of cognitive development. This means that he understands his needs in a relationship. This explains why he took long to propose to Hildegard. Conclusion Development theories provide a platform for exploring and thinking about human development, learning and growth. They provide a framework for understanding what motivates human behaviors and thoughts. This movie highlights the life of a man called Benjamin who had an opposite life to the life of other people. In this case, his aging was reverse. The most appropriate theory that explains the development of Benjamin is the cognitive development theory. The theory states that children and people are not in passive states of receiving information, but they develop their own knowledge and understanding of their world. Despite his contradictory state, Benjamin was able to build appropriate identities for socialization. He also exhibited an understanding of his world by behaving and living according to his age. References Nederveen, P. J. (2010). Development theory: Deconstructions/reconstructions. Los Angeles: SAGE. Read More