Having a single parent - Essay Example

Having a Single Parent al Affiliation Having a Single Parent Brief of Having a Single Parent In contemporary societies, it is common to find families being supported by single parents. There are different factors that contribute to the proliferation of single parents including divorce or separation of parents, death of one parent, work of one parent in faraway domestic locations or international countries, and parent opting to remain single (Barber, 2005). The current discourse aims to describe having a single parent using two (2) different perspectives in psychology: humanism and cognitive.

The application of these psychological perspectives in single parenthood would be interpreted from the viewpoint of one’s parent, since the choice (and decision) rests on the parent.Description of Event using 2 Different Perspectives in Psychology Based on the humanism perspective, “an individuals behavior is connected to his inner feelings and self-image. The humanistic perspective centers on the view that each person is unique and individual and has the free will to change at any time in his or her lives” (McLeod, 2007, p. 1). This clearly explains and integrates the concept of free will as leading to the decision to remain a single parent.

Concurrently, the cognitive perspective “revolves around the notion that if we want to know what makes people tick then the way to do it is to figure out what processes are actually going on in their minds” (McLeod, 2007, p. 1). The perspective is instrumental in the assessment of factors that contribute to the decision to remain a single parent, despite challenges in life. Learning (classical, operant) that Results for Having a Single Parent Having a single parent generates learning which is within the operant conditioning type.

As described “in operant conditioning, learning refers to changes in behavior as a result of experiences that occur after a response. Operant conditioning involves changing voluntary behaviors. A behavior response is followed by either reinforcement or punishment. Reinforcement following a behavior will cause the behavior to increase, but if behavior is followed by punishment the behavior will decrease” (Classical Conditioning vs. Operant Conditioning: Differences and Examples, 2014, p. 1).

Having a single parent creates many challenges for the part of the children. One had to contend with resources that the single parent could provide. As such, when one needs greater support (in terms of financial resources, physical or emotional assistance, as well as time and camaraderie), the child tends to seek alternative sources through support that could be provided by peers, friends, or relatives. As such, there is a behavior that appears as a result of a given stimuli. For instance, one needs financial help to buy supplies needed for an academic project.

Since one’s parent could only provide a fixed amount, one would have to seek other sources of income; either through a part-time job or through asking from other relatives (or friends) who could provide the needed assistance.Discussion on Why the Memory of the Event May or May not be Completely Accurate The event (having a single parent) is accurate from one’s personal perspective, as a child. Of course, there are other facets or information which could not be disclosed to me by my parent.

As such, the event could not be completely accurate from the perspective of my parent, unless one asks or confirms the veracity and validity of the information.ReferencesClassical Conditioning vs. Operant Conditioning: Differences and Examples. (2014). Retrieved October 28, 2014, from Education Portal: http://education-portal.com/academy/lesson/classical-conditioning-vs-operant-conditioning-differences-and-examples.htmlBarber, N. (2005). Evolutionary Explanations for Societal Differences in Single Parenthood.

Retrieved October 28, 2014, from Evolutionary Psychology: http://www.epjournal.net/wp-content/uploads/ep03142174.pdfMcLeod, S. (2007). Psychology Perspectives. Retrieved October 28, 2014, from Simply Psychology: http://www.simplypsychology.org/perspective.html