Fundamental Developmental Theories - Essay Example

Developmental Theories Three Men and A baby is an interesting and captivating movie that sends laughter and smiles into the hearts of the many who watch it. Directed by Leornard Nimoy, the comical movie bestows al spirit of satire and laughter as it portrays the lives of three bachelors living in New York apartment (Leornard, 1986). Peter, an architect, Jack, an actor, and Michael, a cartoonist, live together in one apartment and apparently share similar characters. All of them loved partying and having fling with different women. The movie takes a twist in its plot when one day a baby, named Mary, gets delivered on their doorstep with a note from its mother attached to it. Adapting to the situation by Michael and Peter on taking responsibility on behalf of Jack, who was not around at that time, to care for the baby was a great thing (Leornard, 1986). Michael and Peter struggle through and eventually manage to know how to care for baby Mary. In the mix of the event, the two are also faced with grave issues when they lost the package delivered to them by heroine dealers. Amidst the twist of events, they all manage to device ways into capturing the drug dealers plus gaining trust from the police who were scrutinizing every move they made (Leornard, 1986). Eventually, Mary’s mother appears to take her to another country, a move which Michael, Jack and Peter are disappointed with it. In the end, Silvia accepts to stay and raise the baby together with the three men. Based on the plot above, the essay below will be discussing development theories based on the movie. Developmental theories basically refer to a conglomeration of theories that try to explain how change in society is brought about. In the story, the three characters that started the story are not the same ones at the end of the movie based on their behavior (Peet, 2009). Peter, Jack and Michael lived a carefree live, full of parties and women, and never at one time knew when they would take responsibilities to become fathers (Leornard, 1986). As the movie took a twist and baby Mary appeared into their lives, it was a surprise seeing them change to have fatherly characteristics. Based on argument proposed by the Nature versus Nurture debate, it is likely that the characters of the three were influenced by the coming of baby Mary into their lives (Peet, 2009). Nature theory postulates human beings characteristics to have been genetically influenced. In this case, we have not been given any past traits of the parents of the Peter, Michael and Jack to compare them to as to why they ended up in one place with similar characters of partying and having flings with women (Peet, 2009). The most appropriate theory that could explain the change experienced by the three characters is nurture theory. Nurture theory postulates that human behavior can be influenced by the environment from which he or she lives in. In the movie, Jack, Peter and Michael had money to spend, though by the fact that they used to stay together in one apartment, could not officially bring girls as they wives for fear of being scolded by a friend or for fear of being let out of fun (Leornard, 1986). They embraced a life of enjoying themselves without thinking of the repercussions. The coming of baby Mary can be attributed to as an environmentally change to them (Peet, 2009). Michael, Peter and Jack did not have any experience in regard to raising a baby and the task came to them abruptly when they were not prepared (Peet, 2009). As the story goes on, the three struggled to raise the baby and passed through many huddles that proved that they were capable of raising the baby. Without baby Mary coming into their lives, the three would not have accepted Silvia and the baby to stay with them. We see change at the end of the story basically influenced by the environment from which the characters lived in (Peet, 2009). Another developmental theory that can based be used to describe the psychological basis of the movie is attachment theory. Attachment theory usually postulates the existence of an attraction of some kind between the infant and the caregiver after some time of having a relationship (Willis, 2011). Children are always attached to parent figures or people whom they can get protection from in case of problems. In the case of the movie, it is evident in the end that Peter, Jack and Michael were attached to baby Mary. Once baby Mary was taken away from them by her mother, the three grew miserable and desperate, and they immediately knew what could cheer them up (Willis, 2011). It is after this realization that they went after Silvia at the airport trying to convince her to stay together with the baby (Leornard, 1986). The story ends happily when all move in their apartment. Human beings usually find points and people from which they are emotionally attached to. The three characters felt emotionally attached to the baby after struggling to raise her (Willis, 2011). Through the events that inspired which trying to protect baby Mary from heroin dealers, the three realized how important the baby is to their lives and did everything to protect it. The three went out of their way to device a means to capture the heroin dealers and protect the child from any absurdity caused by the drug dealers. If the three were not attached to the child emotionally, then they could have left her to go with her mother or simply return the package from where it came from (Willis, 2011). Human beings have a tendency of developing long term relationships with people close to them and offer them protection. This is the case for the three characters as they ended up taking the baby and its mother in their apartment (Peet, 2009). In regard to developmental theories, another theory that can best suit in explains the psychology behind the movie could be developmental milestone theory. Human beings usually pass through major life events as they grow up. As infant, right from the womb, there are certain behaviors, characters, emotions, physical activities which individuals acquire as they grow up (Thomas, 2010). Take for instance, as infants grow, they undergo milestones like acquiring social smiles, first walk, talk, and so forth. Human beings undergo various stages in life that mark development. In regard to the movie, the three characters undergo development. Before baby Mary came into their lives, the three characters underwent change (Thomas, 2010). Jack having a baby into his life proved to be an event changer as he decided to put up with Silvia and raise the baby together, something which in the past sounded like a joke (Peet, 2009). Babies usually bring out the best in people as they take up responsibilities as parents, something which was shared to Peter and Michael as they learnt how to baby sit (Thomas, 2010). In conclusion, the movie provides the best examples of the application of development theories as characters experience change in their lives. In reviewing nature versus nurture theory and its application in the movie, it is evident that nurture theory played a more significant role in the development of the characters. The three characters were influenced to change once baby Mary came to their door step (Thomas, 2010). Once they felt and experienced the struggles of care of the infant, the three were comfortable and excited around the baby. In addition, the other theory that is supported by the movie is the attachment theory which emphasizes on the attraction of one to the other in a given relationship (Thomas, 2010). Relationship always makes other dependent on those whom they refer to as caregivers. In this situation, the three were attached to the baby after staying with it for some time and wanted always to have it. Lastly, developmental milestone theory clearly explained the steps in life which the three characters took that influenced them. Marriage and care of children is a very big step in life for bachelors to take. Jack took the responsibility to become a dad and changed to accommodate Silvia and the baby in his life (Peet, 2009). These too had an impact on Michael and Peter as they tasted the life of having a child (Thomas, 2010). All in all, developmental theories have been well demonstrated in the movie. The characters that were once party-holics, and dated different women, eventually changed for the best as they embraced a child and took in Silvia (Thomas, 2010). References Leornard Nimoy . (1986). Three Men and a baby [Motion Picture]. Peet, R. (2009). Theories of Development: Contentions, Arguments, Alternativesz. New York: Guilford Press. Thomas, R. M. (2010). Moral Development Theories-- Secular and Religious: A Comparative Study. New York: Greenwood Publishing Group. Willis, K. (2011). Theories and Practices of Development. New York: Taylor & Francis. Read More