Levinsons Conception of the Life Cycle - Term Paper Example

A Personal Psychobiographical Study Table of Contents I.Overview of theoretical framework 3 II.Early stages life 4 III.Pre-adolescent stage 4 IV.Adolescent years 5 V.Adulthood 6 VI.Conclusion 7 A Personal Psychobiographical Study I. Overview of theoretical framework In psychology, there are few things more captivating or enlightening than learning about the experiences of other people as they make their way through the world. In this regard, the field of psychobiography is concerned with the study of lived or finished lives, with the prominence on providing details for features of the life history which are not resultant through the use of common sense or psychological principles. Daniel Levinson’s theory of adult development may be used as a tool to explore the development and changes that occurred so far in my life. Such theory will identify and describe important changes and highlights of an individual by tracing the scheme of development in sequential life stages according to Biggs (2007). People are the same person insofar as consciousness now is the same as it was in the past as stated in Locke’s theory on personal identity (Perry, 1975). According to Erikson (on this theory on psychosocial development according to Allen & Wergin, 2009), an individual’s ego identity is continuously altering due to new familiarities and materials acquired in the daily exchanges and interactions with others. Aside from ego identity, Erikson also believed that a sense of competence and proficiency motivates behaviors, actions and mindset. Each stage in Eriksons theory is concerned with becoming experienced and competent in a certain stage of one’s life. For every stage that is handled sound, the being will feel a sense of mastery and confidence which is occasionally denoted to as ego strength and/or ego quality (Allen & Wergin, 2009). II. Early stages life In the psychosocial development of the individuals early stage, it is usually considered that the trust-mistrust conflicts that covers the fundamental stage of lives. The development of trust is based on the dependability and quality of the child’s caregivers which is the parent in most cases. If a child efficaciously develops trust, he will feel safe and secure in the world. Caregivers (and/or parents) who are inconsistent, emotionally unavailable, or rejecting contribute to feelings of mistrust in the children they care for. Failure to develop trust will upshot to cause fear and a belief that the world is inconsistent and unpredictable. I was faithfully driven in alignment with proper guidance of my parents to reform the trust. Early stage development determines the methodical, orderly, patterned and relatively continuing changes and endurances in the individual that occur between conception and childhood. The child matures into a separate person and develops a perception of “me and not me” while also appreciating that other persons have lasting existence and character (Biggs, 2007). The dependence to parents that was personally experienced slowly but significantly developed into the latter entreaty for independence as claimed in Erikson’s theory on early childhood as described by Allen & Wergin (2009). Other important events for this stage include attainment of more control over food choices, toy preferences, and clothing selection. During the toddler and preschool years, children start to assert their power and control over the world through leading play, dealing with friends and other social interaction. Children who are successful at this stage feel capable and able to lead others. III. Pre-adolescent stage Through social interactions, children begin to develop a sense of pride in their accomplishments and abilities. One method done is to set competition to self and initiate to formulate the leadership skills through acts during grade school year. I was encouraged and commended by my parents and teachers that gave way to a more significant development on the feeling of competence and belief in my skills according to Erikson’s theory (Allen & Wergin, 2009). I grew up in an unconventional family environment yet was able to adapt on drastic changes in my environment especially in school which is a hostile environment for him during this stage. In this critical transition, I am partially out of parental family. This resulted to the inevitability of leaving my own family but is not yet certain how to enter the juvenile world before me. The choices made in this transitional stage of life instigate to form my youth self as what have been noticed and observed by people around. IV. Adolescent years During adolescence, I explored independence and developed a sense of self. This can be attributed to the proper received reassurance and the fortification through subjective exploration that emerged from this stage with a strong sense of self and a feeling of independence and control. This stage covers the period of early adulthood when people are exploring personal relationships. In 2009, Allen & Wergin used Erikson’s theory as a tool to describe adolescence and it was believed that this stage is vital for people who developed closeness. Even though I had experienced the inevitable loss of my parents, resilience is enough to cope with the events of this unsteady world. There is a continued motivation to pursue studies to achieve dreams and/or goals in life. Those circumstances are included in the highlights of one’s life since they will determine the emotional stability of the individual; resiliency and self-esteem will be tested. With my previous personal experiences, strong personality had been proven despite the troubles and glitches in life. According to Levinson et al. (1978) as cited by Biggs in 2007, the early adult changeover characterizes a insightful transformation in self and the world which was apparent in my life. The task of a progressive transition is to dismiss a time in one’s life and to accept the losses that termination brings. This requires a review and evaluation of the past, a decision on which aspects of the past to keep and which to reject; this stage is the preliminary stage in my life to stabilize his decision-making skills. In addition, it requires considerations of one’s wishes and possibilities for the future according to Allen & Wergin (2009) V. Adulthood During adulthood, there is a continuation in the building of life though the attainment of personal goals. Individuals who are successful during this phase will feel that they are contributing to the world by being active in their home and community. Social learning theory and self efficacy are important to the argument of adult development for explanations specific to each one. First, by modeling those around them, people are yields of the ethos within which they exist and have learned what is socially satisfactory within their officialdoms and societies. My own goal setting plans were the main priority in fulfillment everyday’s item checklist. Satisfaction on his own output produced another point to be added to his confidence meter. The work of Levinson (Biggs, 2007) and Erikson has two important implications for leadership development especially for adults (Allen & Wergin, 2009). First of all , the way an individual retorts to a particular program approach may depend upon the stage or season that person is in and how he dealing with its accompanying encounters. An individual who is in Levinson’s entering-the-adult-world stage as defined by Biggs (2007), for example, is more likely to look to program leaders as prospective counselors, while those who are in “midlife transition” are more likely to want a program that will guide them to reflect on where they have been and where they want to go next. Second, individuals who are trapped at a particular stage may need help working through that stage before they are able to learn anything new very effectively. In short, one strength may be tested through his problem solving skills during this stage of life. VI. Conclusion Levinson’s conception of the life cycle, eras and periods in life structure development provided a framework for the study of one’s life (Biggs, 2007). The crucial aim of this psychobiographical study was to explore and describe the development in my according to Levinson’s theoretical framework (Biggs, 2007), Erikson’s theory on psychosocial development (Allen & Wergin, 2009) and Locke’s theory on personal identity according to Perry (1975). The objective was to reconnoiter and pronounce his psychological development through his life course, thus providing a better appreciation of him as an individual as well as inspiration. A secondary target was to deliver an understanding of a life within the social, emotional and historical context in which he is now living on. Developments through the years are well-defined by each theory which were used to define every era in my life. Significant highlights showed the effect on personality and goal setting priorities. Even though there had been trials in life, they had been faced with resiliency and hope being aware of what will happen next. Childhood years gave a great impact on his confidence and competence which is obvious as observed in acts and way of interacting with others. References Allen, S. J., & Wergin, J. F. (2009). Leadership and Adult Development Theories: Overviews and Overlaps. Leadership Review, Vol. 9. Kravis Leadership Institute. Biggs, I. (2007). Ray Charles: A psychobiographical study. Unpublished masteral thesis. Grahamstown, South Africa: Rhodes University. Perry, J. (1975). Personal Identity. California, USA: University of California. Read More