Lifespan Studies - Term Paper Example

LIFESPAN STUDIES An Introduction: Psychological Development There is a common saying that our lives are lived forward but understood backwards. Thus, when we face particular situations, we ought not to spend much time thinking about why it is happening to us then but to move on and go forward with life. It is human nature to come up with plans concerning how we shall live out our lives. However, the unexpected always happens, and this forces us to alter our plans. At times, we tend to be fixated on making things work only to fall short of the expected outcomes. In light of this, it is prudent to understand that life goes on. Psychologists across the world make significant efforts to understand the mind and how it influences human behavior and life in general. As they study the mind, they also try to understand the various stages of human development. Hence, this study forms part of the fundamental branches of psychology called developmental psychology. Within developmental psychology, there is one of the most significant concepts in psychology known as psychological development. The American Psychological Association (2014) defines psychological development as the study of the development of emotional, social, cognitive, and intellectual abilities of humans and how they function during their lifetime from infancy to old age. Various psychological studies and research have been conducted with the primary goal of understanding human development. Many theories on human development have been derived from these studies. These theories are instrumental in understanding the various stages of human life. It is common knowledge that as we grow old, we become wiser. Hence, one of the main ways of understanding life is through spending time with the aged and getting to interview them about how they have lived their life. This would also be a chance to question them on the tough questions on life because they have seen it all. The responses from the interview would in one way or the other prove whether or not the principles contained in the theories are right. Life is in stages Life’s primary stages may be categorized into three – childhood, adulthood, and old age. As humans pass through each of these developmental stages, they tend to develop different traits. There are also different circumstances, virtues, crises, and events in each of these stages that are critical in shaping up the lives of humans as they grow. As I interviewed my subject named James Beeler, a male aged 82 years, I could not fail to conclude that life is a series of seasons and events that are meant to stretch and develop one’s inner being. One of the basic theories that explain how life evolves in stages is Erikson’s psychological development theory. According to Newman and Newman (2017), the basis of the theory is that life is a series of challenges and lessons which help humans to grow. Fundamentally, the theory categorizes life’s psychological development into eight stages. Five of the stages occur as one develops from birth to eighteen years while the rest of the stages extend into adulthood and as humans grow, they move chronologically from one virtue to another [Sye17]. In the development of the theory, Erikson’s primary interest was the same as Sigmund Freud’s. He was interested in how an individual’s behavior and personality is influenced from after birth during childhood and not before birth. Childhood and Psychological Development Beeler was born in 1940 as the world went into World War 2. He was the last born in a family of three boys. His father was a soldier and the mother, a house help who later on became an office secretary. He has a vague memory of his infancy. He lost his father to the war in 1944 and so was raised by a single parent. His mother was never re-married. Life was tough during infancy as his mother had to do other menial jobs besides being a house help to fend the family. It was while she was doing the odd menial jobs that an opportunity for women emerged in the streets of New York. Small-scale banks were looking for women who could be enrolled as typists to assist in the general office work. Beeler’s mother was lucky to be absorbed by the Federal Reserve Bank in 1947, and after two months of training, she was good to go as a typist earning $1.5 per hour. The wages were enough to fend for the family and also take Beeler to school. Before Beeler joined a school, her mother had always been homeschooling him by teaching him the alphabet, simple numbers, and the basic names of items. Beeler’s account of his infancy is based on the stories that her mother used to tell him as he grew up. These stories would often spring up during the mother-to-child moments or even when their family was sharing a light moment of fun. Beeler was told that he used to be an attention seeker and would take a longer time to fall asleep compared to her elder brothers at the same level of development. Erikson’s first stage of human evolution is relevant for this characteristic. From birth to one-and-a-half years old, the fundamental virtue that governs an infant’s development is hope. Primarily, at this stage, the infant is coming into a world that is full of uncertainties. In any case, the first stage of someone’s life often begs the question of whether this world is safe or if it is riddled with accidents and unpredictable events waiting to unfold [McL18]. Life’s uncertainties at this stage breed an initial psychological crisis of trust versus mistrust. Hence, the child looks to their guardians for consistent care [Kni17]. In this case, Beeler was always looking for constant care and attention from her mother. After their father’s death in the Second World War, Beeler’s family faced tough times as her mother became the sole breadwinner. It is during this moment after his dad's death that their family bond grew stronger. Most importantly, Beeler was the youngest and hence was more vulnerable than his older brothers. Beeler remembers how her mother used to dedicate her time to educate him at home shortly before he enrolled in school in 1948. Beeler attributes his strong cognitive, emotional, and social well-being throughout his life to his mother’s commitment to educating him during his early stages of development. A strong mother-child bond grew as he was being taught the basics from home. The strong cognitive, social, and emotional traits that Beeler developed from her infancy could be attributed to Bowlby’s theory of attachment. One of the underlying assumptions of the theory is that there ought to be a continual attachment between an infant and the mother failure of which a disruption could result in emotional, cognitive, and social difficulties later in the life [Lev13]. Adulthood As an adult, Beeler’s life was riddled with uncertainties were the order of the day. Even though it is human nature to desire a predictable life, Beeler opines that he did not regret any of those unpredictable circumstances that he encountered. Those moments that he was unsure about how the future would unfold were critical in helping him become creative. With mounting bills and a young family, Beeler was motivated to rise and provide for the family. However, even as he met these needs, he was still entangled in a journey to actualize himself. Based on Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory, it is clear that Beeler was in pursuit of satisfying the safety needs of personal and financial security. Beeler’s ultimate achievement in life was linked to the end goal of Maslow’s motivation theory which is to attain self-actualization [Mas13]. It is also in his adulthood that he learned to appreciate the importance of relationships. He learned how to love and breed intimacy. Eventually, he got married in 1970 and began family life two years later. According to Erikson’s theory of psychological development, humans face a psychosocial crisis of intimacy versus isolation during adulthood. In this phase, the existential question is whether or not an individual can love [Mar01]. Love governs most of the decisions made in this phase of life. Beeler notes that all of the decisions that he made at this phase was dependent on whether or not it would compromise the relationship of those close to him. In any case, where he made a bad decision that hurt those around him, he would fall into depression. He attributes his high affinity for love and intimacy to the healthy identity development of his teenage years. Research conducted by Beyers and Seiffge-Krenke (2010), proves that a healthy identity development during adolescence leads to strong romance in adulthood. Moral Development If Beeler were to restart his life again, he is sure that he would live the same way he did – a life of wellness and fulfillment. He was never caught on the wrong side of law. If he were to describe his life, he would say it was a life centered on doing good deeds whenever he could. Kohlberg’s theory on moral development could be used to describe Beeler’s principled life. The theory has six stages that explain the process of moral development in man. As an individual grows, they come across situations that prompt them to question their moral standing. Among children, the prevalent orientation is punishment versus obedience [Kre05]. In this regard, the child often seeks to answer the question on how they can avoid punishment. As one reaches adulthood, law and order morality takes the center stage. Beeler recounts that her mother always taught her good principles of life and if he deviated from the lessons, he was bound to get punished. Therefore, Beeler grew up knowing that if he were to avoid punishment, he ought to have been well-mannered. He still maintains this principle to date. As he settled down to start a family, Beeler had already developed a set of universal principles that have guided him to date. His decision-making was largely governed by how it felt to be in someone else’s shoes. In essence, the actions that he takes are an end in itself and not a means to the final decision. Macionis’ (2009) study on the society reveals that the few individuals who manage to reach stage six of moral development rely heavily on Immanuel Kant’s ethical philosophy. The decisions are reached categorically based on the facts of a particular situation[Mac09]. There is no room for hypothetical decision making. Minnameier (2011) in his review of the Kohlberg’s work observes that very few people reached the final stage of moral development. Beeler belongs to this group and hence may be regarded as a moral man The Legacy As Beeler approached age 50, he took under him a group of mentees whom he would mentor in the line of insurance sales business. Beeler was a top insurance salesman for Liberty Mutual. As his retirement age came calling, he felt the urge to create something that would outlast him even after his career was over. Hence, he used to organize seminars and conferences where insurance salespeople would meet to discuss the important matters of the industry. These forums were common in the late 80s and the 90s. Presently, his youngest son is in charge of ensuring that the seminars are a success. Evidently, Beeler evolved according to Erikson’s seventh stage of psychological development when he became concerned about living a legacy. At this stage, individuals experience the urge to pursue courses that will help others through the creation of positive changes [Rob17]. Generativity inspires people to develop a great sense of becoming a part of life’s bigger picture. The importance of understanding Beeler’s Story Spending time with the aged is one of the critical ways through which we could learn a lot about life. Their life’s stories are essential in helping us know what to expect later in our lives. In essence, learning about life through the lens of the aged is an excellent way of gaining wisdom simply because as one grows older, they become wiser. As the aged share their life’s experience, it becomes clear to us how we ought to conduct our lives. Moreover, as they answer the critical questions about life, we understand life’s essence. The primary reason for understanding Beeler’s story is the importance of wisdom and knowledge. From the interview, it is evident that the development of skills in decision-making, problem-solving, critical thinking, and learning are essential for one’s well-being in life. These skills form the basis of cognitive development. In line with this discovery, Piaget’s theory takes a keen look at how humans gradually acquire and construct knowledge from their childhood to adulthood [Ahm16]. Nevertheless, it deals with how people develop the thought process, and the necessary leadership and critical thinking skills throughout their lives [Pia08]. Beeler sums up life as a mix of both knowledge and wisdom. The process of acquiring knowledge goes on for a lifetime. The application of knowledge in solving the life’s challenge is what breeds wisdom [Yan17]. Beeler opines that solving life’s uncertainties is what made him to grow in wisdom and stature. The relevance of Beeler’s Story in understanding Human Experience, Learning, and Mental Health Why do we think and act the way we do? This is one of the fundamental questions that the story addressed. Beeler’s lifespan proved the psychoanalytic theory right. Kaplan-Solms’ in-depth analysis of Freud’s theory on psychoanalysis suggests that the unconscious desires are what govern human behavior [Kap18]. According to Ryrie and Norman (2004), a greater understanding of man’s underlying thoughts is critical in eliminating psychological distress. In this regard, Beeler attributes his strong decisions to the power of positive thinking. He believes in the power of thoughts in influencing how one’s life becomes. His parting short for thought process was that every man ought to read James Allen’s book titled, “As a Man Thinketh.” Through the study of Beeler’s lifespan, important lessons of life become instrumental in helping teachers appreciate the learning process. In this regard, the homeschooling that Beeler received was significant in helping him adapt well to the school education system. From this observation, it is important that the early childhood education teachers to understand that they play an important role in influencing the future of the learners that pass through their hands. Most importantly, they ought to act like mothers to the children if at all they are to raise kids who will be fully aware of themselves at an early stage in life. In his research, Seifert (2013) looks at the importance of the relationships that the early childhood educator develops with the children. He concludes that this relationship is significant in helping the children become successful not only in play and literacy but also in other realms of their lives such as making friends and schoolwork[Sei13]. Psychology studies the mind and thought process. Cognitive theories, which are a branch of psychology, explain the behavior patterns through understanding the thought process. The various aspects of Beeler’s cognitive development would be critical to psychologists as they continue to search for various ways in which they may understand mental health patterns. The Commonwealth Department of Mental Health reports that the lifespan studies are crucial in informing mental health specialists on the appropriate interventions that they ought to implement in dealing with the various mental issues (Commonwealth, 2000). Personal Reactions The one-on-one interview with Beeler helped me appreciate the lifespan development. I am still young and so, I was looking forward to learn more about what to expect as I grow older. To a great extent, Beeler’s life proves the various cognitive theories of development as being correct. I got to prove that the essence of life is to understand that our thoughts and internal dispositions were critical in determining our external actions and emotions. This is the foundational concept of cognition. Man’s behavior as an adult is a not only a sum-total of the life experiences they went through but also the environment in which they grew. These behaviors come as a result of reinforcement or punishment. For instance, Beeler explained how his mother would rebuke him instantly when he did something wrong. With such rebukes, Beeler grew up always being interested in doing the right thing. Hence reinforcements encourage the development of a particular desired behavior while punishment discourages it. Another important lesson that I got from the interview is that we ought to live each day like it is our last if at all we are to be partakers of health and wellness. Having this mindset pushes us to understand the brevity of life and hence we would be motivated to pursue our passions. As we pursue these passions, we end up fulfilling our purpose on earth. Health and wellness are dependent on our mind’s positive status. One of the key ways of adopting the positive status is through moving out of the comfort zone and pursuing our dreams. As we pursue our passions, we ought to make each day count by taking one step at a time. Conclusion The various theories on psychological development are important in explaining the various aspects of life such as behavior, thinking, memory, and learning. Without these theories, it would be hard to understand the scenarios that accompany the various stages of human development. Even though the theories are not fully correct, they are instrumental in making significant predictions about how life turns out to be. Apart from relying on the theories to make predictions about one’s future, it would be prudent that one spends time with the older individuals as a means of gaining firsthand accounts of their lives. These accounts would then be helpful in guiding the young as they develop through life. Hence, a mix of the knowledge of the various theories and spending time with the age would be significant in explaining lifespan development. References Sye17: , (Syed & McLean, 2017), McL18: , (McLeod, 2018), Kni17: , (Knight, 2017), Lev13: , (Levy, 2013), Mas13: , (Maslow, 2013), Mar01: , (Markstrom & Kalmanir, 2001), Kre05: , (Krebbs & Denton, 2005), Mac09: , (Macionis, 2009), Rob17: , (Robinson, Demetre, & Litman, 2017), Ahm16: , (Ahmad, Batool, Sittar, & Malik, 2016), Pia08: , (Piaget, 2008), Yan17: , (Yang, 2017), Kap18: , (Kaplan-Solms, 2018), Sei13: , (Seifert, 2013), Read More