Social And Personality Development: Discovering The Lifespan

Many years later they meet again on several occasions but the intensifying stage does not resume until they finally become friends and share details about their past failed relationships. During this period they start spending a considerable amount of time together and their expression of feelings toward the other becomes more intense. We see the beginnings of a true interpersonal relationship development.

The following essay will use a lifespan perspective to discuss how major transitions can influence both occupational and personal development. Using occupation as a coping strategy during stressful transitions will also be explored. The narrative discussed was derived from an informal, semi-structured interview. Occupational development will explore how the meanings associated with occupations can change and how this can be reflective of their current life-stage. The essay will begin with an outline of the precautions taken to maintain the interviewee’s confidentiality. This will be followed by a brief explanation of the lifespan and occupational models that will be used throughout the essay. A summary of the interviewee’s narrative will then be provided. This will be expanded upon by using lifespan theories.

Adulthood is a generation when modifications appear in social connections and situations. These transformations do not appear in efficient, foreseeable stages but as an alternative resulting in different courses, depending on personality

Based on the behavior theory my habit of always planning came to be once I had children. At that point my environment changed which cause me to revaluate situations. Having children is what stimulates this habit. My response the urge to be prepared and the consequences is my excessive planning. Other than needing to have control I don’t see where the social theory takes place in regards to my planning habit. No one in my surrounding environment is like this, there for I cannot see myself learning it from another person.

Today people who are age 65 or older make up more than one tenth of the U.S. population and are the quickest growing age group (Zastrow & Kirst-Ashman,  2010). As adults reach later adulthood, they begin to undergo mental, physical, and social transformations. All of these changes are experienced and handled differently by each individual. Time and planning help to alleviate stress and can make these changes easier to deal with. Family and friends are an exceptional source of support during these tough times.

Life span developmental psychology takes a scientific approach to human growth and change, focusing on change during the life span. There are three main aspects to life span development: cognitive, social, and physical development. This class is not simply a discussion of nature vs. nurture, it explores the interaction between genetic and environmental factors that orient us towards specific behaviors. Initially, my views on life span development were limited to more sociological factors, and did not take into consideration physical developments of the brain. In relation to my personal and professional identity this course has made me realize that development occurs on a spectrum and that not everyone develops at the same time, in the same ways, making me more understanding and compassionate towards those who developed differently than me. The three most important lessons I have learned from this class are that development occurs throughout the entire life span, infants begin learning at a very young age, and that senescence begins as early as young adulthood.

No matter how we view life whether it good or bad life is life, and as individuals, our lives are being shaped based on the circumstances we undergo. That is why according to Elder (1998) states on how as individuals we deal with changes in the journey of life, how our families play a huge role towards shaping us, and our history basically determines our present by how our environment has been. Likewise, George (1993) mentions more towards life transitions can be traced to classic perspectives on social roles, the relationships between social location and personal well-being. In addition, these two theories are related because they speak of the same thing just in different view point. Now life course theory has evolved over time because the changes that take place in life makes it difficult to know or to have an idea how our future as an individual will be like. In comparison, during the great depression lives of many people became very difficult to be determined due to the high level of suffering and the challenges people faced.

I chose adolescence, early adulthood, and middle adulthood age groups to interview and I asked three same questions to them. My first interviewee is my younger brother who is 14 years old. We have been brother and sister around 14 years since I was 5. I interviewed him in my house, face to face. My second interviewee is one of my best friends in Korea who is 20-years-old lady. We have been friends since high school. I interviewed her through text message. My last interviewee is my great mother who is 44 years old. We have been mother and daughter around 19 years. I interviewed her in my house, face to face. My goals for this assignment is to compare the different age groups and to determine how this person is impacted by the environment, or heredity, or history. My last goal is to have an opportunity to learn something more about them as well.

The life span developmental theory is a framework that provides information and helps others to understand how humans age over their life course. Humans begin aging at the start of infancy. Therefore, every day the body grows older. It is essential for humans to maintain good health to prolong their years of life. The purpose of the theory is to view and explain different factors on why humans age (Encyclopedia, 2017).

This book provides a comprehensive and insightful psychosocial analysis of human development across the lifespan. It encompasses a vast array of purported psychosocial developmental theories which are applicable to all practices within the helping professions and in general, corresponds primarily to the course of a human life. This book has 12 chapters where chapter contents include: the birth of a human being: what makes us who we are; a secure base: the importance of attachment; adolescence, identity and change; family systems and their life cycle; growing up with a disability and; themes in old age. Each chapter is supplemented with a brief summary and an activity section which allows readers an opportunity to become more engaged with chapter contents as well as facilitate critical thinking. The book concludes with a references and index section.

My personality has changed throughout the years. When I was younger I was very self conscious, afraid of what individuals thought of me. I was quiet, shy and hated confusion. I was always trying to impress everyone and fit in the “Circle”. I am a stubborn person I just enjoy things going my way. It makes me feel more in my comfort zone when I am in control of a situation. I am very doubtful about a lot of things, and my response to that is that trust is something that you earn. It is not just handed to you and my trust is not given easily nor is my guard down in the beginning. Trust, loyalty, dependability, etc are all important to me as well. So, proving yourself is important. At one point in time I would hold resentment towards someone if they were out of line and it usually took me a while to get over a situation if it truly hurt me. I have been able to let the grudge phase die down as I have gotten older. How time will changes how I feel and act. As I grew up, I became very outspoken and for the life of me I couldn’t figure out why I was so concerned about how people felt about me. Nowadays I can care less of what people think of me. I came to the conclusion that it is my life and I am the only one that could make me happy. There is only one chance at this thing call life. I must make the best of my life. I realized that life is too short to be dwelling on a situation that everyone has apologized for. There is no love lost. I am

Say you’re the teacher of a fourth grade elementary class. The class consists of about forty kids, each with different personalities and characteristics that make them extremely unique. Throughout the school year you learn more about each kid. How they do in social situations? Who is the hard worker, or leader? Through observation you identify the more optimistic students compared to the pessimistic ones. Or introverted compared to extroverted. These are all different dispositional traits that you have noticed through the students in your class. Now, what if I were to tell you that these dispositional traits could play a huge role on your student’s longevity? This is a question that psychologists

As some people may know, socialization focuses on the childhood. However, it actually focuses on several different stages that we may encounter throughout life, commonly categorized as childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and old age. According to the book, the sociological significance of the life course is twofold. First, as you pass through a stage, it affects your behavior and orientations. You simply do not think about life in the same way when you are 30, are married, and have a baby and a mortgage, as you do when you are 18 or 20, single, and in college. Second, your life course differs by social location. Your social class, race—ethnicity, and gender. [85]

-Social selections permeate daily life and are decision points that direct us to choose one path and avoid another. Choices can range from trivial (should I attend this party?) to profound (should I marry this person?). These decisions are often based on the personality of the selector.

According to the textbook, personality theorists’ goal is to attempt to understand how individuals got to be the way that they are. There are numerous factors that contribute to a person’s personality growth and development. The authors of the textbook discuss two main determinants: genetic determinants and environmental determinants. Genetic determinants involve biologically based emotional and behavioral tendencies while environmental determinants involve our life experiences and social interactions on a daily basis. If we did not live in a social world, we would not develop in the same way. Other people contribute to individuals’ personality and behavior tremendously. Within environmental determinants fall an individuals culture, social class, family, and peers. An individuals peer group is crucial to the development of their personality. In fact, some psychologists believe that peer influences are more influential to a person’s personality than that of their families influence (Cervone & Pervin, 2013). The need to fit in or impress your peer group shapes an individual’s personality because acceptance is greatly valued. An individuals experience with their peer group can cause a lasting impression depending on the quality of the friendships. The textbook also mentions that the quality of the peer group affects styles of behavior. Those people who have lousy friendships tend to create disagreeable, antagonistic styles of behavior (Cervone & Pervin, 2013).