Posts

Week 8 - Fitzpatrick - Putting it all Together

For the final week of the class, the reading was chapter 13 of the LifeSmart text, Lifespan Development in Action. Throughout the chapter, discussions mentioned include topics such as the two types of concepts putting theory in to practice, inquiry and action research (300), and the development of lifespan psychology from its roots as a field dedicated to the study of developmental psychology (300) to addressing the stages of human development and society’s effect on it (300). Also discussed are current concerns and controversies surround human development (I/e standardized testing) (303), how history has changed the way society views human development – most notably, the way government has changed their view on developmental programs such as Head Start as not what the program does for the participants lives, but rather to the visible outcomes from the participants, such as comparable math and literacy scores (303). Change agents, leadership opportunities, professionalism in the lifes...
Post a Comment
Read more

Week 7 - Fitzpatrick - Dying and Spirituality

In the seventh week of class, we had to read chapter 12 of our Lifesmart text, Dying and Spirituality. In this chapter we read about death, the four types of death (clinical, brain, biological, and social), grief and the three types unresolved grief (delayed, distorted, and complicated), the role of funerals, dealing with one’s own death and the five stages of grief, death with dignity and the Death With Dignity Act (289), hospice, suicide and gender influence, and spirituality.             Growing up the son and grandson of funeral directors, my life has been revolved around the death and the funeral industry for as long as I can remember. I have had the ability to see the inner workings of the funeral industry, and the effect death can place on family and loved ones, whether sudden or expected. As a result, I have been raised to understand that life, at some point, will end, at any time in any way. Therefore, even at 33 years ...
3 comments
Read more

Week 6 - Fitzpatrick - Early and Middle Adulthood

In week six our readings had us dive into the development of human beings during the early and middle phases of adulthood. In Chapter 9, early adulthood (ages 18-35, as stated by Erickson (219)) is discussed. Topics discussed throughout the chapter include the peak of physical development, healthy lifestyle and the effect of adhering to one, cognitive development, gender and sexuality, social development and the importance of building relationships, and marriage and family. In Chapter 10, middle adulthood (ages 35-60 (243)) are discussed. Topics discussed are physical development, including the external physical signs of aging and increase chance of decreasing sensory abilities such as hearing and vision, the importance of health habits on the effect of overall health, fluid vs. crystalized intelligence, generativity versus stagnation, stability versus change, middle-aged marriage and divorce, work patterns, and stress.           ...
3 comments
Read more

Week 5 - Fitzpatrick - Adolescence

For week five we read Chapter 8 in our LifeSmart text, Adolescence. In the text we discussed what adolescence is and when it starts, which is normally at the menarche for female or first ejaculation for male (186-187), The physical development of the human body, including puberty and the sudden re-emergence of a growth spurt (189), body image during  and eating disorders during physical development, Cognitive Development, including Piaget, Erikson, Marcia, and Hills’ theories pertaining to the development of the adolescent brain, Social development and the roles of family and peers, sexual identity, and mental health issues such as suicide, substance abuse and stress.             Although I understand Piaget’s premise for believing in his four-stage theory of cognitive development, I still have a hard time grasping the concept that the formal operational stage is the final stage to of full cognitive development. While I do ...
3 comments
Read more

Week 4 - Fitzpatrick - Human Development in Early and Middle Childhood

This week, week four of the class, we had to read chapters 6 and 7 in the LifeSmart text, covering human development in both early childhoods (Chapter 6) and middle childhood (Chapter 7). Early childhood taking place during ages 2-6, according to Piaget. However, I do believe it is important to note that according to the text, early childhood education refers to classroom from infant until 8 years-old (138). Middle childhood refers to any child ages 7-11. In chapter 6 the text discusses the physical, cognitive, and social development of children in the early years, language development, gender development, emergence in self-understanding, early childhood education, and the importance of play in the cognitive, social, and emotional aspects of early childhood development. In chapter 7 the text discusses the physical, cognitive, and social development of children in the middles years, the moral development in early and middle childhood, intelligences and multiple intelligences, the abil...
1 comment
Read more

Week 3 - Fitzpatrick - Human Development in Pregnancy, Birth, and Infancy

For the third week of class, we had to read chapters 3-5 or the Lifesmart text, with Chapter 3 covering pregnancy and prenatal development, chapter 4 covering birth and the newborn child (birth-1 month), and chapter 5 covering infancy (1 month – 24 months). Chapter 3 gives a brief overview of the biology of human development during pregnancy. Such topics included in the chapter are standard biology, including the significance of chromosomes, DNA, and genes, specific hereditary disorders, prenatal development, and the effects of the environment on the developing fetus, including teratogens, such as infectious diseases and various chemical substances located in the body throughout prenatal development (69,70). Chapter 4 begins to touch base on the beginning of the cognitive development aspect of human development in neonates, or infant from the moment of birth until 1 month (90). Topics included in this chapter include labor stages, childbirth methods, complication during childbirth, s...
5 comments
Read more

Week 2 - Fitzpatrick - Theories of Development

The reading completed for the class in week 2 give us readers a brief overview of each of the six major theories of development, along with sources and evidence that validate the beliefs in each of the said theories. In order of recognition, those theories are Psychoanalytical (Freud), Psychosocial (Erikson), Cognitive (Piaget), Cultural (Vygotsky), Behavioral (Skinner, Bandura), Ecological (Bronfenbrenner), and Contextual (Lerner). Although I find each of these theories interesting, and plausible, I found myself having the hardest time accepting the believability in Freud’s theory the most. Mainly because of the basis of simplicity for understanding the developmental content. Although the text mentions that Freud’s psychoanalytic theory is beginning to regain interest (31), my struggle comes in accepting the idea that human development is possibly as simple as an on-going balancing act (ego) of acting in pleasure (id) or in moral (superego). Also, while I do believe that Freud is...
3 comments
Read more