A detailed issue in human development relevant to adolescence. Identify a topic or issue in human development that is relevant from adolescence to eldest adulthood that you are interested in understanding in greater depth.
Detailed issue in human development relevant to adolescence
Examples of topics may include bullying in adolescence, the impact of divorce in older adulthood, and parenting a child with special needs such as Autism. Write a literature review of that topic using a minimum of 3 studies found in journals. (Not Review Articles).
Key Issues in Human Development
There are many different theoretical approaches regarding human development. As we evaluate them in this course, recall that development focuses on how people change, and the approaches address the nature of change in different ways:
- Are changes an active or passive process?
- Is the change smooth or uneven (continuous versus discontinuous)?
- Is this pattern of change the same for everyone, or are there different patterns of change (one course of development versus many courses)?
- Are there prescribed periods in which change must occur (critical and sensitive periods)?
- How do genetics and environment interact to influence development (nature versus nurture)?
Is Development Active or Passive?
How much does one play a role in their developmental path? Are we at the whim of our genetic inheritance or the environment that surrounds you, or are we able to decide and steer our development? Some theorists believe that humans play a much more active role in their development. Piaget, for instance, believed that children actively explore their world and construct new ways of thinking to explain the things they experience.
Humanist theorists forward that people have self-determination. In contrast, many behaviorists view humans as being more passive in the developmental process, with outcomes being determined by their experiences. Evolutionary psychologists emphasize the role of heredity in determining development. As we explore various theories, ask yourself whether each approach considers development to be an active or passive process.
Relate the topic or issue to three theories discussed in class or from the review articles and explain how each theory could be applied to better understand your topic. For example, how does attachment theory explain marital conflict?
The layout is entirely up to the student but may look like the following:
1. A) Introduction (.5-1 page)
2. B) Literature Review (2-3 pages)
3. C) Explanation of the issue in relation to 3 theories–(3-4 pages)
4. D) Directions for Future Research (1 page)
5. E) Conclusions (1-2 pages)
6. F) References (not included in the page count)
Attachments
