Lifespan Human Development

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Lifespan Human Development

Summary

Chapter 1: Understanding Lifetime Human Development

In order to conduct a comprehensive and relevant lifespan human development study, a massive effort has to be taken by the researchers to ensure that the eventual results help highlight the significant findings. The human beings experience a vast amount of internal and external stimuli that shape their behavior and attitudes towards life. In order to understand this process of human development, the researchers have to begin with the initial birth stage. In the context of the human development, the nature vs. nurture debate can be identified as one of the most significant factors. Throughout a considerable amount of time a significant number of researchers have been conducting studies regarding the real influence of development on human beings, and focusing on several internal and external factors. The nature oriented researchers believe that it is the genetic makeup of the human beings that result in the majority of the behaviors and the attitudes formulated in the adult life of the subject, and on the other hand the researchers believe it is the external experiences of a n individual which has the most impact on the development of the human beings.

Both of these perspectives have relevant merit and a comprehensive study cannot be completed without the reference to these theories. It is also important in these studies to focus on the scientific methods and seek to fulfill the ethical and moral guidelines, for the relevant subjects included in the experiments. Researchers have to ensure that the rights of the participants in any study are fulfilled, as per the moral and legal standards.

Chapter 2: Theories of Human Development

There exist a several number of theories regarding the process of human development, which help explain the source of the majority of human attributes. Among these theories one of the most significant can be ideally identified as the theories of the unconscious mind, put forth by Sigmund Freud.

The psychoanalytical theory put forth by Sigmund Freud primarily focuses on the role of the unconscious mind and its influence on the human decision making process. Freud believed that the human beings are equipped with a dormant state of consciousness, which is referred to as the unconscious mind, which has a substantial impact on the decisions made by people. People are not aware of this state of mind, however under certain environments unconscious state of the human mind can be activated and the results can be observed. The researcher beloved that human beings themselves are not aware of their cognitive abilities, and their true desires and natures are hidden in the unconscious part of their minds. Freud believed that the sexual activity was the primary motivation in the life of any human being and it influences the entire human life as explained in the Psychosexual Development theory.

Apart from the Freudian school of through there are several other important theories in the context of human development, such as the conditioning theory. This theory states that the process ...