Essay about Useful Theories of Human Development - 1807 Words

There are many areas of psychology. The field of human development is divided into five main theory groups. The theory groups are psychodynamic, biological, cognitive, behavioral, and systems. Each theory group has many contributing theorists, all with different views, beliefs, research methods, and life experiences. All theories are valuable in the field of psychology, however some theories may prove to be more helpful than others, in specific careers. There are some theoretical approaches that I will utilize while working with school-aged children and others that I will discard. Psychodynamic Theory The psychodynamic theory of human development’s main focus is personality and social development. It is based on the belief that the†¦show more content†¦I will also take into account Erikson’s psychosocial stages of development; I believe that it is very important to remember that children do go through stages of development and are seeking certain acknowledgements throughout those stages. Biological Theory The biological theory suggests that an individual is born with specific characteristics, including personality and behavior. Every individual has physical characteristics that are predetermined based on genetic factors. Some genetic physical characteristics include eye color, hair color, body type, and height. Biological theorists believe that an individual’s genetic makeup also contributes to one’s personality and behavior. Arnold Gesell contributed his theory of Maturation. The theory supports the idea that each childs genetic and biological makeup determines the rate of development, regardless of other environmental influences. The theory also suggests that development has a preordained sequence, in which the rates may vary, but the sequence will not. Gesell also developed norms of development, which are used today by many pediatricians. Another contributor to the biological theory is Konrad Lorenz. Lorenz developed the theory about imprinting, whic h suggests that a bond is created between a newborn and the caregiver (Crain, 2011). In my future career I will discard Gesell’s theory that one’sShow MoreRelatedPersonality Paper1091 Words   |  5 Pagesfeelings, actions, and behavior. Definition of Theory A theory can be described as â€Å"A set of assumptions.† (Feist Feist, 2006, p. 4) Since theories are built on assumptions rather than actual proven facts they are each open to the interpretation of the individual. A theory takes its shape and is a refection of the author showing his or her frame of reference and interpretation to the experience or theory (Feist Feist, 2006). The more theories that develop the more approaches and interpretationsRead MoreEssay on History of Disparity in Development650 Words   |  3 PagesHistory of Disparity in Development Human is one of few creatures of mother earth that can think and decide what is right or wrong. Due to that special characteristic, people are always curious about something and try to find the reason about it. In 1974, Jared Diamond was staying in Papua New Guinea, and one day, a local named Yali asked Diamond a deceptively simple question â€Å"Why is it that you white people developed so much cargo, but we black people had little cargo of our own?† (NGO, 2005)Read MoreHow Natural Selection Has Shaped The Modern Mind1575 Words   |  7 Pagesdifference between man and the higher mammals in their mental and perceived emotional faculties. In theory, every organism is engrained with complex, useful, and non-arbitrary bits of information that is essential to its survival. 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They concluded that both frameworks can be used to explain the increase in fertility of the first half of the 1800s, but the decrease in wages from 1830-1850 best fit Marx’s model, expre ssing that social framework influences individuals’ decisions. The discussion of the two models of population can be useful in explaining the DTM that I will be using in my paper. Chen, J. (2012). Does global fertility and cultural transition affect human development? The neglected roleRead MoreWhy Is Psychology Useful?1541 Words   |  7 Pages Why Is Psychology Useful: In its primary form, psychology studies humans- who and what they are and what they are. Psychology looks into why people act and think a certain way and how someone can improve themselves. Psychology allows people to understand more about how the mind and body works together. Knowledge such as this can help with decision making processes and avoiding stressful situations. It can help with time management, setting and achieving goalsRead MoreEdward Bernett Was An English Anthropologist And The Founder Of Cultural Anthropology984 Words   |  4 Pagescontext of the scientific study of anthropology that was based on evolutionary theories inspired by Darwin and Lyell. His stance as an evolutionist fueled his belief that researching the prehistory and the history of man could be used to compare and reform modern societies. Therefore, through the use of the comparative method and historical ethnography, which included travel logs, Tylor attempted to reveal the stages of development of cu ltures/civilizations. Tylor’s defines culture and civilization asRead MoreThe Orientation Of Individual And Adlerian Psychology889 Words   |  4 Pagessocial factors as opposed to Freud’s drive theory, diverging from the psychoanalytical theory (p. 171). In 1914, he formed the Society for Individual Psychology. 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Background and InfluencesRead MoreTheories And Theories Of The Calms Made By Alan Chalmers907 Words   |  4 Pagesknowledge.† I will also be discussing Karl Popper’s opposing views on the scientific method, siding with his falsification method. I think that even though both sides are rational, Alan Chalmers clams are more practical and better for humans to continue to investigate new theories and laws of the universe. Therefore, I oppose Popper’s stance on the scientific method due to it discrediting non data driven fields sciences, labelling them as simply not science due to their inability to be disproven. To begin