Human development project

  

HD 101 – Section 1

Fall 2018

Directions. Select one of the four case studies presented at the end of this document and write responses to each of the questions below. Your entire exam will be based on the character/life stage in your selected case. You may respond using lists or bulleted items when appropriate. Please read questions carefully and provide thorough responses. You may type responses directly into this document to upload. The “boxes” below are “tables” and will expand as you type in them.

APA formatted references are required for questions 2, 6, 7, and 8 where you are explaining developmental concepts and theories. Provide a reference list at the end. Your textbook may serve as the only reference. Please DO NOT reference course lectures/notes. 

Completed papers are due in Blackboard by 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, December 12, 2018. All papers will be submitted through SafeAssign. Please also email your paper to handy@wsu.edu in case there are Blackboard issues.

Please write the names of all contributing group member names below! This question will not be graded. 

  

 

1. Select one of the case study characters (see the last two pages of this document). Name the character and identify his/her life stage (adolescence, early adulthood, middle adulthood, late adulthood) Well done response: Character and correct life stage identified. 2 points.

Case # _________ 

  

Character   Name:

Life   Stage:

 

2. Characteristics of Development. Describe at least two physical (not appearance, focus on abilities), two cognitive, and two social-emotional developmental characteristics that apply to a person in the same life stage as this character. Cite the sources of your information about this development. Well done response: at least two developmental characteristics are identified and described in each of the three areas. References are used to describe developmental characteristics. 6 points.

  

Typical characteristics of people at the   life stage of this character:

(Examples:   Good: physical strength is at its peak at this life stage, an example is the   physical strength that professional athletes demonstrate; 

Poor:   character is considered handsome)

Source

Example:

(Feldman, 2017)

 

Physical

1.

 

2. 

 

Cognitive

1.

 

2. 

 

Social-emotional

1.

 

2. 

3. Summarize the major physical, cognitive, and social-emotional changes that make this life stage different from the one prior to it. Well done response: at least two of the developmental characteristics are addressed, clear examples of differences are presented. 2 points

  

4. Bronfenbrenner/Ecological Theory I. Describe the character’s microsystem (see Bronfenbrenner) – include family, friends, work/school, residence. Well done response: clear, thorough description of character and character’s microsystem. 4 points

 

  

Family:

 

Friends:

 

Work/School:

 

Residence:   

         

5. Bronfenbrenner/Ecological Theory II. Select two (2) of the above listed microsystem elements and explain how each of them affects the character’s development related to at least one of the developmental characteristics (physical, cognitive, social-emotional) provided in Question 2? Well done response: clear, thorough description of microsystem elements and influence on development (how). 6 points

  

Microsystem Element #1:

How does this microsystem element   affect the character’s development in at least one of the developmental   characteristics (physical, cognitive, social-emotional)? 

 

Microsystem Element #2:

How does this microsystem element   affect the character’s development in at least one of the developmental   characteristics (physical, cognitive, social-emotional)?

6. Cognitive Development. Select one of the cognitive theories addressed in class (i.e. Piaget, Vygotsky, Information Processing, Schaie, Postformal Thought). Describe the theory in depth including relevant terminology. Describe the cognitive development of your character in relation to this theory. What are two examples (of the character’s behaviors, decision-making, experiences) that lead you to this description? Note: Piaget is only appropriate for an adolescent character. Well done response: Clear identification and thorough explanation of theory and its application to the character; using examples to illustrate. Reference is used to provide theory explanation. 10 points

  

Theory: 

 

What   are the core concepts of the theory? For example, what does this theory   explain? What processes are involved? Are there stages? If so, what are they   and briefly describe each of them.

 

 

Describe   the cognitive development of your character in relation to this theory. What   are two examples (of the character’s behaviors, decision-making, experiences)   that lead you to this description? Thorough explanation of theory and its   application to the character provided.

 

Example 1:

 

Example 2: 

7. Social/Emotional Development. Erikson’s theory applies to the entire lifespan. A) List the 8 stages of Erikson’s theory, identifying the positive and negative side of each crisis and the expected age at which this stage occurs.  B) Identify and thoroughly explain the Erikson stage that applies to your character, and provide two examples of your character’s life/experiences that illustrate his/her social-emotional challenge as identified by Erikson. Well done response: thorough explanation of theory which includes overview of theory, crisis and age expectations identified at each stage, appropriate stage for character is identified and described fully (indicating what it means to be at this stage at both positive and negative sides of the crisis, identification of the character’s achievement of the stage positive or negative, and two clear examples provided to illustrate). Reference is used to provide theory explanation.  10 points

  

List   the 8 stages of Erikson’s theory,   identifying the positive and negative side of each crisis and the expected   age at which this stage occurs.

 

Ages

Positive   / Negative (____ vs ____) …. Be sure to   include ALL 8 stages

 

Thoroughly   explain the Erikson stage that applies to your character, and provide two   examples of your character’s life/experiences that illustrate his/her   social-emotional challenge as identified by Erikson. 

 

Example 1:

 

Example 2: 

8. Apply theory of choice. Select one other theory (not Bronfenbrenner, not Erikson, not the cognitive theory you used earlier) or lifespan concept discussed in the text and/or in class that applies to this character. Explain the theory/ lifespan concept and provide an example of how it relates to this character. Ideas might come from the following developmental concepts: occupation/career, schooling, values & spirituality, relationships, family, recreation, health, parenting. Select a theory/lifespan concept that has not been used in previous responses. Well done response: Thorough explanation of theory/lifespan concept and its application to the character using examples to illustrate. Reference is used to provide theory explanation. 8 points

  

Theory/Lifespan concept: 

 

Explain   the theory/lifespan concept including keywords and core ideas. (Note: Relevant information may appear in   multiple locations in your textbook) 

 

 

Provide   an example of how the theory/lifespan concept relates to this character.

 

9. Referencing. Enter reference information in APA format here for your source/s. Well done response: appropriate format for in-text citations and reference list, references clearly apply to information from the source. 2 points

Reference List

  

Case #1 Matthew Dillons

Matt is a man who lives in Omak, WA. He is the police chief. Matt is 46 years old. His days are filled with his work: reviewing arrests and upcoming court cases, managing activities of the police department, assisting citizens of the community as needed. He is unmarried and seemingly unattached to anyone romantically. Matt owns a small house with a yard that he enjoys tending. Matt has a very calm temperament and is known for managing tough situations with thoughtfulness but firmness. He is a pretty serious man, focusing primarily on his work and his role as a community citizen. He helps the local Boy Scouts earn their citizenship badges. He volunteers when he can at the nursing home. Matt’s mother (age 70) and a younger sister (aged 40, with a spouse and 2 children) live in eastern Montana. Matt’s mother would like him to find a spouse. She worries about him. He visits them a couple of times each year. He has a close friend, Kate. Kate too is single and owns a local tavern. She tries to run a business that people enjoy visiting but does have an occasional bar fight when a patron has had too much to drink. Matt and Kate confide in one another and provide support for one another. Matt is content with life as it is. Matt teaches a portion of the police officer academy and stays up to date through professional reading and conferences with current advances in techniques for managing communities and coaching and mentoring officers. He is a highly respected police chief.

Case #2 Weezie Jeffers

Weezie (Louise) Jeffers is a married woman who lives in Tacoma, WA. She is 47 years old, her husband George is 50. They have two sons aged 15 and 17. Weezie is a stay-at-home mom. She feels fortunate to be able to focus on caring for her home and family. She is highly involved in their church, playing the organ and helping with church events. Weezie seems to know everyone in their apartment building. She checks in on some of the older residents and regularly reads the newspaper to a man down the hall who can no longer see well enough to do so. The Jeffers family lives in a nice apartment and their children attend a school that is recognized as being of high quality. Weezie is an authoritarian parent. Her teenage sons try to push the boundaries of acceptable behavior, but she holds her ground regarding rules they have decided are appropriate for teen boys. She attends all of their school activities, and when they were younger, she assisted in their classrooms. Now she is an active member of the parent-teacher organization. Weezie and George are very proud of their sons and make sure that their sons are aware of how much they are loved. Weezie completed an Associate’s degree focused on writing. She writes a blog focusing on the importance of being present and involved for your children and your community. The advice she shares in her blog comes from her own personal experience and from the stories she has learned through her interactions in the apartment building and church. She has an amazing capacity for telling stories to teach lessons.

Case #3 Maria Rivera 

Maria is a single mother who lives in Spokane. Maria is 25 and her daughter, Emily, is 2 years old. Emily’s father died unexpectedly in a car accident six months ago. Maria is an elementary school teacher, in her third year of teaching. As a teacher early in her career, Maria is able to afford a modest rental home in a family neighborhood. Emily attends home child care in their neighborhood. Maria’s closest family (parents and two sisters, one aged 16 and one aged 27) lives in Clarkston, WA, and she talks with her mom or older sister every couple of days. Maria has one good friend in Spokane. They are able to get together regularly. Maria teaches summer school and takes one class online every semester toward her Master’s degree. Maria is able to use her experiences as a teacher, and those of her colleagues, as ways to understand what she is learning in her graduate program.  Maria’s students really enjoy her outgoing personality and ability to make every learning opportunity enjoyable. A visit to Maria’s classroom will find her students engaged in a variety of learning modes (reading, artwork, developing games, writing songs, exploring the school grounds). It looks like chaos, but it is clear that her students are engaged. Her administrators and the parents of her students feel that she is doing an outstanding job. Emily is an important part of Maria’s life. Maria reads to her daughter and takes her on adventures. Emily accompanies Maria to many events at the school. Maria and Emily attend a local church where Maria teaches a middle school religious class a couple of times each month. They are still adjusting to the loss of Emily’s father, but are moving forward positively.

Case #4 James Hall 

James is a retired businessman. He is 84 years old and is married to his third wife, having outlived the first two. His health and body are beginning to fail, but he remains in good spirits and his mind is still sharp. James and his wife own a home in Kennewick, WA and are living there independently. James was trained as a science teacher and taught for about a year. He changed his career focus and started a credit union for teachers with just $50. James is a master of being able to see opportunities in unusual places and of being able to use the experiences of others as learning experiences for himself. There were some tough financial times, but he grew a successful business that included the credit union, a bank, and an insurance agency. He provided a very comfortable life for his family in Kennewick. James was a creative business person, able to understand the nuances of his industries and the needs of the community. He was involved in the community with the Rotary and provided guidance to his children as they started their own businesses. When James retired, at the age of 75, he felt that he had run successful businesses and contributed positively to the community. James’ children have grown and raised their children. His son lives about 20 miles away and helps care for their property. James’ daughter lives about 2000 miles away. She visits a couple of times each year. James’ grandchildren visit a few times a year. They are all young adults. James’ wife is in relatively good health and is able to help James with household and living tasks. James walks a bit every day and meets with other retired friends for coffee every week.