Case Study: Developmental psychology
Case Study: Developmental psychology
1. Throughout the history of the field of developmental psychology, three core conflicts have emerged in the examination of the theories and concepts (nature vs. nurture, continuity vs. discontinuity, and stability vs. change). Your understanding of these conflicts will serve as a foundation for the examination of theories throughout this course, and it is expected that you may have preexisting preferences for one side or the other in each of these conflicts. In this journal, utilize your professional and personal experiences as examples to:
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- Describe each conflict (nature vs. nurture, continuity vs. discontinuity, and stability vs. change).
- Reflect on which side of each conflict you may hold a preference as an emerging professional.
- Apply professional or personal experience and examine the three core conflicts. (You are not required to share personal or sensitive information.)
Guidelines for Submission: Submit assignment as a Word document with double spacing, 12-point Times New Roman font, and one-inch margins. Journal assignments must follow APA-style citations, and word count must be a minimum of 350 to a maximum of 750 words.
2. The evolution of the field of developmental psychology has begun to trend toward a more holistic view of development, and this is evidenced by the theories of hereditary and environmental interaction. On the surface, these theories appear to be challenging the nature versus nurture controversy by acknowledging that each is necessary and integral to development. Upon closer review, we find that the controversy endures as each theory appears to favor one over the other within the theory. Select one of the following heredity and environmental interaction theories that you believe provides the most valid explanation for the interaction of nature and nurture, provide a brief explanation of the theory in your own words, and clearly state which side of the nature versus nurture controversy you believe is favored by this theory.
- The canalization principle
- The range-of-reaction principle
- Genotype/environment correlations
Compose a post of one to two paragraphs. Reference scholarly or peer-reviewed sources to support your discussion points, as appropriate (using proper citation methods for your discipline).
3. Discuss the historical influence of Freud’s theory. How did the time period influence Freud as he developed his personality theory?
Respond to two other classmates and compare your observations on how the historical context influenced Freud’s theory.
Think about the historical context of your selected theory (Martin Seligman: Positive Psychology and Learned Helplessness) and how it may have influenced your chosen theory’s development.
Compose a post of one to two paragraphs. Reference scholarly or peer-reviewed sources to support your discussion points, as appropriate (using proper citation methods for your discipline).
4. In the previous journal assignment, you planned how to evaluate the research for your selected theories. This journal reflection delves deeper into the various sources you are evaluating for the final project.
In your journal assignment, address the following:
- Reflect on how the sources you found support or contradict your selected theory. Do your sources meet your evaluation criteria? Why or why not?
- Are you able to locate at least one primary source for this theory?
- Summarize the research source’s historical context, the research method, and how you located the research source.
- What is the historical context?
- What research method is used?
- Where are you locating your sources?
- Identify any other questions you have for the instructor at this point.
Guidelines for Submission: Your journal assignment should be 2 to 3 paragraphs in length and any sources used should be cited in APA format. Submit the assignment as a Word document with double spacing, 12-point Times New Roman font, and one-inch margins
