Free Essay

Developmental Psychology

In:

Submitted By marianne504
Words 516
Pages 3
For centuries, film makers have toyed with the idea of “genetic selection.” However, being able to customize a supreme race of more attractive with more genetic immunities to diseases is very close to no longer being categorized as science fiction. GATTACA once took us into the world of valids and invalids. The audience watched shoveling down popcorn as the human race became divided and hostel between the normal human births and those who were more fit and privileged because of their DNA.

Genetic engineering is already being carried out successfully on non-human animals. “The gene which makes jellyfish fluoresce has been inserted into mice embryos, resulting in glow-in-the-dark rodents,” says BBC NEWS. “Other mice have had their muscle-mass bettered, or been made to be more faithful to their partners, through the introduction of a gene into their standard genetic make-up. But these scientists predict the amazing breakthroughs in genetically engineering lab mice and farm critters will eventually be applied to the animals at the top of the food chain,” says Daniel Q. Haney, “scientists already recognize some of the combinations of genes that help people defend against some major illnesses. So, one objective of human germline engineering could be to help the genetically less fortunate share these built-in health advantages.”

It is not long before experimentation on humans is going to be carried out. As technology and science get closer to being able to engineer supreme race one has to wonder is this good for the human race or not?

The plus sides are our children could be engineered to be born with out the possibility of heart disease or diabetes or down-syndrome...but are we scientifically enhancing ourselves or finally finishing Hitler’s work?

Because “In the Brave New World predicted by Horizon, scientists will do more than screen for disease-free embryos. They will be able to add characteristics to a newly-fertilized embryo, eliminate 'undesirable' characteristics - or both,” says BBC NEWS.

Quirks and differences combine together and contribute to our personality. What if annoyingness was not learned? Music was no longer a talent a child had to work at? What if sarcasm, affectionate males, and homosexuality was plucked out of the genes at birth? Where is diversity among personality?

While cancer, HIV, and AIDS are terrible, I think that scientists are acting “American.” They want their citizens to once again be the chosen people, an example on their hill for the entire world to marvel at…but without suffering and pain and unfortunate diseases would the world be able to appreciate happiness and well-being as much? If a teenager was unable to get HIV and AIDS wouldn’t the rate of sexual encounters increase?

This ability will be upon us in the not-so distant future and is a real threat to the individuality and appreciation of the simplicities in life. Movies like The Prestige, The Island, and GATTACA have given us a peak into the reality of what is to come…how will you react when science fiction becomes a chilling reality?

Similar Documents

Free Essay

Developmental Psychology

...Developmental psychology Kohlberg’s Moral Development Theory: Kohlberg’sMoral judgment data from a longitudinal study of 26 undergraduates are scored by Kohlberg’s newly revised manual and replicate his original finding that a significant percentage of subjects appear to regress from adolescence to adulthood. The persistence of relativistic regression in these data suggests the need to revise the theory. The same hypothetical moral dilemmas are also scored according to an alternative coding scheme based on the hypothesis of an adult form of cognitive development. Results indicate that the Kohlberg regressors are progressors when evaluated against a standard of commitment in relativism instead of absolute principles of justice. Real-life data on the same subjects suggest that this progression is related to actual experiences of moral conflict and choice which lead to the restructuring of moral judgment to a more dialectical mode. It is suggested that this alternative notion of postconventional development is necessary for understanding (and scoring) adult moral judgment. Piaget's theory of cognitive development: Piaget's theory of cognitive development is a comprehensive theory about the nature and development of human intelligence, first developed by Jean Piaget. It is primarily known as a developmental stage theory, but in fact, it deals with the nature of knowledge itself and how humans come gradually to acquire, construct, and use it. To Piaget, cognitive development was...

Words: 900 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Developmental Psychology

...development can be defined as “the field of study that examines patterns of growth, change, and stability in behaviour that occur throughout the entire life span” (Sigelman & Rider, 2011). Lifespan development takes a scientific approach in its study of growth, change and stability as researchers use scientific methods to test their assumptions (Sigelman & Rider, 2011s). Previously child development was the focus of many theorists but within the last two decades lifespan development has begun to be studied empirically. Another justification for lifespan development is that it originates in other disciplines as well such as sociology and anthropology and this suggests that this field of lifespan development did not originate solely from developmental psychologists (Baltes, 1987). There are three relevant areas in lifespan development: physical development which looks at the ways in which the body’s makeup determines behaviour, cognitive development which looks at how growth and change in intellectual capabilities influence a persons behaviour and lastly personality development which is the “study of stability and change in the enduring characteristics that differentiate one person from another over the lifespan” (Sigelman & Rider, 2011). Central to lifespan...

Words: 1643 - Pages: 7

Free Essay

Developmental Psychology

...Developmental Psychology There are three main theories of development that I shall discuss in this assignment, 'Cognitive', the main theorist being, 'Piaget', (1896 - 1980), The, 'Psychosocial Theory', 'Erikson', (1902 - 1994), and, The 'Psychosexual', of, 'Freud', (1856 - 1939). Cognitive Psychology draws the comparison between the human mind and a computer, suggesting that we like the computer process the information we acquire from around us and then react accordingly. Hearnshaw, (1987), claims that Cognitive Psychology is both one of the oldest and also one of the newest parts of Psychology, cited in ?T. Malim?, (1994). Information is collected through our senses i.e. vision, touch, smell etc and then processed through our brain. Cognitive Psychologists largely seek explanations of Cognitive development, memory, attention, artificial intelligence, perception and social cognition. The methods used are usually Laboratory experiments under controlled circumstances i.e. memory tests, and, Case studies. Piaget, (J), (1896-1980), carried out case studies on his own children to study the stages of cognitive development. Piaget concluded that the child was an organism which adapts to the environment, he also studied with the opinion that all children went through the same set stages of development and that there were no individual differences. Piagets? Stages of Development: - The Sensorimotor stage, (0-2): - Early in the sensorimotor stage the child is entirely egocentric...

Words: 3830 - Pages: 16

Premium Essay

Developmental Psychology

...Introduction Human development is a lifelong process that begins at the union of an ovum and a sperm and does not end until an individual is declared dead. This paper is a biographical account of Andrei Edoja Dmitri. He was born April 21, 1945 in Scarborough, Ontario. With the help of developmental psychological concepts and theories, the paper narrates his life journey from conception, prenatal development, infancy, childhood, and adolescence through adulthood including his basic physical and psychological development and growth respectively. The biography also narrates what growing up was for Andrei, his family, the different life changing events he encountered in his life, the achievements he celebrated and his moments of doubts and pain. Andrei is the first-born child of two immigrant parents, Omoye and Nicolai, from Nigeria and Russian respectively, who had come to Canada some years before his birth as students. He has a younger sister called Ivana. Infancy and Early Childhood Four years into their common-law relationship, Andrei was conceived by Omoye, an immigrant undergraduate English student from Nigeria after an awesome spring getaway break in Mexico with her Russian partner, Nicolai. Nicolai was an undergraduate computer science student at the same University with Omoye. The process of prenatal development occurs in three stages. Two weeks after conception is known as the germinal stage. During this period the single-celled zygote that contained the genetic instructions...

Words: 3546 - Pages: 15

Premium Essay

Developmental Psychology

...DEVELOPMENT PSYCHOLOGY: WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO CRITICALLY LOOK AT DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGICAL THEORIES? . The term development is very broad and multi-dimensional that it is a topic dealt with in almost every discipline. Psychology is also a multi-dimensional discipline, and when encompassing development it constructs a field of study known as developmental psychology. The main focus of this area is on human growth throughout the lifespan. Originally, developmental psychology was concerned with infants and children, but the field has since expanded to include adolescence, adult development and aging. This is due to the fact that although childhood is obviously a time of tremendous change, people also continue to grow and develop during the early adult, middle age, and senior years. Inclusive in this field are related topics such as child development, intellectual development, cognitive development, and the aging process. In simpler terms then, developmental psychology is defined as the scientific study of age-related changes that occur in human beings cross different domains over the course of life. The direct focus of developmental psychology on human growth involves thorough observation and examination in order to be able to categorise and label a being. This marking of belonging to a certain group is another transformation underwent...

Words: 1044 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Developmental Psychology (Attachment)

...PSYA1 - Developmental Psychology (Attachment) Exam Questions 1. Outline individual differences in attachment. Attachment has been shown to be different to each human being. It is possible to generalise characteristics but no one has the exact same qualities. Schaffer and Emerson (1964) found out that some babies enjoyed cuddling while others preferred not to be touched. They also found that some children were only securely attached to one person whereas others had multiple attachments. There are two forms of attachment; Secure and Insecure. What determines the type of attachment is how the infant is brought up by their parents/caregivers. Secure attachments are formed when there is a positive bond between the child and caregiver, such as comfort and feeding. Insecure attachments are formed when there is a negative bond between the child and caregiver. They occur when there is neglect, lack of comfort or malnutrition. 2. Outline two behaviours that are characteristics of a securely attached child. When a child is securely attached, they will show certain characteristics and behaviour. In the company of a caregiver, a child is happy and content. They will feel safe in their presence. However, if they are separated then the infant will be distressed. Upon reunification with the caregiver, they will return to their former behaviour of happiness. The infant will also prefer their parents to strangers. 3. Identify two cultural variations in attachment. Individualist cultures...

Words: 1030 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Developmental Psychology

...Developmental Pyschology The scientific study of human development aims to understand and explain how humans change throughout their lifetime. In the beginning this approach aimed towards infants and children to study the mind so that education and learning could be more effective but it now includes aging, adult development, adolescence, and the whole lifespan; basically early life to death. It also includes scientific inquiry which means its recognizes humans of all societies and cultures who are in a constant rate of change and growth. The branches included are all the aspects of human growth, such as emotional, physical, social, intellectual and personality development. Charles Darwin was actually the first to be credited with conducting the first systematic study dealing with developmental psychology. This study of psychology also branches into sociology, education and health care because of its association, not only with the physical aspects, but with cognitive and social forms as well. Developmental psychology also plays an important role in numerous subjects such as anthropology, education, history, sociology and psychology. Those subjects apply to many careers pertaining to the study of human development. The three goals of developmental psychology are to describe, explain, and to optimize development. With developmental psychology comes tons of research. Majority of study begins with hypothesis. The goal of the research is to analyze the interested area and collect...

Words: 913 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Developmental Psychology

...Developmental psychology is studying how we –humans- develop throughout time. But what most people may ask is, what forces us to change as we pass through life? And there are multiple answers for this question. It could be because of the people we hang around, to the schools we attend. One specific researcher who specialized in developmental psychology is German biologist Konrad Lorenz, he studied imprinting, which is a form of early learning that occurs in some animals during a critical period. Lorenz wanted to know why do baby goose followed their mother around in a single line. He often asked himself “Do they follow mother goose because of an inborn tendency (nature), or do they learn to follow their mothers because of nurture? Which brings...

Words: 892 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Developmental Psychology

...Developmental psychology is the study of how and why humans change over the course of their lives. It studies the changes in human growth during their lifetime. Developmental psychology has significantly changed with many theorists who influenced it greatly since the early 1900s. Developmental psychologists study physical, cognitive, social, perceptual, personal, and emotional growth. Jean Piaget studied cognitive development. Piaget focused on how a child developed and how cognitive development was a process which takes place as a result of biological maturation and interaction with the environment. Jean Piaget’s Cognitive Development Theory includes four stages, the Sensorimotor Stage, the Preoperational Stage, the Concrete Stage, and the...

Words: 516 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

Developmental Psychology Theories

...THE PSYCHOLOGICAL THEORY    This theory was proposed by Sigmund Freud which he believed that a child passes five major stages  in  which  the  pleasure‐seeking  energies  of  the  ‘id’  become  focused  on  certain  erogenous  areas.  These stages are the  oral, anal, phallic, latency and genital. If  psychosexual stages are completed  successfully, the result is a healthy behavior or personality. If certain issues are not resolved at the  appropriate  stage,  fixation  occurs.  Fixation  is  the  tendency  to  stay  at  a  particular  if  not  properly  satisfied on its appropriate period.    PSYCHOSOCIAL THEORY    This  theory  was  proposed  by  Erick  Erickson.  His  theory  states  that  human’s  lifespan  undergo  the  Eight (8) Stages of major crises or conflict. This theory describes the impact of social experience of a  person  across  the  whole  lifespan.  He  believed  that  human  beings  are  rational  creatures  whose  thoughts,  feelings  and  actions  are  largely  controlled  by  the  ego.  Individuals  must  first  understand  the realities of the social world in order to adapt successfully. The Eight Stages across the human’s  lifespan are as follows:    a. Basic Trust vs. Mistrust – from 0 to 1 year old or the Infancy Stage  b. Autonomy vs. Shame & Doubt – from 1 to 3 years old or the Early Childhood Stage  c. Initiative vs. Guilt – from 3 to 6 years old or the Middle Childhood Stage  d. Industry vs. Inferiority – from 6 to 12 years old or the Late Childhood Stage ...

Words: 780 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Developmental Psychology Paper

...Developmental Psychology refers to the scientific study of human beings throughout their growth period in life from birth to old age. While much of development occurs in stages during childhood, our brain and body continue to develop throughout our adolescence and into adulthood. Although children develop in different ways and at different rates, the order in which they develop is usually similar for every child. Milestones are defined as moments in our life where we reach specific goals and/or achievements in our development. They provide important information that relates to a child's development and help us understand the general patterns that exist in the development. Typically, one specific milestone occurs before another one can develop....

Words: 1154 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

The Making of Developmental Psychology

...This chapter is an introduction to the ideas, people, and events that have guided scientific activity in developmental psychology over the past century. Its preparation has been facilitated by several recent publications on the history of developmental psychology. The views of the past held by active researchers are reflected in chapters of the edited volume, A Century of Developmental Psychology (Parke, Ornstein, Rieser, & Zahn-Waxler, 1994). The contributors are, with few exceptions, currently involved in contemporary research. Secondary commentaries can provide useful guides and interpretations, but there is no substitute for consulting original sources. To that end, a reprint series containing historically significant original articles and volumes has been prepared by Wozniak (e.g., 1993, 1997). Other recent volumes include the contributions of professional historians and others who are not enmeshed in current empirical debates of the discipline (e.g., Broughton & Freeman-Moir, 1982; Elder, Modell, & Parke, 1993). In addition, the social relevance and the making of the discipline in American society have been told expertly by Sears (1975) and White (1995). Any single overview—including this one—can tell only part of the story.1 Adopting the convention used in the previous Handbook of Child Psychology, 20 years must lapse before a contribution or event qualifies as historical. Two decades constitute approximately one generation in the life of our science; therefore, 1976...

Words: 4222 - Pages: 17

Premium Essay

Developmental Psychology of the Lifespan

...Developmental Psychology of the Lifespan 1. Describe how the growth in the corpus callosum allows children to increase their capabilities. The human brain is made up of two separate hemispheres. The right hemisphere is generally thought of as the creative side while the left hemisphere is thought to be the logical side. Both sides must work together to create a fully functional person. The communication channel between the two halves is known as the corpus callosum. The corpus callosum is made up of 250-800 million fibers that connect the two halves of the brain together and coordinates the processing between them (Berger, 2005, p. 200). It is the building block to more complex motor skills and expression. In other words the corpus callosum is what allows the left hand to know what the right hand is doing. Maturation of the corpus callosum can be witnessed by observing the drawings of “people” produced by children of different age groups. For example, children age two to three generally produce pictures which more closely resemble a tadpole than a person. They usually draw a circle with dots for eyes and a line underneath for the body. By age five they typically expand this “tadpole” to including a torso. After age five the drawing includes arms and hands (Berger, 2005). This progression from tadpole to stick figure directly corresponds with the maturation of the corpus callosum and the improvements in motor skills that maturation...

Words: 1050 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Lifespan Developmental Psychology

...Before the use of lifespan development psychology (which studies changes that take place during each period of life) development studies were mostly done during childhood. Similarly it is generally believed that motives acquired in early childhood stay stable throughout adulthood, but studies have shown that there are age-related changes during a lifetime.”Do we seek the same fundamental things-love, power, achievment-with the same intensity throughout our whole lives? Or in other words, are implicit motives stable across the lifespan?.”(Valero, Nikitin, & Freund, 2015) One study tested the hypothesis that older adults with shorter lifetime and shorter futures are more likely to have implicit motives than younger adults with longer lifetime...

Words: 355 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Theories Of Developmental Psychology

...Developmental Psychology is the study and focus on how an individual will behave or grow up to be (develop). This can can help predict one's behavior by examining their age,the external influences around them, and their way of thinking. You then matching them to a psychologist assertions to predict how the earliness of their childhood will affect them in the future. It can also help understand an individual and their habits by again, applying their situation into past experiments and evaluations done by psychologist. With this you can infer that one's reason for acting the way they do can be traced, understood, and can predict their path by the examples given from developmental psychology, especially from using examples of Learning Concepts,...

Words: 1064 - Pages: 5