Life Span Perspective Tonya Larson August 27, 2015
University of Phoenix, PSY/280, Professor Barch
Abstract
The life span perspective of development provides interesting information about the development of individuals through their life, such as who they are, how they came to be who they are, and who they will become. Psychoanalytic theories offer some insight into life span development and help explain the stages of development that individuals go through in their lifespan. The life span perspective of development also provides important information in regard to how the effects of heredity and the environment may interact to produce unique characteristics in the life span development.
Life Span Perspective of Development To study human development, the life span perspective is necessary because it takes into account every phase of life. The life-span perspective, was first set forth by Paul and Margaret Baltes and their associates (P. B. Baltes et al., 2006; Staudinger & Lindenberger, 2003). The life-span perspective notes that development throughout life is: (1) multidirectional, therefore change occurs in every aspect of life and in every direction and not just in a straight line, (2) multicontextual, therefore the several contexts, such as economic constraints, family patterns, and historical conditions embed the lives of humans, (3) multicultural, therefore several cultures affect the development of individuals, (4) multidisciplinary, therefore psychology and other disciplines, such as biology, neuroscience, education, economics, anthropology, sociology, religion, history, genetics, and medicine provide insight into development and (5) plastic, therefore any individual possess traits, which may be altered at any given time during life, and change that occurs is
