...Vienna Yearbook of Population Research 2013 (Vol. 11), pp. 295–323 Determinants of exceptional human longevity: new ideas and findings Leonid A. Gavrilov and Natalia S. Gavrilova∗ Abstract Studies of centenarians are useful in identifying factors leading to long life and avoidance of fatal diseases. In this article we consider several approaches to study effects of early-life and midlife conditions on survival to advanced ages: use of non-biological relatives as controls, the within-family analysis, as well as a sampling of controls from the same population universe as centenarians. These approaches are illustrated using data on American centenarians, their relatives and unrelated shorterlived controls obtained from the online genealogies. The within-family analysis revealed that young maternal age at person’s birth is associated with higher chances of exceptional longevity. Comparison of centenarians and their shorter-lived peers (died at age 65 and sampled from the same pool of online genealogies) confirmed that birth timing in the second half of the calendar year predicts survival to age 100. Parental longevity as well as some childhood and midlife characteristics also proved to be significant predictors of exceptional longevity. 1 Introduction Studies of centenarians (people living to 100 and older) could be useful in identifying factors leading to long life and avoidance of fatal diseases. Even if some individual characteristics have a moderate protective effect on...
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...Theory of Individual Psychology Diana Dias Brandman University Individual Psychology Personality Theory The theory of individual psychology is based on Alfred Adler’s individual psychology proposal. Adler’s personality theory, individual psychology is a theory of human behavior stressing the attempt to overcome feelings of inferiority by benefiting the commitment to accomplish personal goals that have a purpose in the community (Schultz, 113). From his perspective he saw everyone as being social. We are all different individuals but our personalities are different based on our communication with others and our surroundings (Schultz, 113). He also thought the route of our personalities was based on the conscious versus the unconscious because more importantly we are always working on ourselves and managing our future. Summary of major principles One of the first major principles of individual psychology is “The Source for Human Striving.” Due to Alfred Adler’s early experience with his illness he felt he provided more on the inferiority and superiority complexes. In individual psychology inferiority complexes are a natural circumstance of all individuals or otherwise known as all humans striving (Shultz, 116). To overcome the inferiority complex you need to have compensation, which are the effort people need to conquer the feeling of inferiority and to tackle for more high levels of development. According to the individual psychology theory this action starts from...
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...Use of haiku and mind map to reflect on the lifespan development Name: Institution: Introduction This learning journal is going to look at the chronological approach of the lifespan development and the model of hierarchical complexity theory of human development (Michele & Hoffnung, 2013). Topic one: biological foundation and genetics. In this subject, I am going to use the photo as the method of discussion. The choice of photo is because there are several photos I have come across several pictures about the biological foundation and genetics. For instance, the picture below shows the relationship between genetic variation in the biology, the environment and the behavior of an individual. The above talking point gave me the desire to find more about the genes because I realized that I know microscopic about the hereditary genetics. I had petite knowledge about the dominant and the recessive genes in which I did not know the parts they played in a human body. The knowledge that I have about genetics is that it is not always guaranteed for the traits of the parents always pass to the children. For instance, leadership is a character that some parents do have but they happen to have some of the rudest children. Moreover, there is no any relationship between genes and a person’s lifespan. Death is a natural happening that comes an unannounced. The only that that I knew genes do influence are the body complexions like the skin color, height, weight gain and eye color...
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...of age. Or maybe it isn't? When children reach the age of two they tend to display personalities of being either shy or rambunctious. Socialization is the process of being taught to live in the human community. In the U.S. a survey was done and it discovered that by age two parents were expecting their children to "share," "sit at the table," "brush your teeth," and "don't disobey, bite or hit (Belsky)." Socialization begins to come on strong and pressure is added to toddlers to demonstrate adult like behavior. These kind of rules and directions would cause a toddler to have a tantrum or even become shy. Toddlers who are shy tend to grow mentally different from those who are rambunctious. In the text book, Experiencing the Lifespan, there is a focus topic on how it is when a child is shy. Around 13 months it states...
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...Bowlby’s Ethological Attachment Theory Rhonda Lawson Excelsior College Lifespan Developmental Psychology June 10, 2014 Bowlby’s Ethological Attachment Theory I) Abstract a) A natural inclination b) Strength and stability c) Theory of lifespan development II) Introduction a) Evolution and biology b) Critical periods c) Behavioral study on graylag geese d) Creation of attachment III) Bowlby’s perspectives a) Biological preparation b) Ethological theory c) Adaptive value d) Physical, social as well as cultural e) Lasting relationships IV) Application of Bowlby’s ethological attachment a) Survival b) Increases in cortisol levels and heart rates c) Psychotherapy d) Anxiety and avoidance with depression e) Development of a new attachment with a therapist f) Outcomes of a therapy process g) Diagnosis of the reactive attachment disorder V) Conclusion a) Begins at birth b) Develop attachments to primary caregivers c) Widespread acceptance d) Diagnosis of reactive attachment disorder VI) References Abstract Bowlby’s ethological attachment theory bases its argument on the premise that human individuals, just like animals have a tendency to have a natural inclination to establish and maintain lasting affectionate bonds (attachments) to the familiar and irreplaceable others. Bowlby further asserts that once the attachments are established, the strength, and stability of the...
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...Significant Lifespan Factors Impacting Personal Coping Skills Catherine Manning Liberty University Abstract Human beings develop throughout their lifespan, as they make good choices to meet their physical, spiritual and emotional needs. While development is not sequential, it is progressive as the story of life molds and shapes the beliefs and choices of the future. When humans are compared and evaluated, what is it that influences one person to make good choices and another to make bad choices? The ability to adapt and handle times of crisis is a good indicator of a healthy, well-balanced life. It is an indicator that affects almost everyone. It takes skills that mature and develop over time. Are there life experiences that contribute to the positive handling of the stressors of a crisis? Personal experience and pertinent research points to three themes offering positive influence upon crisis adapting skills. First, a religious and spiritual foundation provides the context through which the crisis can be understood, analyzed and managed. Second, a positive, stable family situation allows for the development of the positive self-esteem necessary through which the impact of the crisis upon the individual can be managed. Finally, the satisfaction found in a career or a job can determine perspective and motivation in dealing with problems outside the workplace. Significant Lifespan Factors Impacting Personal Coping Skills Lifespan developmental psychology...
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...characteristics of an individual (Shriner B., & Shriner M., 2014). We all have a temperament, and according to Eric Erikson we gain our temperament as infants. Individual children carry with them somewhat stable, biologically determined factors, such as temperaments that dispose them to be more or less aroused physiologically and emotionally to social stimuli or that facilitate or inhibit social approach orientations and emotional expression (Rubin, K. H. (1998). Erikson’s greatest contribution is his focus on psychosocial development, which refers to the development within the social environment in which a person lives, primarily focusing on relationships with other people (Erikson, 1968). Erikson believed that there are certain time periods in which humans must gain certain insights (Witt, G., & Mossler, R., 2010). Erikson's psychosocial theory basically asserts that people experience eight 'psychosocial crisis stages' which significantly affect each person's development and personality. Emotional development is something that occurs throughout our lifespan. Primary emotions appear in the very early stages of infancy and are culturally universal—people of all cultures understand what these primary emotions are. Infants also...
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...Abstract Human beings develop throughout their lifespan, as they make good choices to meet their physical, spiritual and emotional needs. While development is not sequential, it is progressive as the story of life molds and shapes the beliefs and choices of the future. When humans are compared and evaluated, what is it that influences one person to make good choices and another to make bad choices? The ability to adapt and handle times of crisis is a good indicator of a healthy, well-balanced life. It is an indicator that affects almost everyone. It takes skills that mature and develop over time. Are there life experiences that contribute to the positive handling of the stressors of a crisis? Personal experience and pertinent research points to three themes offering positive influence upon crisis adapting skills. First, a religious and spiritual foundation provides the context through which the crisis can be understood, analyzed and managed. Second, a positive, stable family situation allows for the development of the positive self-esteem necessary through which the impact of the crisis upon the individual can be managed. Finally, the satisfaction found in a career or a job can determine perspective and motivation in dealing with problems outside the workplace. Significant Lifespan Factors Impacting Personal Coping Skills Lifespan developmental psychology (LP) is involved in the study of the individual’s development from conception or birth into old age. One of...
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...involves pubescent changes as the body develops and matures sexually. During young adulthood, physical development involves one’s organs and systems operating at peak efficiency. As an individual moves through to late adulthood, these systems slowly deteriorate along with overall health, stamina and strength. In terms of cognition, thinking and problem solving skills, conceptual understandings, information processing ability and overall intelligence develop throughout an individual’s lifespan. With respect to psychosocial, this includes how a person’s mind, emotions, and maturity levels evolve. In terms of this assignment, the purpose is to present a profile of a typical thirty-two year old male and to analyse his development through theoretical perspectives. My individual is named Andrew; he is single but dates regularly, Caucasian from North America, is university educated and works as an accountant for a bank. Andrew grew up in the suburbs of a medium sized city in a family with three siblings, one older brother and two older sisters. He was involved in sports as a boy, did well academically, and has lots of friends. Andrew’s father was a schoolteacher however has since retired and his mother was a homemaker until Andrew was sixteen years old when she decided to pursue a part-time career. His parents are happily married and...
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...Why People Behave the Way They Do Kasey Lasley University of the Cumberlands Basic Psychology Lindsey Cockrum February 8th, 2014 Abstract Psychology is a discipline that asks and answers the fundamental question, why do we behave the way we do and think the way we think?. The best way to characterize the different approaches that are taken to answer the question of psychology is to identify them as major perspectives. The major perspectives represent fundamental assumptions that underlie the research questions and methods that are used in order to answer the questions of psychology. Most all perspectives define psychology as the discipline interested in studying human behavior and mental processes, but that covers a lot of ground and the causes of behavior and mental processes are not always clear. Why People Behave the Way They Do There are many areas of psychology. The field of human development is divided into different theory groups. The groups that will be discussed in this paper are psychodynamic, biological, cognitive, and behavioral. 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. The psychodynamic theory of human development’s main focus is personality and social development. It is based on the belief that the mind is divided into two parts...
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...of Self-Efficacy Beliefs Efficacy-Mediated Processes Adaptive Benefits of Optimistic Self-Beliefs of Efficacy Development and E xercise of Self-Efficacy Over the Lifespan Glossary Affective Processes: Processes regulating emotional states and elicitation of emotional reactions. Cognitive Processes: Thinking processes involved in the acquisition, organization and use of information. Motivation: Activation to action. Level of motivation is reflected in choice of courses of action, and in the intensity and persistence of effort. Perceived Self-Efficacy: People's beliefs about their capabilities to produce effects. Self-Regulation: Exercise of influence over one's own motivation, thought processes, emotional states and patterns of behavior. Perceived self-efficacy is defined as people's beliefs about their capabilities to produce designated levels of performance that exercise influence over events that affect their lives. Selfefficacy beliefs determine how people feel, think, motivate themselves and behave. Such beliefs produce these diverse effects through four major processes. They include cognitive, motivational, affective and selection processes. A strong sense of efficacy enhances human accomplishment and personal well-being in many ways. People with high assurance in their capabilities approach difficult tasks as challenges to be mastered rather than as threats to be avoided. Such an efficacious outlook fosters intrinsic interest and deep engrossment in...
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...children, girls would be expected to play with ‘girl toys’ like dolls, prams and make-up, to be more sensitive and caring, whilst boys would be expected to play with cars and trucks, to be a lot more boisterous and active. As children grow from early childhood to adolescence, they are subjected to many aspects which influences their sense of behaviour and their attitude to gender roles. These behaviours and attitudes are generally picked-up in the home to begin with and are then strengthened by a child's peers, school, environmental experience, and the media. Yet the strongest influence on gender role development tends to occur within the family home, with parents passing on their own beliefs about gender. For instance, if male and female siblings see their mother being the one to cook dinner, do the housework and shopping, then see their father being the one that goes out to work and being responsible for manual jobs around the home,...
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...(SEC), age, gender, ethnic background, and family demographics of each of these children. The two children this writer has chosen come from similar living situations (i.e. they both live with single mothers), but have vast differences in their physical, cognitive, and social development. This paper will examine Erik Erikson's Eight Psychosocial Stages as explained by Dacey, Fiore, Travers (2009) in an effort to explain the noticeable differences in the two children that this writer has chosen to observe. These two children were chosen because they are both being raised in a single parent household, which is something that this writer can relate to, as this writer is a single mother. This writer will also explore the Cognitive Development Approach theories of Jean Piaget and Albert Bandura's Social Cognitive Learning in an attempt to further explain the significant differences in these two children. Childhood Observation Theories on Human Development Many psychologists have different...
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...Criminal Case Scenario and Assessment Tools Name of Student Institution affiliation Criminal Case Scenario and Assessment Tools Case Scenario of Mary and Richard Mary is a third-born in a family of three siblings. Richard, her husband understands that Mary is easily irritable and can get angry expressing her temper in very regrettable ways and so he tries to live with in such a way that she does not make her angry. The origin of Mary’s unexplained anger can be traced back to her childhood. Closely examining the marital history of Mary’s parents in fact reveals that their marriage was a happy one. Mary’s parents were able to raise their three kids and Mary reported that she ever saw them in a quarrel leave a lone picking...
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...Health Psychology Committee HCA/250 July 10, 2011 Wakita R. Bradford Health Psychology Committee Health Psychology is a specialty that focuses on how different biological, psychological, social and behavioral factors influence the recovery of a patient’s health and illness. In order to enhance patient health, measurable by shorter hospitalizations and improved adherence to medical regimens, a Health Psychology Committee has developed. A psychiatry division comprised of five specialists will be responsible for implementing psychological methods which will enable the treatment of the patient on a more complete level. Taking into consideration the undeniable presence of stress in any instance of illness and the fact that stress not only effects behavior responses but also impairs immune functioning by changes in the body’s physical systems the role of psychology becomes even more evident in providing patient care (Sarafino, 2006). By incorporating psychology in to health care the patient can experience a reduction in stress will ultimately enhance their overall health. Patients will be better equipped with the necessary skills to successfully adapt and cope with a variety of illnesses. Effective coping strategies can only be obtained through use of psychological methods. This will result in shorter hospitalizations and an increased patient compliance with treatment plans. Each case is a specialized issue, which requires treatment for the five different areas...
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