Unit One Take Home Essay Question (DUE as in schedule)

Note: I expect all essays in this class to be at LEAST1 page long typed, double spaced (12 pt TNR font) or equivalent. For some questions you may need significantly more space. Answer BOTH essays.

Question One:

Based on what you know from chapter one, I would like you to reflect on the contexts of your development. Please write an essay describing the effects your historic (place in chronological time), socioeconomic (income and “class” you were raised in) and cultural contexts (country, religion, etc) have had on your biosocial (physical), cognitive and psychosocial development. [I am looking for 9 examples total]

NOTES: Make sure to be explicit about which examples belong to which contexts and types of development. Do not make me guess which examples belong to which contexts. Make sure to always use complete sentences. You may choose to use 9 completely distinct examples, or pick one aspect of your physical/cognitive/social development and discuss how each of those three have been effected by your historic, SES and cultural contexts. (ie for the biological portion you could discuss how weight was effected by the time you grew up in, the SES of your family and the culture of your upbringing)

Hint: If you are having trouble with this essay, check out the activity on the chapter handout: understanding the contexts of development, where I basically did this exercise, albeit not in essay form. Please do not use my examples 

Hint: When thinking about the effects on your development of your time in history, imagine what differences you would find if you had been raised in the 1800s (or 1600s or whatever) vs. today…

Question Two:

Many of the major theories of human development place an emphasis on early experiences, and all believe that early experiences at least help shape development. For this essay question I want you to share an important childhood experience that you had, and then discuss how at least 3 of the 5 major perspectives presented in this chapter would predict that this experience would influence your development.

Note: you may choose to generalize “the psychoanalytic perspective would predict this would effect me in whatever way”, or be more specific (may be easier) “Since this occurred during Erikson’s stage of Industry vs. Inferiority, it might…..”

Note: the perspectives are: psychoanalytic, behavioral, cognitive, sociocultural and epigenetic