Human beings learn from observation within their environment and develop by means of heredity. The life span perspective of development provides insight into this understanding. It recognizes that to view human development appropriately, one must not only give attention to separate steps, but rather focus comprehensively on development and growth.
Paul and Margret Baltes suggest human development is multidirectional, multicontextual, multicultural, multidisciplinary, and plastic. Based upon their research, a life-span perspective with a multidirectional view allows one to understand how, when, and whether certain stages occur. Therefore, development is not necessarily going to be an upward slope since the multidirectional perspective observes …show more content…
For example, Urie Bronfenbrenner was the first to highlight the many contexts affecting human development and suggested an ecological-systems approach. An ecological-systems approach means that one views a person in all the contexts and interactions which constitute the life of an individual. Additionally, the ecological-systems approach can be broken down into three distinct levels: the first level is a microsystem - this is what immediately surrounds an individual - such as friends and family, school and church; the next level is the exosystem - this could be a workplace, or school system; and the last level is the macrosystem - this consists of larger contexts - which directly affect the individual such as culture, politics, and economy.
In further explanation, culture plays a central role in the development of an individual. As aforementioned, development is multicultural and may be observed through the mediums of race and ethnic groups. An ethnic group is a group of people from the same region that share common values such as language, religion, and culture. The relationship between the race and ethnicity of an individual can show the affects and effects of culture as they
Paul and Margret Baltes suggest human development is multidirectional, multicontextual, multicultural, multidisciplinary, and plastic. Based upon their research, a life-span perspective with a multidirectional view allows one to understand how, when, and whether certain stages occur. Therefore, development is not necessarily going to be an upward slope since the multidirectional perspective observes …show more content…
For example, Urie Bronfenbrenner was the first to highlight the many contexts affecting human development and suggested an ecological-systems approach. An ecological-systems approach means that one views a person in all the contexts and interactions which constitute the life of an individual. Additionally, the ecological-systems approach can be broken down into three distinct levels: the first level is a microsystem - this is what immediately surrounds an individual - such as friends and family, school and church; the next level is the exosystem - this could be a workplace, or school system; and the last level is the macrosystem - this consists of larger contexts - which directly affect the individual such as culture, politics, and economy.
In further explanation, culture plays a central role in the development of an individual. As aforementioned, development is multicultural and may be observed through the mediums of race and ethnic groups. An ethnic group is a group of people from the same region that share common values such as language, religion, and culture. The relationship between the race and ethnicity of an individual can show the affects and effects of culture as they