Introduction
The selected case scenario for this task includes Jamal Jones’s case study. The main objective of this task is to apply lifespan development theories and concepts in analyzing Jamal Jones’s case in the context of her physical and cognitive development, his attachment considerations, his psychosocial and moral development, as well as his cultural and contextual considerations. Specifically, while Jones’ physical development is characterized by Vygotsky’s theory of socio-cultural development, his attachment and psychosocial developmental considerations are grounded on Erikson’s perspective of psychosocial development, and his cognitive and cultural considerations are characterized by Piaget’s theory of cognitive development and Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory respectively.
Overview of Case Study
Jamal Jones’s case study revolves around the key character Jamal, who is a third-born son to a single-parent family structure led by an African American mother, Neka. Nonetheless, Jamal has a caregiver, Ms. Lewis, who took care of him during his toddlerhood. Jamal has two brothers and an uncle, Malik, who acts like a father figure to him. Jamal’s mother has a condition known as eclampsia that predisposes Jamal to adverse long-term effects. However, Jamal is born and grows up in an impoverished household in which the family has little to spare (Wright, 2019). Jamal exhibits a series of physical, cognitive, socio-emotional, and psychological characteristics grounded on the culture and social interactions he has been brought up in.
Lifespan Categories of Development
Physical Development
The applicable lifespan development theory for assessing Jamal’s case includes Vygotsky’s theory of socio-cultural development. The theory posits that a child’s development is grounded on their ability to socialize with surrounding environments and people to help them develop their physical skills based on their development of motor skills (Pathan et al., 2018). When observing Jamal’s case, her mother indicates that he is always on the move and that she requires a baby gate to prevent him from falling off the steps (Wright, 2019). Based on Vygotsky’s theory, children aged between one and three years often develop a sense of personal control over their physical skills. In this context, Jones’ constant movement is grounded on her ability to establish self-autonomy over doubt and shame, which puts him at risk of falls. The other important milestone includes noticing objects and reaching them. In particular, Jamal is able to reach for and grasp a handful of fries while watching his family gather around for dinner. This behavior indicates Jamal’s hand and eye coordination skills have already developed, allowing him to see, contextualize, and pick things at approximately one year of his age. The third millstone involves Jamal’s mother, who has eclampsia, which puts Jamal at a higher risk of several adverse physical outcomes like being small-for-date or preterm birth that might result in cascading negative impacts in later life.
Cognitive Development
The theory used to assess Jamal’s cognitive development includes Jean Piaget’s theory of cognitive development, which emphasizes that children’s intelligence experiences change as they develop (Barrouillet, 2015). Specifically, one of the milestones exhibited by Jamal includes his ability to mention the word dog well (Wright, 2019). This developmental milestone has been fostered by Ms. Lewis, who takes good care of him and who has a dog she loves very much. Another milestone is that Jamal is able to count on his fingers from one to three, even though he is unable to say the words. This milestone indicates that Jamal’s intellectual development is in its pre-operations stage, which Piaget describes as an age between 2 and seven years when the child still struggles with logic while taking other people’s perspectives. The third milestone includes Jamal’s engagement with family members. According to Piaget’s theory, toddlers often struggle to engage with strangers during this age. However, Jamal appears contented with his social setting as he often feels happy engaging with others (Wright, 2019).
Attachment Considerations
Jamal’s attachment behavior can be conceptualized using Erikson’s socioemotional theory. Generally, this model posits that when an individual’s biological maturation is linked with their social environment, the resulting outcome includes crises that should be addressed (Maree, 2021). In this context, one crisis or, in this case, a characteristic to consider in Jamal’s case includes his crying jag that often lasts for a minute whenever his mother leaves for work (Wright, 2019). Another consideration includes the close bond between him and his caregiver, Ms. Lewis. Even though his mother leaves for work, Jamal has, over time, developed a sense of trust with his care provider since he does not cry for more than one minute once his biological mother leaves. The third consideration includes her mother’s urge to stop working because of Jamal’s constant cries whenever she leaves. In this context, the crisis associated with Jamal’s crying jag is associated with the close bond that he has with his mother. This consideration can be characterized as a secure attachment with his mother based on the quality of the relationship between Jaman and his mother (Coker et al., 2022).
Psychosocial and Moral Development
The theory is applicable to Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development. In particular, the theory posits that social and environmental conditions play a central role in modifying an individual’s psychological behavior and personality (Maree, 2021). When observing Jamal’s case, especially during his early adulthood, one of the psychosocial considerations involves his regret of why he did not accept Sarah’s request to date initially. This regret is shown when he finally runs into her during the fall of his sophomore study period and accepts dating her, after which he kicks himself, regretting why he waited for a long duration to date her (Wright, 2019). Another psychosocial consideration includes developing a self-concept. Specifically, prior to accepting to date Sarah, Jamal never wanted to even look at girls or date them. Whenever any girl approached him, he always gave an excuse to concentrate on his studies. According to Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development, this personality is often associated with adults nurturing things that they believe would make a positive change in their lives. The final consideration includes his shallow involvement in the surrounding world, including attending practice and classes because Sarah stopped taking his calls. Specifically, according to Erikson’s model, this behavioral trait is associated with failure that leads to shallow involvement in worldly important things that the adult despairs after failing to meet his objectives.
Cultural and Contextual Considerations
Jones’ cultural and contextual considerations can be assessed using Bronfenbrenner’s EST (Ecological Systems Theory) of lifespan development. In particular, the ecological theory posits that an individual’s development is impacted by the distinct environments encountered during their growth and development, including cultural, societal, and interpersonal factors (Coker et al., 2022). Observing Jones’ case, it is essential to note that Jamal was brought up in a low-income household within an urban environment, which enabled Jones to become close to multiple neighboring families (Wright, 2019). The other important consideration includes living in impoverished conditions, which has a significant impact on the growth and development of Jamal. In particular, the phrase “mum I am hungry” is one that Jamal learned from his early developmental stages and one that he will keep on repeating in life since he was brought up in a family that had very few resources to spare. The final consideration includes the fact that Jones was brought up in a single-parent family system, which explains his difficulties getting along with other females later in life.
Conclusion
This paper has explored Jamal’s case scenario using Vygotsky’s theory of socio-cultural development, Erikson’s perspective of psychosocial development, Piaget’s theory of cognitive development, and Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory to define Jamal Jones’ physical development, his attachment and psychosocial developmental considerations, his cognitive development, as well as his cultural considerations respectively. Specifically, his physical considerations include his constant movement, grabbing objects at slightly more than one year of age, and her mother’s eclampsia condition. Jamal’s cognitive development is characterized by his ability to mention the word dog well, his engagement with family members, and his struggle to define logic. The attachment considerations of Jamal involve his attachment crises, including the crying jag for one minute. Jamal’s psychosocial development involves his personality or regrets he develops following the failures he encounters in his early adulthood life. This essay has also shown that the cultural environment within which an individual is brought up plays a central role in influencing the behavior and personality of that person, as exhibited by Jamal.
References
Barrouillet, P. (2015). Theories of cognitive development: From Piaget to today. Developmental Review, 38, 1-12.
Coker, J. K., LCMHC, N., Cannon, K. B., Dixon-Saxon, S. V., & Roller, K. M. (2022). Lifespan Development: Cultural and Contextual Applications for the Helping Professions. Springer Publishing Company.
Maree, J. G. (2021). The psychosocial development theory of Erik Erikson: a critical overview. Early Child Development and Care, 191(7-8), 1107–1121.
Pathan, H., Memon, R. A., Memon, S., Khoso, A. R., & Bux, I. (2018). A critical review of Vygotsky’s socio-cultural theory in second language acquisition. International Journal of English Linguistics, 8(4), 232.
Wright, S. M. (2019). Case studies in lifespan development. SAGE Publications.
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