Human Development – Application of Theory

Competency 1: Apply foundational theories in psychology to current issues in the field of psychology.
Competency 2: Describe scientific research methods presented in scholarly psychology literature.
Competency 3: Apply research findings from scholarly literature to current issues in the field of psychology.
Competency 4: Examine how human thoughts and behaviors can impact mental health and well-being.
Competency 5: Communicate in a manner that is scholarly, professional, and consistent with expectations for professionals in the field of psychology.
Preparation
In this assignment, you will apply developmental theories to a selected scenario. After reading the scenario, identify at least two developmental theories (such as attachment, cognitive development, moral development, psychosocial development, et cetera), and apply the theories to understanding the person in the scenario. Consider what developmental challenges he or she is facing.

In the assignment preparation study activity in Unit 4, you explored a multimedia piece with two scenarios. (This multimedia piece is also in Resources for this assignment.) You were instructed to choose one of the scenarios to write about for this paper. While it is not possible to fully understand the person in the scenario based on the limited information provided, there are a number of developmental theories that can provide context and offer a possible framework for understanding the person’s attitudes and behaviors.

Instructions
Select the scenario and theories for your assessment, then write a 4–5 page paper (not including title page and references page) in which you complete the following:

Give a brief overview of the case in your own words.
Provide an overview of the theories you have selected to apply to the case.
Describe the stage or stages of the theory that are most applicable to the person’s current phase of life. Describe in some detail the stage of life according to the theory. (For example, in Erikson’s psychosocial development theory a child who is 4 years old is in the stage of “initiative versus guilt.”)
Search the library for at least two scholarly articles that provide research about the concerns of the person in the case you selected.
Describe how the research from the articles applies to the person in the case you selected.
Apply the theories to describe how they help us to better understand this particular person at this point in his or her life based on his or her concerns and how those concerns are impacting his or her well-being.
The paper should also include a title page and references page (not part of the 4–5 pages required).

Submission Requirements
Written communication: It should be free of errors that detract from the overall message.
APA formatting: References and citations are formatted according to APA (6th edition) style and formatting.
Paper length: 4–5 typed, double-spaced pages, not including title page and references page.
Font and font size: Times New Roman, 12-point.
Turnitin: Submit your paper draft to Turnitin. Review the results, and make any needed changes to adequately paraphrase your sources and correctly cite and reference sources.
Submission Recommendations
Using RefWorks to organize and format any sources you select for the paper is recommended.
Using Smarthinking for assistance editing and reviewing your paper is also recommended.
Refer to the scoring guide to ensure that you meet the grading criteria for this assessment.

Note: Your instructor may also use the Writing Feedback Tool, linked in Resources, to provide feedback on your writing. In the tool, click on the linked resources for helpful writing information