Question

Explain how you would use your understanding of one of the major developmental theories to deal with each of the difficulties listed below: a. Your infant daughter puts everything in her mouth, including the dog's food. b. Your eight-year-old son is failing math; all he cares about is baseball. c. Your two-year-old daughter refuses to wear the clothes you pick for her every morning, which makes getting dressed a twenty-minute battle. d. Your sixty-eight-year-old neighbor is chronically depressed and feels she has wasted her life. e. Your 18-year-old daughter has decided not to go to college. Instead she's moving to Colorado to become a ski instructor. f. Your 11 -year-old son is the class bully.

Short answer

Appropriate solutions could be identified through applying different developmental theories to each situation. These instances could be addressed by creating a safe environment for the infant to explore, combining the child's interest in baseball with math, providing limited clothing choices for the toddler, helping the elderly neighbour cherish the past, respecting the teenager's personal decisions, and implementing suitable interventions for the bully.

Step-by-step solution

Analyse Situation A

Using the theory of psychosexual development by Sigmund Freud, the infant's behaviour can be attributed to the oral stage of development, where infants explore their environment by sucking and putting everything into their mouth. This behaviour is normal and indicates a healthy exploration of their surroundings.

Analyse Situation B

Erikson's theory of psychosocial development could be used here. The child is in the industry vs inferiority stage. Parents can engage the child in math activities related to baseball statistics to get his attention and make learning more enjoyable.

Analyse Situation C

This behaviour, based on Karl White's cognitive-developmental theory, might show that the child is in the initiative versus guilt stage. Giving the toddler limited choices could offer a solution to make her feel in control and reduce getting dressed time.

Analyse Situation D

Applying Erikson's theory of psychosocial development, the woman seems to be struggling with the final stage, integrity versus despair. A possible solution could be helping the neighbour recall and recognize the life achievements and share wisdom with younger generations.

Analyse Situation E

Here, the psychosocial theory of identity vs role confusion by Erikson can be applied. The daughter is trying to establish her personal and professional identity. Parents should provide guidance but also respect her decisions.

Analyse Situation F

Using Bandura's social learning theory, the child's behaviour can be linked to a learned response. In this case, parents and school should implement consequences for negative actions and promote pro-social behaviours.