developmental psychology

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The Identity development follows a universal pattern. debate the cons.. I need some direction to take this question.

-- colin brown (colinsbrown@hotmail.com), June 01, 2002

Answers

I suspect your professor is concerned about at least two issues: (1) whether "stage" theories of development are legitimate; i.e., whether any development can be said to move through predictable stages or whether it is more variable. This issue is usually discussed explicitly in developmental textbooks and you may find a discussion in a dictionary or encyclopedia of psychology as well, under the topic of child development or moral development or identity development; (2) whether even a stage theory could be valid across all cultures--thus, your teacher might want a discussion of the role of culture, ethnicity, race, etc.

-- Hendrika Vande Kemp (hendrika@earthlink.net), June 01, 2002.

The 'cons' of any developmental theory is the pre-supposition that development is always one way (progressive) and, more-or-less, irreversible. Taking into account the normal distribution for any given dimension, ie: morality, the greatest majority probably do develop in complexity over time, however, the will be some (at one tail, of the 2%)who regress to some extent for various reasons, organic, social, life experience, or what have you. Another confusion, especially, in moral development theory, is the idea that ther achievment of complex moral development requires a complex moral solution to a given problem. Yet, it must be remembered that not all (moral) problems require a complex solution. Thus one who has achieved the ability to behave in a morally complex manner, may find an elegant, yet simple solution, to a seemingly complex problem.

-- Paul Crossett (pjc55@kvalley.com), June 05, 2002.

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