Module 1.0 | Perspectives of Human Development

The first lesson I learned in this module is the different perspectives in modern psychology. These are the studies that experts have done ever since Psychology was founded. These are guides on how to explain why and how humans behave or think the way they do.

SOURCES: Perspectives in Modern Psychology (K. Cherry, 2019) | Perspectives in Psychology (Z. Tovar-Blank, 2015) | Six Perspectives on Psychology (J. McClary, 2015)

Second, I also learned how there are different conceptions of age. All along, I thought age only counted from the day you were born. I learned that chronological age is the number of years you have lived; psychological age is how your cognitive ability matures; biological age is how your physical body matures; and social age is based on what society and culture expect you to be at a certain chronological age.

SOURCES: Conceptions of Age (Lally & Valentine-French, 2019) | The Concept and Experience of Aging (Lumen Learning, n.d.)

The third lesson I learned is the various issues in lifespan development. There's active vs. passive which tells us that human development is based on how active or passive one is in progressing and the rate how fast it is depends entirely on the person. Another is continuity vs. discontinuity which tells us (depending on the theorist) that human development is either characterized as continuous and slow or it happens in various stages and traits change depending on what stage of development one is on. Meanwhile, stability vs. change argues that the behavior of an adult comes from the tendencies when one is a child or is changed by the society and culture one will belong in their adulthood. Lastly, and the most controversial of them all is nature vs. nurture. This is a very famous debate that argues whether behavior and thoughts are dictated by heredity or by society.

SOURCES: Issues in Lifespan Development (Lally & Valentine-French, 2019) |

"Kung ano ang puno, siya ang bunga."

This is a very old Filipino adage telling us that the offspring will always be the same as their parent. Growing up, I would always hear this from my mother. Like whenever the son of this certain neighbor is also addicted to drugs, she would say, "It's because his father was also a drug addict. 'Kung ano and puno, siya rin ang bunga.'. And, as a child, I always believed that was the case. Then, I grew up into adulthood and met so many wise and open-minded peers. I realized that it wasn't always the case. Yes, a person has the tendency to be like his parents because there are some traits that are dictated by heredity. But, I learned by experience that there are some behaviors and traits that you have the power to change and not be dictated by what your genes have given you. Like my partner, who grew up in a dysfunctional family. His parents are separated and his father was a womanizer and a drug addict. But, my partner made a conscious choice not to be like his father.

The most remarkable moment I had while studying this module was learning the term "gene-by-environment interactions" (Guo, 2005, 43-47). I encountered this when I was reading about how the study on twins was monumental in understanding nature vs. nurture. This tells us that even though one's genes play a major role in their behavior and mentality, the environment these genes interact with is equally important in molding a person's attitude. The environment doesn't ADD to the genes but it works with them.

Most people say I look like my mom. Maybe I agree with them - a little bit. We both have fair skin and thick dark straight hair. My mom is taller than me because I got my height from my grandmother. And my mother has always said that I also got my soft and fragile disposition from my grandmother. What I got from my father was his somewhat introverted trait who doesn't usually go out with friends unless he has to. I believe that genetically speaking, I am a combination of these three people in my life.

However, growing up I believe that I have some characteristics that were honed by the environment I grew up in. First, my extreme independence was molded by how I was raised at home. My mother's way of raising us was to make sure that we would grow up not needing them for any support. My grandmother also believed that because I am the eldest daughter that I should learn how to be a good cook. Second, is how I am raising my kids now. We grew up in a household that was very critical of what we did. Corporal punishment was always the consequence of our mistakes. We rarely felt physical affection like hugs or kisses and we were rarely praised for our accomplishments. It was like these accomplishments were already expected from us and this was the result of my mother's pushy attitude and not really because of our own hard work. If the career path that we wanted to take didn't coincide with what my mother planned, we were unconsciously discouraged to pursue it. Like me, I wanted to become a fashion designer but she said I shouldn't choose this because the course was expensive and I wouldn't make a lot of money with that job. Now, I'm raising my own children, I have vowed never to do these things to them. I don't use corporal punishment for their mistakes, instead, I talk to them about why I became angry and taught them how to correct these errors. I always tell them I love them and make sure that I hug them (on special occasions now that my sons are teenagers because they are embarrassed). I also make sure that I give them the praises they deserve whenever they succeed in their school or in an activity they choose to do. I also support them on whatever career path they choose. I tell them the pros and cons of their decision so they know but ultimately, I let them make the decision and let them learn from their own experience.

Chronological Age: 38 years old

Biological Age: I guess I am in my 40s because just a year ago, I started smoking and I don't really get a lot of exercise because of how hectic my schedule is.

Psychological Age: I actually feel young. I still like playing video games, reading young adult novels, and watching cartoons.

Social Age: As per the social norm, I believe I am already late. I'm in my 30s and decided to go back to college. Most of my peers are already reaping the fruits of their labor and are in high positions in their companies. But, I really don't mind it. What I am focusing on right now are myself and my goals. I am rooting for my friends and definitely happy for them.