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Essay Instructions: Your project is to write an 8-page (2000-word) term paper on one of the recent theoretical perspectives on human development.

Students are expected to identify the perspective of the contemporary theory and describe current research and application to the field of lifespan development.

The page/word count does not include the title page, abstract or reference page. The goal of the term paper is to analyze and synthesize the literature on a chosen lifespan developmental theorist - Erik Erikson


You are required to use American Psychological Association Style (APA) for all source citations.

You can find most of the resources you need in the Excelsior College Virtual Library?s PsycARTICLES database but does not have to be found there.

Since psychology is a dynamic field, I expect most of your resources to have been published within the last ten (7) years. You should review a minimum of seven (7) empirical studies beyond the text book. NO WEBSITE'S!!! journal articles, books, newspaper. NO ENCYCLOPEDIA'S or WIKIPEDIA!!!!

You should begin your term paper by discussing the importance of the topic.

Organize your literature review around issues essential to your topic.

Statements in your paper should be supported by data and information from your library research.

You also need to discuss in your paper, in detail, studies that have been done to test the accuracy of Erikson?s theory.

The conclusion should be supported by the evidence from the literature that you evaluated.

Be sure to submit your project in one WORD document in APA format and place it in the appropriate drop box.

Here is my outline:

I. Biographical Sketch (Sollod,2009)

II. General orientation of the Theory
i. Psychosocial stage (Dunkel and Sefcek, 2009)
ii. Freud influence (Hoare,2005)

III. Description of the stages (Berk, 2010)
i. Trust vs Mistrust
ii. Autonomy vs Shame / Doubt
iii. Initiative vs Guilt
iv. Industry vs Inferiority
v. Identity vs Identitiy DIfusion
vi. Intimacy vs Solidarity
vii. Generativity vs Stagnation
viii. Integrity vs Despair

IV. Evolution of the Theory
a. Strengths (Nowak, Szamreg,and & Latane,1990)
i. Social impact
b. Weaknesses (Harms, 2010)
i. Vague and difficult to test

V. Contemporary Research (Harms, 2010)

VI. Conclusion

VII. References

Essay Instructions: must include 2 peer-reviewed refernces; 2 page essay; Explain the impact Freud's (psychosexual) and Erik Erikson's (psychosocial development) theories have made on the study of human development. How would each of these theories describe nature vs. nurture and critical period (important period of develpment-e.g. fetal stage) with regard to human development.
Professor is very specific: Introduction (3-7 sentences); explain Freud's impact on the study of human development (3-7 strong sentences-please cite at least one example) explain Erikson's impact on the study of human development (3-7 strong sentences-with one example); Use Freud's theory to explain nature vs. nurture (same instructions as above); Use Freud's theory to explain the critical period (same instructions); Use Erikson's theory to explain nature vs. nurture (same instructions); Use Erikson's theory to explain the critical period (same instructions); conclusion paragraph (same instructions-may or may not cite example)
Basically we are talking 8 paragraphs with 3-7 strong sentences with examples for all paragraphs except the first and last. No personal feelings in the paper.
This professor is very hard to please. I really appreciate your efforts. Thanks!

Essay Instructions: Part A: Subject's Development (700-1000 words)
Introduction to development
1. Infancy and childhood
2. Psychosocial development (see Erik Erikson?s work)
3. Adolescence (see Kohlberg?s work on moral reasoning)
4. Adulthood (depending on how old your person is, optional)
Concluding Remarks

Part B: Subject's Motivation (350-700 words)
Introduction on Maslow and McClelland
1. What seemed to motivate this person to achieve what he or she has in life?
2. What life lessons might you draw on for your own career and life journey from your subject's life and how that person handled his or her drives and needs.
(Remember, all people have needs, and if your needs are not met positively, they will be met negatively)
3. Discuss what you have learned about need fulfillment and success from the person whom you are studying.

Concluding Remarks

References (each references has an in-text citation)

Essay Instructions: Essay - Case Study
(on Anna Fitzgerald from the movie/book "My Sister's Keeper", 13yrs old female)

Using specific developmental theories explore the growth & development of Anna Fitzgerald at her particular stage of development aged 13.

Specific mention should be made of physical, cognitive, social/emotional and personality development.

References to Jean Piaget, Erik Erikson & Vygotsky.