Karen Gutierrez

Psy 1100
Spring 2016

Signature Assignment

The lifespan human perspective is seeing how we develop, not only physically, but
mentally and emotionally. There is so many views and opinions on how a person came to be who
they are. The human lifespan can be described with so many terms and ideas. It gives us not one
specific way to look as to why humans act the way they act in different moments of their life. If a
person acts a certain way, it doesnt necessarily have one answer as to why that person is acting
that way. It can be due to her culture, environment, and genetic makeup. Theories are explained
by many people, trying to make sense of why a person is the way they are. Trying to make a
more grasping concept so that we can learn to understand each other.
I think it is important to view human development in this way to show people that there is
a not a black and white answer as to why some people act the way they act. There could be
multiple reasons whether it be developmental reasons or cultural, we as human beings have to
understand that people are not perfect by their own definition. If more people were able to have
an open mind and understand that about others maybe there would be less hate in the world we
live in.

A theory that captured my attention was that of Erik Erikson. His theory consisted of a
series of eight stages that a person will go through life. His theory definitely made me think a
little more about how we transition in between stages of growing up and dealing with this thing
we call life. In the website article about Erik Erikson it states that His theory shows that the
most change that happens and where most of the development occurs is in the adolescent stage,
where a person develops a big part of their identity. I agree with the article since looking back
on my adolescence, I can say I went through a lot of milestones quickly, building on to the next
one.
Once I understood this theory a little more after learning about it in class, I started
noticing that I was more aware of the younger generation and watching them morph from a
childlike state of mine, to a more thought out process. Adolescene was not the only stage of life
that I was witnessing the theory develop I also saw it in adults that I would work with on a daily
basis. It makes me want to make others aware of what is happening and is actually making me
think twice before I assume a child is just acting out for attention when they may be trying to
find out who they are.
Erik Erikson captured my attention with his theories because they made sense to me. I
know his theory is not the only theory out there that is there to explain why people may act the
way they do. I am glad to have learned about this theory and see myself thinking twice about
adolescents and adults alike, including myself.