Signature Assignment-Psychology 1100

There are no great limits to growth because there are no limits of human
intelligence, imagination, and wonder. -Ronald Reagan
Development and learning never cease. From our very first time in our mothers womb,
to our very last breath on this planet, we continue to change. While some psychologists beg to
differ, The Lifespan Perspective in psychology is all about learning about every stage of life, in
order to more fully understand our species as a whole. The definition of the Lifespan Perspective
according to The Invitation to The Life Span by Kathleen Stassen Berger is that this perspective
is an approach to the study of human development that takes into account all phases of life, not
just childhood or adulthood. (pg. 7) With this view on psychology, we are able to more fully
understand human beings as a whole, not focusing on a short period of time, but instead a more
complete understanding of the human mind itself. This perspective allows us to understand that
human development has many facets; it is multicontextual, or viewed in context of the situation;
multidirectional, or individualistic and happens in all sorts of patterns; multicultural, or affected
by different customs; plastic, or able to change; and multidisciplinary, or is not just limited to the
field of psychology. As Berger states in the text, age is only a rough guide to development, and
therefore we must look at the lifespan of a human as a whole. Viewing human development from
the perspective of the lifespan is something that is vital to our growth in developmental
psychology. This view has allowed us to learn more about our species than ever before. It has
helped us categorize diseases, and develop best practices. It has made our society a little more
predictable, and has helped us understand that societys belief that we have a limit on learning
and development is a complete fallacy.

Signature Assignment-Psychology 1100

When we understand human development from the lifespan, we are able to understand
the human mind, as well as our development through all stages of life more thoroughly. One
thing that has significant importance in the field of developmental psychology is the idea of
attachment in the first two years of life. If we are taking a play from Freuds playbook, then we
would believe that development in infancy and childhood is the only thing that matters. Now that
we know that development is life long, an intriguing concept is the idea of attachment in the first
two years of life. According to Mary Ainsworth, attachment is an affectional tie that an infant
forms with a caregiver-a tie that binds them together in space and endures over time. (Invitation
to the Lifespan, pg. 142) This attachment theory was originally coined by John Bowlby, who
studied the effects of attachment, and the lack of attachment in infants. His work concluded that
infants need to form a strong relationship with at least one caregiver in order to continue healthy
development. In fact, he believed that these infants suffered extreme negative effects without a
steady relationship with a caregiver, and normal development was set on the Archimedean point
of steady caregiving and attachment. His studies then spurred Mary Ainsworths studies of
attachment, and her famous Strange Situation experiment. The strange situation experiment was
a laboratory experiment used to evoke infants reactions to the stressor of their caregiver, as well
as unfamiliar adults, coming and going from a strange room. (Ainsworth 1973) This procedure
led Ainsworth to categorize attachment into four different telling patterns, all based on the
childrens responses. There was secure-attachment, in which the children reacted upset in the
caregivers absence and re-establishes contact when the parent returns. Insecure-avoidant, in
which the caregiver leaves, the child is fine and continues playing, and when they return, the
child ignores the caregiver. Insecure-resistant, in which the caregiver leaves, the child becomes
upset, and when the caregiver returns, the child cannot be consoled. Last, but not least, the

Signature Assignment-Psychology 1100

disorganized type of reaction, which varied- but the child would act confused when the caregiver
left, and when the caregiver returned, they would act oddly. All of these reactions from the study
led Ainsworth to determine that secure attachment meant that the caregiver was consistent and
there for the child. On the other hand, the parents that may ignore their children- they were
insecure-avoidant; the parents that were inconsistent had the children who were ambivalent; and
the parents who were abusive, had the children who reacted in a disorganized fashion.
These theories from Bowlby, as well as Ainsworth on attachment were some of the
biggest breakthroughs on human development in the early years. Attachment was the most
interesting, as well as meaningful concept we covered because I am pregnant. Not only am I
pregnant, but I am a first time mother, who is learning all of this as I go. So to learn about
something so monumental in my future childs development meant the world to me. Not only did
it help me understand what to do with my future child, learning about attachment also taught me
more about the people around me, and why they may be how they are. Learning about
attachment also gave me an insight into myself.
Let me first start by saying, Human Growth and Development was not the class I
expected it to be. I enrolled in the course because it was a pre-requisite for nursing, and the fact
that I was pregnant was just a convenient plus. I will also share that pregnancy, and parenthood is
exciting- but it is also a terrifying concept. My biggest fear is not childbirth, but raising my son
the right way. Now, I know there is not any solitary right way to parent And I also know
that there is no perfect parent. But I also dont want to permanently make my son stunted in his
personal development by some unknown fault of mine. So therefore, learning about how
important attachment is, really struck a chord with me.

Signature Assignment-Psychology 1100

The greatest thing I learned about attachment was that its consistent caregiving to the
childs needs that make it a solid foundation. I have always wanted to be a stay at home mom.
But right now, while I am trying to get my nursing degree, becoming a stay at home mom is
just Not in the cards for me right now. Let alone the fact that my work ethic is out of control,
and I have to feel as if I am contributing financially to my household. Learning about attachment
in the classroom really put me at ease with the fact that I will be going back to school in the
spring semester after my son is born. I learned that the first 6 months is when we need to
establish these bonds and attachments with the infant for healthy development- but that it doesnt
necessarily need to be the parent- any consistent caregiver will do. However On the flip side
of that? I want to be the person my son attaches to, not some babysitter or daycare center. I want
to be the one to establish that relationship with him. And thus, Mrs. Flynt put me at ease in
lecture when I asked, and she in fact stated that an infant is not restricted to just one consistant
caregiver- they just need at LEAST one. Therefore, learning more about this subject put me more
at ease.
Lastly, the topic of attachment, and essentially the basics on how to raise a welldeveloped child, I learned how to be a better parent. I know I havent had this child yet, but I still
believe that learning about attachment, and even the period of purple crying will play a factor in
me being the best mom I can be. I now know, thanks to this class, that it is OK to not let your
child cry it out. In fact, to establish that consistent caregiving, you should answer your childs
cries. I have learned that children need consistency, and if you do nothing else- let your child
know that you are there for their most basic needs. I have also learned all the downsides of
attachment going wrong, and how it affects people in childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. But
overall, the best thing I have learned in this class as a whole, and about the lifespan perspective is

Signature Assignment-Psychology 1100

that human beings are never stuck. We can always change, get better, get worse, and evolve
during our lifetimes. Which I believe to be the most beautiful thing of all.

Works Cited:
Berger, K.S. (2010) Invitation to the Lifespan. New York; Worth.
Bowlby, John. Attachment and Loss. 1969.
Ainsworth, M. Infancy in Uganda: Infant Care and the Growth of Love. Baltimore: John
Hopkins University Press, 1967.
Hazan, C. & Shaver, P. Attachment as an organizational framework for research on close
relationship. Psychological Inquiry. 5 1-22, 1994.
McLeod, S. A. (2014). Mary Ainsworth. Retrieved from www.simplypsychology.org/maryainsworth.html