Unit8disc2 Peer response

Response Guidelines

Read as many of your peers’ posts as time allows, and respond to at least two of them. Try to choose posts that have had the fewest responses.

Address any of the following, insofar as they are relevant:

Does the post provide a critical reflection with respect to developmental themes?

Is it incomplete in any way?

Does it present links to theory or research?

Does it apply lifespan development concepts and learning to an identified specialization?

Can you enlarge upon the ideas presented or suggest variations?

What points are particularly well made?

Peer1 Raymond Lam

I think that Erikson’s stage theory is very relevant to my future specialization and professional career in I/O psychology. The generativity vs. stagnation stage in middle adulthood would be where most workers reside. This would influence my role because I would aim to increase productivity and worker satisfaction; this means making worker’s lives as fulfilling as possible.

I found the theme of leisure and work particularly interesting and relevant. Workers of all ages would have different concepts of leisure and work and it would be important to recognize all differences in how they perceive those concepts. Work in I/O psychology would have to account for all of those varying viewpoints to help workers maintain a healthy work/life balance and high level of satisfaction and fulfillment (Mansell, 2017). Part of my future role would likely include designing policies to help workers achieve an optimal work/life balance; this would help retain talented employees and boost worker morale in general (Schlegel, 2017).

Mansell, N. (2017). Striking the work-life balance. The Veterinary Record, 181(18), 489. Doi:/10.1136/vr.j5091

Schlegel, G. (2017). Achieve work-life balance. Chemical Engineering Progress, 113(3), 52-54. Retrieved from https://search-proquest-com.library.capella.edu/docview/1881064691?pq-origsite=summon

Peer2 Annette Ellison 

Middle Adulthood is a time when there is a reflection on whether a satisfaction level has been achieved.  It is a time when a ‘mid-life crises’ can occur, but is more indicative of shifting concerns (Broderick & Blewitt, 2014).  The physical and psychological changes in middle adulthood can be a cause for concern.  The physical changes can include immune system compromise, visual changes, hearing loss, menopause, and weight gain.  Psychologically, there can be dissatisfaction with marriage or career, raising children, empty nest syndrome, and lack of a social life.  Mid-life is also a time where they could be in a ‘sandwich’ situation.  They could be taking care of elderly parents, while also taking care of their own children.

 “Midlife serves an important preparatory role in the transition to old age, the evening of life” (Lachman, 2004).  The reading did not specifically address this.  The reading did detail the developmental themes of slowing down due to aging issues.  Specifically it touched on Baltes theory of growth, maintenance and regulation of loss.  They may focus more attention on the past than they have before, Cohler (1982) suggested, serving to enrich their narrative identities and to reveal more nuanced understandings of the self (McAdams, 2014, pg 62, para2). 

As a clinical therapist, I will need to understand the particular circumstances that the patient is working through.  It will take patience as middle adulthood can be a difficult transition.  Psychologically, there is the realization that they are no longer considered a young adult, although they still feel like one.  The older middle adults are feeling the physical effects, such as slower movement and being more susceptible to illness, as well as cognitive concerns of not being able to find words as easily and losing their ‘train of thought’, such as forgetting what they are saying or walking into a room and forgetting why they went in there.  It is imperative to be sensitive to the issues of aging.

As I am in the center of middle adulthood, the reading was very helpful in understanding the changes that are happening by psychologically and physiologically.  I have enjoyed reading this chapter.

References

Broderick, Patricia C., Pamela Blewitt. Life Span, The: Human Development for Helping Professionals,        4th Edition. Pearson Learning Solutions, 01/2014. [Bookshelf Online].

Lachman, M. E. (2004). DEVELOPMENT IN MIDLIFE. Annual Review of Psychology, 55, 305-31.             Retrieved from    http://library.capella.edu/login?qurl=https%3A%2F%2Fsearch.proquest.com%2Fdocview%2F20     5848421%3Faccount

McAdams, D.P. (2014), The Life Narrative at Midlife, New Direction for Child & Adolescent          Development, 2014(145), 57-69. doi:10.1002/cad.20067