Essay on contexts of life-span development

John Santrock’s second edition text on life-span development is extensively re-written compared to the first edition. This better organization of the text offers readers an improved way of learning about human development, its nature, universal features, and its individual variations. The topical organization of the text makes it easier for instructors to focus on research and demonstrate to students broader concepts of development and how they apply in different stages of life. Precisely, the text is useful for its pedagogy and accessible writing.
After reading the first chapter, one particular concept that I learned was of age and happiness. John Santrock presents us with new research data that was not present in the first edition, and an easy to grasp presentation of Vygotsky’s theory. According to Santrock (2005), age is directly correlated with periods of development humans undergo. Age has a significant impact on many facets of a person’s growth and development because every period of growth occurs during certain age range. Santrock argues that though it may seem as a person ages they become less happy, the Gallup polls show the contrary because happiness seemed higher in older respondents compared to the younger ones. Santrock categorises age into different forms. These are Chronological age measured from birth to the current point in time, biological age which refers to the state of health of a person’s body. Healthier people irrespective of their age seem happier and enjoy longer life expectancy. Psychological age revolving around coping mechanisms and psychological skills a person exhibits (Santrock, 2005). Elder persons are more patient and understanding thus happier, compared to the young and restless who are easier to anger. Finally, Santrock defines social age according to expectations surrounded by a particular social role an individual is expected to fulfil. For instance, being married and having children. Elder persons are likely to be happier because they have fulfilled this social role.

Reference

Santrock, J. W. (2005). A topical approach to life-span development (2nd Ed.). Boston: McGraw-Hill Higher Education.