Baltes’s Lifespan Perspective

 

You have been asked to speak with Nursing Students about Baltes’s Lifespan Perspective. Choose 3 of Baltes’s 5 principles that you intend to discuss with the class. In your presentation, be sure to discuss professional and/or personal examples from the principles that you have selected. Additionally, provide examples of age-graded, history-graded, and non-normative graded influences. Explain the importance of this information as it relates to the field of Nursing. (USLO 1.1)

2. In your own words, describe in detail ONE of the following theories on development: Psychoanalytic (Freud & Erikson), Learning (Behaviorism & Social Learning), Cognitive (Piaget & Vygotsky), or Contextual (Bronfenbrenner). How might this theory help inform your nursing practice during one of the developmental periods of the lifespan? Be sure to identify one developmental period and provide at least one example. (USLO 1.3, 1.4)

3. Think about and provide a brief description of your previous developmental stage and your current developmental stage. What has changed in the different areas of domain (physical, psychosocial, and cognitive)? If you don’t want to use yourself, consider someone you know very well and use an alias if you prefer. (USLO 1.2; USLO 1.3)

 

Sample Answer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Baltes's Lifespan Perspective for Nursing Students

 

Good morning, future nurses! Today, we're going to talk about a really important framework for understanding human development, called Baltes's Lifespan Perspective. This isn't just theory; it's a way of looking at people that can profoundly impact how you practice nursing. Paul Baltes, a German psychologist, proposed this view, suggesting that development isn't just about childhood, but a lifelong journey.

I'll focus on three of his core principles that are particularly relevant to your work:

Principle 1: Development is Multidirectional

What it means: This principle emphasizes that development is not always linear or one-directional. It involves both gains (growth, new abilities) and losses (declines, diminishment of abilities) at every stage of life, and these can occur simultaneously. For example, a child gains cognitive abilities rapidly, but might lose some flexibility. An older adult might experience physical decline, but gain wisdom and emotional regulation.