Now that you have studied several theories and literary views addressing the sub

Question

Now that you have studied several theories and literary views addressing the subject of "continuity" and "discontinuity," this assignment asks you to apply these theories to your own life.

First, provide a brief synopsis, in your own words, of at least one theory of continuity and at least one theory of discontinuity taken from the assigned readings explored in this course.

Then, consider your own life and write about how you see either continuity or discontinuity exemplified in one aspect of your life. Do you think that your experience supports the theory that people go through regular stages of development? Or, has your life been characterized by significant, unanticipated changes?

In 4 -6 pages

Explanation / Answer

given such potential for plasticity a basic feature of system of process involved in human development that both continuity and discontinuity may exist in life. The issue should be cast in terms of determining the pattern of interaction among levels that may promote continuity and discontuinityfor a particular process or function at a given point of ontogeny or history. The same process may exhibit continuity and discontuinity with earlier life period.

Thus neither continuity or discontinuity is absolute.

You're standing on the very bottom of the mountain, and you want to get to the top. But when you look closer, you notice that there are two ways up. On one side of the mountain is a path that involves walking uphill until you get to the peak. On the other side, someone has carved stairs into the side of the mountain so that you can climb up to the peak that way.

The path is a lot like the continuity view of development. Proponents of the continuity view say that development is a continuous process that is gradual and cumulative. For example, a child learns to crawl, and then to stand and then to walk. They are gradually learning how to walk. It's just like hiking up the mountain path: a slow, steady ascent that leads to the top.

On the other hand, some people see development as consisting of different stages. The discontinuity view of development believes that people pass through stages of life that are qualitatively different from each other. For example, children go from only being able to think in very literal terms to being able to think abstractly. They have moved into the 'abstract thinking' phase of their lives. As you can imagine, discontinuous development is like walking up the stairs: a series of stages, or steps, that get you to the top of the mountain.

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