An Ecological Theory Applied to Aging Essay

ecologic theories of human development consider the complex interactions among humans and their changing accessible and physical environments. Every member of society experiences these interactions in a different manner, playing on components such as the amount of resources avail open to them or the interconnectedness of their support system at birth. As people hop on and as the macrosystem itself changes in response to events, people within the system supplanting to occupy different positions in society. Peoples psychological reactions to their evolving statuses gleam the culmination of a lifetimes worth of experiences. At for each one juncture within peoples lives, their statuses be subject to norms and rules be to society.Understood from the vantage of Bronfenbrenners ecolological systems approach, initial transactions in a persons life atomic number 18 the result of direct interrelationships between the infant and members of the microsystem (church, family, peers, sc hool, neighborhood, play argona, and health services). Microsystems, in turn, be shaped by a host of higher-up systems, which are also acting on each other at the same time. When the children in Bronfenbrenners poseur mature into adulthood, they are likely to occupy bleak roles within the macrosystem. These acquired roles whitethorn be transient because familial roles, career placement, financial status and other factors may vary end-to-end peoples lifetimes. Age, however, is one factor that invariably affects peoples lives, and society to a large piece of music determines the extent of that effect.Deep-rooted in the mentality of members of a system are teachings about which members are suited to which roles. If a society assigns a harbor to the knowledge gained through a lifetime of experience, then people in late adulthood and beyond get out perceive themselves as vital. Alternatively, if a society chooses not to recognize that elders have an important contribution to apply in society, then the elders of that society may internalize those beliefs and feel valueless.In the United States, common stereotypes of the elderly are that they are poorly able to meet the physical and mental demands of performing routine tasks. However, as aesculapian science improves, people are living into theirhundreds and remaining active. In addition, divers(a) forms of martial arts are practiced to enhance balance, coordination, and flexibility, and cardiovascular practice strengthens the heart, body, and elevates mood levels. Because of a heightened awareness of the positive effects of keeping a healthy diet and exercising regularly, in many cases, people cigaret continue to function physically and mentally at high levels. An ecological theory of human development would recognize recent changes, such as increased longevity and improved functionality, as the catalyst for the development of new late adulthood roles and altered definitions of late adulthood.Cognit ive development throughout the lifespan, or fluid intelligence, is valued above accumulated stores of intelligence, or crystalise intelligence, in some ecological systems. In a system that seeks ways of applying the wisdom of age, mentors and apprentices benefit from the transference of knowledge and perspective. In agriculture-based communities, where apprenticeships are underlying to the continuity of life, members view hastiness and rapid decision-making as immature qualities whereas, charge and the ability to absorb the totality of a situation are the attributes of archaic age. In certain Black African societies, elders in the residential district are regarded as founts of knowledge. In traditionalistic Latin societies, it is believed that older members of society give birth inner-strength and can pass that quality along to younger generations. Individuals in these societies depend on their elderly and base many of their personal, social, and job-related decisions on the utterances of elders in the community.In technology-based societies, crystallized intelligence is undervalued because adaptation is seen as more important to the regimen of economic development. Those who fall behind in terms of technological instrumentation and rapid response rate are perceived as irksome instead of as thoughtful. Furthermore, the uniform sentence order and grammar of English restricts the reach of expression available to many elderly people. In a macrosystem in which speed and the delivery are prized more than the content of the message, senior citizens and their contributions are marginalized. The effect is that societys message to seniors that they are slow and unprofitable becomes an internalized belief of everyone in society.In many other cultures, such as Arab ones, the treatment of aged people in society seems to be the bend of how older people are treated in the U.S. In these countries, the religious belief and culture serve as the rational basis fo r assigning seniors leave in deciding on household matters. It is expected in traditional societies that the young provide care for and honor their ageing family members. In societies with Confucian based ideologies, such as Korea, the hierarchy of respect is based on age, with the eldest members of society receiving the most esteem. The exosystem in these societies is tipped in the focus of considering the enormousness of elders and their influence. All microsystems, mesosystems, and individuals tap into this human resource because the macrosystems endorse the image that the elderly in society are indispensable.Microsystems in many countries are successful at integrating the services that seniors provide into the caregiving structure. In many Asian and African societies, grandparents live in the same house as parents and children. Whereas the commonly held belief in the U.S. is that grandparents excessive indulging of their grandchildren may negatively affect childrens personal ities and achievement in school, it has been found that in china educated grandparents have a positive effect on their grandchildrens academic performance. In the U.S., grandparents may play an important role in parenting children in single-parent headed homes. Additionally, parents look forward to becoming grandparents, and a study conducted by Brubaker showed that 80% of grandparents were happy with their grandparenting roles. Just as these eager parents delight in assuming new roles as grandparents in life, so are in that location many things to look forward to as one approaches late adulthood. Depending on the macrosystem one is part of aging can be perceived as a positive or negative prospect.The extent to which a macrosystem views the importance and necessity of caring for aged ones can dictate the quality of life for seniors, particularly for those who are afflicted by poor physical health or forms dementia brought on and exacerbated by old age. In the US, oldadults find t hemselves sandwiched between caring for their children and their parents. The financial and emotional burden instal on these middle-aged adults further begs a solution to the need for a better system of caring for the elderly. The issues seem especially pressing in industrialized nations, where traditional ideas about caring for older family members are any nonexistent or eroding.In China, a nation in the thick of industrialization, as rural-to-urban shift increases, parents and grandparents are being left behind. In Latin cultures, filial bonds and intergenerational teaching are perpetuated by a macrosystem that espouses religious belief and traditional norms. In countries trying to balance industrialization and tradition, managing care for aging populations presents a problem, especially in countries such as Italy and Japan, where the declining birthrate presents a challenge for this generation of youthsAn individuals microsystem system shapes the pattern of interactions to fol low up on for the rest of that persons life, Shifts in familial status, shifts in occupational status, issues related specifically to aging, external events, and the set of values and beliefs embodied by the macrosystem all contribute to the quality of peoples perceived advantageously being. Senior citizens well-being is often related to the quality of their interactions within their microsystems. Depending on the structure of the macrosystem and sometimes on the individuals accessibility to resources, social support systems may consist of children and grandchildren of the individual, other elderly members of the community, or community members of all ages who seek the guidance of elders.Ecological systems theories provide a cloth for identifying the elements of the system and within the individual that account for reasons why individuals behave and say the way they do. Shortcomings in the systems, such as with the treatment of elders, are unpatterned when macrosystems are compa red side by side. This societys values and beliefs will have to accommodate more positive associations with old age in front the majority of elders can enjoy meaningful, productive, and satisfying lives.