Critical Application of Adolescent Development

Critical Application of Adolescent Development Your Name Subject and Section Professor’s Name June 13, 2019 Introduction It is a generally accepted fact in the study of the development of a person’s behavior and personality, that an intimate partner is crucial in the psychological and emotional development of an individual. This fact stems from the natural inclination of humans, not only to propagate, but also to establish emotional connections that would provide a sense of security between partners. Accordingly, one of the theories that have emphasized this need is Erikson’s Stages of Psychosocial Development, which states that the role of intimacy (18-40 years old) in an individual’s development is described as a ‘critical turning point’ that heavily influences a person’s thoughts and personality. On the one hand, he noted that scueesfully passing this stage in life would most likely help a person build “happier relationships and a sense of commitment, safety, and care within those relationships.” On the other hand, he also noted that the failure in finding a partner makes a person more vulnerable to “isolation, loneliness, and sometimes depression” (McLeod). Accordingly, since this particular stage covers university, this article would focus on (1) how students act and is affected by this tendency both in their present and future careers and (2) how the academe promotes the development of intimacy. Accordingly, such application would be done to the chapter written by Conway (1989), entitled ‘Schooling’. All in all, the author believes that while studying in a university serves as a way to gain knowledge, it’s another important function is to provide an avenue for individuals to fullfill to establish their social needs in life. The Role of Intimacy in a Person’s Development Finding intimacy within the university is crucial in order to gain educational and career success in life. In his stages, Erikson himself has noted that the major conflict of intimacy versus isolation revolves around the idea of ‘finding love’ (Closson, Mimiaga, and Sherman). In fact, this stage is one of the longest phases in a person’s development spanning from the age of 18 to 40 years old. While it is believed that the risks of Isolation are much higher at this age, recent studies show that building romantic relationships is beneficial for both cognitive and executive functioning of an individual (Malone, Liu, and Vaillant). In an interview done by Malone et al, to both single and married adults, they found out that respondents who have intimate partners (live-in partners, spouses, or boyfriends/girlfriends) exude a more positive outlook in life and more satisfied with their jobs and their current relationships in life. In contrast, those who have not yet found any romantic relationships are less positive, especially because plenty of them have reported having changed their job in the past year, in the “pursuit of their passions.” While this interview might not be representative of the whole population, another study done by Khan, Du Jianguo and Mushtaq, shows to support the same pattern. According to them, the lower satisfaction with one’s current academic course and a greater tendency to shift courses (or careers) have a positive correlation with the lack of romantic relationships. This only shows how intimacy could affect satisfaction in all aspects of the individual’s life, thereby affecting his well-being and further development. In line with our topic, these studies would only show that hurdling this stage has two facets. One the one hand, universities must provide a way in order for individuals of different genders, to socialize more with one another. This importance lies in the idea that the goal of universities is not only the acquisition of technical knowledge but a holistic development of the individual. This includes the individual’s ability to foster intimate social and emotional relationship with others, which is crucial in their development. In the biography of Conway (1989), she described how finding intimacy have led her to finding the right track for her career, even while she was only in her col...