Young People's Perspectives on Biological, Social, and Psychological Trajectories

For this assignment, you will analyse data for a qualitative research study and prepare a 3000-word study report. Each week, you will be guided through the steps you need to take to complete your report. The assessment gives you the opportunity to explore an area of human development through the lifespan in detail, whilst gaining important qualitative research skills. The data for the qualitative study have already been collected and comprise essays written by school leavers living on the Isle of Sheppey, Kent in 1978. The 141 original essays were collected as part of a broader ethnographic study of life on the island, which cumulatively built a complex picture of island life at the time (Pahl, 2012). In terms of methodology, Pahl (1978) asked teachers at a comprehensive school on the Isle of Sheppey to set an essay for those students taking English lessons just before they left school. The young people were asked to imagine they were close to the end of their life, and to think back to the time when they left school, then write an essay describing their life over the next 30-40 years. Thus, the students’ essays offer a unique insight into the aspirations and hopes of young people living on the island during the late 70s. Students’ original essays were anonymised, and later transcribed into a digital format. The original, handwritten essays are confidentially stored at the University of Essex. Reference: Pahl, R. E. (2012). School Leavers Study, 1978. [data collection]. 2nd Edition. UK Data Service. SN: 4867, DOI: http://doi(dot)org/10.5255/UKDA-SN-4867-1Links to an external site. The aim of the study is to explore the hopes and aspirations of younger people as they progress through the lifespan. Answer the following question. “How do younger people envisage their biological, social and psychological futures?" Title Select a title that identifies the key topics and (when possible), provides indication of the findings. The essay need to show criticality balanced arguments. Abstract (250 words) A concise summary of the report. Concise general opening paragraph, which introduces the topic area Introduction (850 words) Considers any implications of the findings, makes suggestions for further research, and concludes. This study delves into how young individuals from the Isle of Sheppey, Kent, envisioned their biological, social, and psychological futures as they transitioned into adulthood in the late 1970s. Utilising a thematic analysis of three anonymised essays from the School Leavers Study (Pahl, 2012), this research uncovers the intricate interplay between personal aspirations, societal expectations, and perceived challenges. Biologically, concerns about health, aging, and mortality are prominent, reflecting an acute awareness of physical well-being and its implications for future stability. Socially, themes of family dynamics, economic security, and career trajectories emerge, highlighting the significance of relational support and financial stability in shaping life pathways. You need to review the literature much more critically, rather than just present it. Currently it lacks depth of referencing, you use a narrow range of literature. Description of research problem or question Short review of relevant literature Study aims and research question Provide a Rationale Why has your study been conducted? What will findings add to the field? What is the gap in the research and literature that is is addressing? Method (400 words) Context, Theoretical Background & Ethics Participants Materials & Procedure Analytic Strategy Support for this section can be found in 6.10: Activity - Methodology and Discussion Write up Participants – Indicates the age, gender, and location of participants ☐ Method Materials & Procedure – Describes the data (e.g., number & length of essays and their focus) Findings (1,000 words) Relates the findings to the studies/theories outlined in the Introduction In analysing the essays written by school leavers from the Isle of Sheppey, Kent, in 1978, three key themes emerged: Transition to Adulthood and Responsibility, Family and Relationships, and Coping with Adversity. These themes encapsulate the participants' experiences as they navigated significant life changes, built and maintained familial bonds, and managed various personal and professional challenges. Themes Identified Transition to Adulthood and Responsibility Family and Relationships Coping with Adversity Evaluates the strengths/limitations of the research In exploring how younger people from the Isle of Sheppey, Kent in 1978 envisioned their biological, social, and psychological futures, three main themes emerged: Transition to Adulthood and Responsibility, Family and Relationships, and Coping with Adversity. Transition to Adulthood and Responsibility highlights the shift from the security of school to the challenges of adult life. This includes gaining independence, entering the workforce, and developing a sense of personal identity. These aspects reflect how young individuals saw themselves taking charge of their physical well-being and career paths, shaping their biological and social futures. Family and Relationships underscores the importance of building and maintaining familial bonds. Decisions about marriage, having children, and securing a stable home illustrate the social structures that young people deemed essential for their futures. Emotionally, these relationships contribute to their sense of belonging and psychological well-being. Coping with Adversity reveals the resilience required to handle life's challenges, such as financial instability, workplace accidents, and personal losses. The ways young individuals managed these difficulties—whether through seeking support, turning to religion, or other coping mechanisms—shed light on their psychological strategies for overcoming obstacles and maintaining their envisioned futures. Overall, these themes demonstrate that younger people in 1978 viewed their futures through a lens of growing responsibility, the significance of family ties, and the necessity of resilience. These insights provide a comprehensive understanding of their biological, social, and psychological expectations as they transitioned into adulthood. Discussion (500 words) Draw together the key themes and refer to relevant literature. How do your findings relate to the current literature? Include any limitations of the study. References Include a list of references in APA format Thematic analysis for human development essay. In analysing the essays written by school leavers from the Isle of Sheppey, Kent, in 1978, three key themes emerged: Transition to Adulthood and Responsibility, Family and Relationships, and Coping with Adversity. These themes encapsulate the participants' experiences as they navigated significant life changes, built and maintained familial bonds, and managed various personal and professional challenges. Themes Identified Transition to Adulthood and Responsibility Family and Relationships Coping with Adversity Transition to Adulthood and Responsibility This theme captures the participants' experiences as they moved from the structured environment of school into the complexities of adult life. The narratives reflect a growing awareness of independence, responsibility, and the necessity to establish oneself professionally. For instance, Essay 1 F discusses the transition from school to a copy typist role, highlighting the shift from educational security to the challenges of the workforce. Similarly, Essay 2 M and Essay 3 F depict leaving school, pursuing apprenticeships, and the initial steps into career paths, underscoring the formative nature of these experiences. Family and Relationships Family dynamics and personal relationships play a central role in shaping the participants' lives. The essays reveal the significance of early engagements, marriages, parenting, and the support systems that sustain individuals through various life stages. Essay 1 F and Essay 3 F illustrate the joys and struggles of building a family, including financial planning and raising children. Essay 2 M poignantly addresses the impact of loss and the reliance on familial support during times of crisis, highlighting both the strengths and vulnerabilities within family structures. Coping with Adversity Adversity manifests in various forms, including financial hardships, accidents, and personal losses. The participants employ different coping mechanisms to navigate these challenges. Essay 2 M provides a vivid account of overcoming workplace injury and addiction, ultimately finding solace in religion. Essay 1 F details the resilience required to manage fluctuating financial circumstances and career instability. Essay 3 F touches upon the contemplation of suicide as a response to profound loss, yet also hints at resilience through continued familial connections. Theme 1 - Transition to Adulthood and Responsibility Extract & Line Number(s) Code "It was then that I realised that I had truly left school and all its security and I was now to face the big outside world and take life and its problems as a mature adult." (Essay 1 F, Lines 8-10) Realisation of Independence "Yes, I left school about 1978 when I was 16. Yes, I had my whole life in front of me, knowing that it was only then that I was really going to live." (Essay 3 F, Lines 3-5) Leaving School "After passing my exams, I was accepted as an apprentice at a motor trade company." (Essay 2 M, Lines 4-5) Pursuing Career Opportunities "I found my first job as a copy typist in the local factory in a tiny office with old tables as the desk. The pay wasn’t particularly good, but it was the experience that I was after not the money." (Essay 1 F, Lines 5-7) Entering the Workforce Theme 2 - Family and Relationships Extract & Line Number(s) Code "I was engaged to my boyfriend whom I loved dearly. Although some thought it a bit young, we had been going steady for two years and clearly knew what we were doing and knew that we could never be apart." (Essay 1 F, Lines 11-14) "When I was fifty-two, I moved to a flat just outside Basildon. I felt like committing suicide but a visit, a surprise at that was when my daughter and son turned up at my door." (Essay 2 M, Lines 30-33) Early Marriage and Engagement "We could only afford a flat at the time, and we were lucky to get that on the little island we decided to stay on the Island being as we both had our families here." (Essay 3 F, Lines 19-21) Building a Family Home "After our second child was born, I had an accident at work... My wife hired a babysitter and got a job." (Essay 2 M, Lines 22-25) Parenting and Support Systems "After Steves death my life just seemed to come to a halt, and I seriously considered killing myself..." (Essay 3 F, Lines 35-37) Loss of a Spouse "When I was fifty-two, I moved to a flat just outside Basildon. I felt like committing suicide but a visit, a surprise at that was when my daughter and son turned up at my door." (Essay 2 M, Lines 30-33) Familial Support Theme 3 - Coping with Adversity Extract & Line Number(s) Code "The business fell so bad that I had to go back to work in an office in a solicitor to bring in extra money." (Essay 1 F, Lines 24-25) Financial Instability "I had an accident at work, I crawled out from under a van, and I was run over by a car... Both of them were broken and I was in hospital for the next few months." (Essay 2 M, Lines 16-19) Workplace Injury "I became a nervous wreck after a year then I became religious. Something I never expected to happen. This brought me out of drugs." (Essay 2 M, Lines 29-31) Overcoming Addiction "I seriously considered killing myself, but I just didn’t have the gut to end my life in a few minutes..." (Essay 3 F, Lines 38-40) Suicidal Ideation and Resilience Connecting the Themes to the Research Question The research question, “How do younger people envisage their biological, social and psychological futures?", aims to explore how young individuals perceive and anticipate different facets of their upcoming lives. By examining the essays written by school leavers from the Isle of Sheppey, Kent in 1978, three main themes emerged: Transition to Adulthood and Responsibility, Family and Relationships, and Coping with Adversity. Each of these themes offers insight into the biological, social, and psychological aspects of how these young people viewed their futures. 1. Transition to Adulthood and Responsibility Biological Future: While this theme primarily addresses social and psychological elements, it also touches on the biological future indirectly. For example, moving out of school and entering the workforce signifies gaining physical independence, which includes taking charge of one’s own health and well-being. Social Future: This theme is closely related to the social aspect of the research question. The essays highlight how young individuals anticipated building their careers, achieving financial independence, and navigating the complexities of working life. For instance, Essay 1 F’s shift from a copy typist to seeking better job opportunities demonstrates the pursuit of career growth and economic stability, key elements of their envisioned social futures. Psychological Future: On a psychological level, transitioning to adulthood involves developing a sense of personal identity and self-confidence. Realising the end of school life and facing real-world challenges fosters maturity and responsibility. Essay 3 F’s thoughts on becoming a "woman" and embracing adulthood reflect the psychological growth and self-awareness that young people associate with their future selves. 2. Family and Relationships Biological Future: This theme also touches on the biological aspect by discussing the desire to start and grow a family. Decisions about marriage, having children, and family planning naturally involve considerations of physical health and the responsibilities that come with parenthood. Social Future: Family and relationships are deeply entwined with the social dimension. The essays emphasise the importance of building and maintaining family ties, securing stable housing, and ensuring financial security for the family. For example, Essay 1 F’s experiences with marriage, saving for a house deposit, and raising children highlight the social structures and support systems that young people see as essential for their futures. Psychological Future: Emotionally, family and relationships greatly impact an individual’s well-being and sense of belonging. The essays reveal how young people anticipate their roles within the family, the challenges of balancing work and home life, and the emotional effects of changes within the family. Essay 2 M’s story of marital struggles and eventual divorce underscores the psychological challenges and resilience needed to maintain personal relationships during tough times. 3. Coping with Adversity Biological Future: Dealing with adversity often involves managing physical health issues. For instance, Essay 2 M’s account of a workplace accident and subsequent injuries highlights concerns about health and the long-term effects on one’s physical well-being. Social Future: Adversity also impacts one’s social life by affecting job stability and financial security. The essays discuss how economic downturns, job losses, and career changes influence the participants' social standing and future opportunities. Essay 1 F’s need to return to work during business slumps and Essay 2 M’s job transitions illustrate the social consequences of dealing with financial and professional setbacks. Psychological Future: From a psychological perspective, this theme explores the mental resilience and emotional strategies young people use to overcome challenges. The essays show various responses to adversity, from seeking family support to turning to religion or substances as coping mechanisms. Essay 2 M’s journey from addiction to finding solace in religion, and Essay 3 F’s contemplation of suicide, highlight the diverse psychological landscapes that young individuals navigate when envisioning their futures amidst difficulties. Bringing It All Together These themes offer a well-rounded understanding of how younger people envisioned their futures across biological, social, and psychological dimensions: Biologically, the desire to start families and maintain personal health underscores the importance of physical well-being in their future plans. Socially, the focus on career development, financial stability, and family relationships highlights the significance of societal structures and personal connections in shaping their lives. Psychologically, the themes reveal the mental and emotional processes involved in growing up, building relationships, and overcoming challenges, showcasing the internal journey that accompanies their future aspirations. Final Thoughts The thematic analysis bridges the personal stories of the school leavers with the broader research question effectively. By exploring Transition to Adulthood and Responsibility, Family and Relationships, and Coping with Adversity, the analysis sheds light on the multifaceted ways young individuals perceived and planned for their biological, social, and psychological futures. These themes not only reflect their personal experiences but also resonate with the societal and economic context of the late 1970s, providing valuable insights into the hopes and concerns that shaped young people's outlooks on their futures. Human development Essays. PACK 1 Essay 1 F As I reflect back on my past, I think I feel contented that my life served its purpose well and was not one of sheer tragic disaster. I left school in 1979 with five CSE all of average grades and qualifications in commercial studies. I found my first job as a copy typist in the local factory in a tiny office with old tables as the desk. The pay wasn’t particularly good, but it was the experience that I was after not the money. That job however lasted 3 months and I found myself looking very hard for another which I feel was the first real stop in my life. It was then that I realised that I had truly left school and all its security and I was now to face the big outside world and take life and its problems as a mature adult. Another emotional stage was the fact that I was engaged to my boyfriend whom I loved dearly. Although some thought it a bit young, we had been going steady for two years and clearly knew what we were doing and knew that we could never be apart. My fiancé’s parents ran a successful lorry business and after a short time I went to work as a secretary there. At first, I didn’t like the idea of working with family, but as it expanded, I was working for other directors while my future in-laws sat back and enjoyed the money. This time in my life was spent saving every penny going until we could afford a deposit on a house. This I think I took a very childishly mainly due to the excitement of getting married and I didn’t really understand the financial side of the affair. We eventually found a flat, which was very large and modern, and I found great delight in decorating it just how I wanted. It was then that I felt really an adult even though I jumped about like a five-year-old opening his Christmas presents. After a few months we set about making wedding plans. My wedding was something special and with the money my father-in-law gave us we had a wonderful two-week honeymoon in Southern Spain. When we returned, I settled at once into being the model housewife and after a year of marriage I longed for a baby. By this time my husband had gone into his father’s business as a director and money was coming in quite fast. We had moved into a cosy house and so I fell for a baby. Giving birth to my daughter was a very painful and emotional part of my life. When I held her for the first time and saw how happy I had made my husband, I felt very proud and content with my precious gift. The next few years as I watched her grow up, got us past the ups and downs as our finances increased and decreased. The business fell so bad that I had to go back to work in an office in a solicitor to bring in extra money. When things finally shot up again, I was able to have another child. This time I gave birth to a bouncing boy who although a little devil grew up to be a “mummy’s boy” and a proudness in his father’s eye. My husband felt reluctant to let my daughter grow up as he needed to mother her but when he saw her in her bridal gown he realised how much life we had both seen together and we concentrated on living life for us and when we watched our grandchildren grow up we both felt contented and continued to grow old still as much in love as the day we got engaged, or as I feel when we left school and grew up. Essay 2 M When I look back on life, I see why the older generation cannot tolerate the younger. Partly because of changes in a person’s life which makes them different from others. I look out of my {window?}, and see children going from school, some leaving, some staying on to study. I remember that when I was sixteen and after passing my exams, I was excepted as an apprentice at a motor trade company. I was on that trade for four years. A lot of things happened during that time. At seventeen I joined a group. We played rock music, mainly on the old Island where I once lived. We were well known but had to split up as three members of the group had got married. After two years of the apprenticeship, I got engaged. I couldn’t get married until I was twenty because I didn’t finish the apprenticeship until then. At nineteen, I passed the City and Guilds certificate. This meant a rise in pay. When I was exactly twenty, I proposed to my girlfriend. Two months later we were married. It was only a matter of a few months before my wife was pregnant. I was earning a lot of money, so we decided to put a deposit down on a house. We had one in Basildon in Essex. There a got a job as a mechanic working on Post office vans. Soon our first child was born. We felt pleased with our-selves, and a year later we decided to have another. After our second child was born, I had an accident at work, I crawled out from under a van, and I was run over by a car, not completely only my legs. Both of them were broken and I was in hospital for the next few months. This was one of the worst times of my life. All there was on the family was worried. The bills needed paying, the children feeding, and mortgage had to be paid. My sick pay and insurance helped, but it was not enough. My wife hired a babysitter and got a job. When I got out of the hospital, I found that my place as an engineer was taken as it could not have been left without another had for so long. It was seven weeks before I got another job and I had to travel twenty miles there and back six days a week. When I was twenty-nine, I changed jobs as the firm I worked for went bankrupt because their electrical materials had been replaced by new methods of power and engineering. I got a job in a steel mill at Norwich. It was a long way to travel and further education was needed for use of new machinery, lasers, and things like that. I stayed at that job until I was thirty-five. At thirty-three, the first child was thirteen and the second was eleven. I joined a group, and we got known quickly. When I was thirty-five, we were offered a recording contract by CiFeI a new major record company. I went along with the group a lot, in fact too much. I love music and my wife and that was the problem. While I was travelling, she stayed at home, and we see less of each other. After two years, she couldn’t take no more and our marriage ended in the divorce courts. She had right to the children. This really broke me down and I went on to taking drugs as a lot of musicians did at that time. I became a nervous wreck after a year then I became religious. Something I never expected to happen. This brought me out of drugs. I was religious up until I was forty-eight, but I retired from the music seen at the age of forty five. I brought 1 house in the countryside in England. There I was excepted as just another person, not like some stars. I got so lonely in the house. When I was fifty- two, I moved to a flat just outside Basildon. I felt like committing suicide but a visit, a surprise at that was when my daughter and son turned up at my door. They had married and had two sons and a daughter each. My ex-wife had died. The eldest was a boy, who was eight. At sixty, eight years later, he made a visit and asked me about what he should do because he was old enough to leave school and get a good job. I couldn’t give him any advice because my life had been a failure. I only warned him to take care and think. When he left everything went quiet and dark, and time stood still. Essay 3 F The only past time that I find pleasure in doing, is looking back at the past years of my life. Sometimes I find joy in my thoughts but of course there is always a tear to shreds. Yes, I left school about 1978 when I was 16. Yes, I had my whole life in front of me, knowing that it was only then that I was really going to live. All I wanted to do then was to be considered as a “woman”, and I soon was. I got the job of working in the local supermarket, it only paid £26 a week, but I enjoyed that I was doing, and it was better than being at school or on the dolle. I made lots of new friends (girls and boys) and that was where I met my late husband Steve, we courted for two years and soon become married. We could only afford a flat at the time, and we were lucky to get that on the little island we decided to stay on the Island being as we both had our families here, and anyway there wasn’t anywhere we could afford to go, and Steve had a steady job as a labourer. I kept my job for about three years after we were married, that is until I fell for our first child, Paul. He was a fine little baby and we loved him dearly, but when there were three mouths to feed life became a little harder, the money didn’t go far and we missed the money that I used to bring in, but we got over the little crisis, Steve soon got another job, and the baby grew up to be a healthy boy. I found it hard being with a wife and a mother and it seemed if the harsh realities of life were playing a great part in our life. When Paul started school, more problems {illegible?} being as he hated school and was rebelling by causing trouble, and I can understand him hating school because when I was young school was my worst enemy too. It began to feel that our life’s were drifting apart, Steve would go out nearly every night and left me in, this went on for nearly two years, and so I decided that it was best for us to separate but when Steve found out my intensions, he tried to {rejoin?} himself to being the perfect husband, so we stayed together until the day he died. As the years passed on, we become the perfect family, and we soon passed our own home after fifteen years of married life. When Paul became nineteen, he decided it was time for him to leave home, it was a bit shock to Steve and I, but we respected his wish and so he left and went up London. And we were alone once more, but we were happy enough. As the years passed on, we began to feel our ages, Steve especially and he couldn’t take becoming old and he turned to drink once more, and it was this that finally killed, well not drink itself, he was in a car accident and was killed instantly. The police report said, “Death while under the influence of drink”. After Steves death my life just seemed to come to a halt, and I seriously considered killing myself, but I just didn’t have the gut to end my life in a few minutes, so I decided to wait until the good lord calls me himself to join my lost ones. My son visits me once every year with the girl who lives with, or you could say there married except for a ring and an official certificate, but even that is just a duty visit on the poor old lady, he feels he owes me something, well I just smile and his good will, but nobody gives you that anymore without something in return. Yes, that just my hobby looking back over the years while I’m waiting for the call of the Lord, and to be reunited with the lost one’s which I earnt want to see. I’m not afraid of death just afraid of living on in the world today, just to be another statistic as far as the world is concerned. Checklist Abstract Captures the research topic, methodology and data used. Summarises main findings & their implications. Each clearly stated in 1-2 sentences ☐ Concise general opening paragraph, which introduces the topic area ☐ Literature review – Sufficient and evaluative coverage of relevant literature, including theory and research evidence. ☐ Strong rationale, presenting a clear argument for the study ☐ Introduction Aims of study and research question are clearly stated ☐ Correct use and content of subheadings ☐ Context - Provides a clear description of the original study, including the method of data collection used and a brief consideration of ethical issues. Context - Indicates that data for the current study were provided for TA. Context – Provides a concise explanation of TA and why it is appropriate to the aims of the current study. ☐Participants – Indicates the age, gender, and location of participants ☐ Method Materials & Procedure – Describes the data (e.g., number & length of essays and their focus) Materials & Procedure – Describes the Procedure followed to prepare the essays for analysis. ☐ Analytic (Coding) Strategy – Includes a concise and transparent description of the process of data treatment (e.g., making initial notes, developing codes), and how final themes were identified and analysed ☐ Initial narrative description is complete and concise. ☐ Themes are clearly identified and explained ☐ Themes are well-supported by sufficient and appropriate direct extracts, which are clearly presented and labelled ☐ Analysis/findings A persuasive, plausible, and coherent analysis is presented. ☐ Opens with a concise summary of the findings in relation to the research question ☐ Highlights or comments on specific themes/ideas ☐ Relates the findings to the studies/theories outlined in the Introduction ☐ Evaluates the strengths/limitations of the research ☐ Discussion Considers any implications of the findings, makes suggestions for further research, and concludes. ☐