Critical thinking questions

Your answers to these kinds of questions demonstrate an ability to comprehend and apply ideas discussed in this chapter.

1. Describe each of the three historical views about the nature of the child (i.e. tabula rasa, original sin, and innate goodness views).

2. What do you believe is the most important social policy issue involving life-span today? How would you persuade the government to improve citizen's lives relate particular issue?

3. Explain the meaning of the terms biological, cognitive, and socioemotional processes. Also give an example of each from a source other than Chapter 1.

4. Think about your life during the past 24 hours in terms of the life-span perspective. Demonstrate your understanding of periods of development by indicating one example of how you have, or could have, interacted with individuals from each of the following seven developmental periods: infancy, early childhood, middle/late childhood, adolescence, early adulthood, middle adulthood, and late adulthood.

5. Explain the meaning of (a) nature versus nurture, (b) continuity and discontinuity, and (c) stability and change.

6. Imagine a career in life-span development. Given your abilities and interests, what you would like to do, with which age group would like to work, and what factors will encourage or discourage you from pursuing this career.

Ex.1. Skim over the text and give your comments on its ideas.

Introverts and Extraverts: They Aren’t What You Think

in terms of – в рамках

measures – меры

create meaning – создавать мнение

exploration – исследование

concerned with – связан с

derive – выводить, извлекать

wholly – целиком

mental life – психическая жизнь

obtaining gratification – получение удовлетворения

confusion – путаница

depend on – зависеть от

observable – наблюдаемый, видимый

Often, when people talk about introverts and extraverts, they think in terms of whether people enjoy social interactions. In fact, the true definitions of introversion and extraversion have to do with where a person finds meaning – and for this reason, knowing which you are can help you make life decisions that leave you happier and more fulfilled.

Psychological introversion and extraversion are not measures of how comfortable you are (or aren’t) in social situations.

The concept of psychological introversion and extraversion was originally described by the Swiss psychoanalyst, Carl Jung, to explain two different ways people create meaning in their lives. A Jungian introvert derives meaning from the development of a rich internal life, and it is in the exploration of that internal life that they are most comfortable.

To quote the Merriam Webster dictionary: Introversion is “the state of or tendency toward being wholly or predominantly concerned with and interested in one’s own mental life.”

A Jungian extravert, on the other hand, creates meaning in the interaction with things in the external world, and it is in the exploration of the external world that they are most comfortable.

Merriam Webster again: Extraversion is “the act, state, or habit of being predominantly concerned with and obtaining gratification from what is outside the self.”

The confusion between social introversion/extraversion and psychological introversion/extraversion is fueled by the fact that most examples used to explain the concepts depend on observable behaviors – which are social due to the mere fact that they are observable. And to stress clarity, most examples are presented as polar opposites.

Psychological introverts do indeed enjoy parties and can be just as passionate about public demonstrations as the next guy. Psychological extraverts enjoy music, and reading and writing too.

Knowing whether you are a Jungian introvert or a Jungian extravert can be very important in helping you to be more comfortable with yourself. It can help you make difficult decisions about careers, determine what kinds of skills you are likely to excel at and what kinds you are not, understand why some environments are better for you than others, and choose products and services best suited to your temperament. The same can be said about knowing whether you are primarily a social introvert or a social extravert.

While both concepts provide useful information and knowledge, conclusions drawn about one (Jungian introversion) based on the other (social introversion) are bound to be wrong.

http://www.ACIforCoaches.com.

Questions:

1. What is the difference between the two concepts?