There are a myriad of possible reasons for how both genetics and environmental upbringings can affect both the developmental process and the psychological growth of an individual. In this paper, the situation involving Will and Janie will be explained by discussing genetics, Nature vs Nurture, Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Theory, Piaget’s Cognitive Theory, as well as the overall impact that will be made on an individual regarding these factors.
Genetics
From the information given, it is discussed that Janie is not the only member of their family that suffers from anxiety. Their father had both struggled and learned to control and cope with anxiety over the years as well as discovering that it has affected other family members as well, revealing that the psychological is prominent in the family line. Learning this, it’s not that surprising to find out that Janie is suffering from anxiety. However, why doesn’t Will suffer from the same problems since they are both from the same parents and in a sense, possess the same genes from both the mother and father? Looking at both the genetic makeup and theories while explaining the importance of family history could help shed light on the determining factor of the problem. The main factors that will be looked into will be both meiosis and sex chromosomes regarding this topic.
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The 23rd pair of chromosomes are the sex chromosomes. This determines whether you are male or female. If you are female, you have an XX pair. And if you are a male, you have an XY pair. (McNamara, J. (2020). CHYS 1F90, Lecture 3, Brock University). The specific positions that the chromosomes place themselves in will determine what gender the child will receive. With a girl, both parents contribute an X chromosome, and with a male, The mother contributes the X chromosome but the father contributes a Y chromosome (McNamara, J. (2020). CHYS 1F90, Lecture 3, Brock University). Bringing up the fact that Janie received an X chromosome from her father while Will received a Y chromosome, it is easier to see how he could have avoided the same diagnosis that his sister received. Another factor that may contribute could be the seemingly random distribution of cells during meiosis, knowing that having a sibling does not mean that you will be the same copy as them (genetically speaking). The 50% of genes that both the biological mother and father donate are completely random. This is what factors into the similarities and differences between sibling to sibling, and child to parent (McNamara, J. (2020). CHYS 1F90, Lecture 3, Brock University).
Nature vs Nurture
Regarding Nature and Nurture, the views of how an individual’s development is focused less on direct genetics and biology and more on the environment that the individual is raised in and how it can affect their growth, both physically and psychologically. In a study performed by Gino Pozzi, it was discovered that all of the participants (who were all diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder) possessed different coping mechanisms when they were going through an episode and figuring out which mechanism was the most common.
In Janie’s case, it is best believed that the coping mechanism that her father practiced whenever he was going through an episode would then work for her considering they both possess the same genes that carry the disorder, as well as witnessing and practicing the exercise considering they both have lived in the same residence since her birth. Thus, looking at the examples that Janie would’ve been presented in a controlled environment from the father would affect her in either a positive way. (Pozzi, 2018)
Based on Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory, a child should be rewarded for positive tasks and punished for negatives. However, the spectrum the theory circulates around is society as a whole, presenting that the actions that other people perform are what help a child develop, learning from what they see (Kail, 2010). In Janie’s situation, her mother must act the way she teaches Janie for her to both imitate and learn, presenting a healthier way to complete tasks as well as learning how to control stress to positively create her schema. (Kail, 2010). Imitating the positive actions that Janie’s parents presented to her from an early age would’ve positively impacted her, teaching her how to control her stress, as well as forming a stronger connection with her parents.
Cognitive Theory
Based on Piaget’s Cognitive Theory, it is common for children to try and figure out how to make a place for themselves in the physical and social world with the want for no assistance which would help them create a new schema. This shows that in order for Janie to battle her anxiety, she must experience more of what life has to offer (Kail, 2010). It is also seen that if a child’s schema does not successfully act out, they will go ahead and proactively try to fix the problem in order for the altered schema to work. This shows that Janie’s parents should spend more time teaching her that whatever negative mindset her psyche had created for her isn’t true and that she should present herself in activities/situations that she wouldn’t insert herself in the original situation, which would then help recreate her schema.
In an article written by Pierre Barrouillet, there are multiple theories that explain how Piaget’s Cognitive Theory can affect children in different aspects and how, in some cases, there is a possibility that the child requires more “training” in order to achieve in creating a healthy schema which presents a healthy and positive psychological development.
With Janie, there is a possibility that she will resist receiving help in order to fix her schema until it is too late for her development to drastically change. In this case, she will require a firmer hand of persuasion in order to make her future less stressful and controlled by her anxiety. (Barrouillet, 2015)
Ecological Models
Regarding Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Model, it is explained that the environments that a child grows up in help form and grow their developing qualities, presenting a link between their subjective well-being, and their overall subjective well-being. (Cross, 2017). This model can show how these separate layers of environments can affect Janie’s psychological and physical well-being.
In the microsystem, which is the bond that is created amongst her family, since Janie’s relationship with her father is relatively strong, she should try and practice the anxiety exercises that he uses. Janie’s mother as well is also in the microsystem which would definitely make a large impact on her development and well-being. With this, her mother should try and practice the same strategies that her husband performs as well as trying to expand the support that Janie receives in her mesosystem, which is the next level when thinking of the ecological model. After figuring out a well-approached plan with the child psychologist, Janie’s mother should go to the teachers and devise a system that would assist in her success in school, as well as decreasing her levels of anxiety whenever she is alone in the school setting. (Cross, 2017)
Throughout the many examples that have been discussed and presented throughout both the course lectures and the readings, there is a myriad of ways for both Janie and her support system to consider when trying to figure out a way to control and limit her anxiety, as well as recognizing why she suffers from the mental health issue and not her brother. When taking Genetics, Nature and Nurture, Piaget’s Cognitive Theory, and Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Models into account, it is clear to see how many factors can create, form, and alter a person’s development, and how from birth to death, they will all work in tandem to affect Janie’s overall well-being.
References
- Barrouillet, P. (2015). Theories of cognitive development: From Piaget to today. Developmental Review, 38, 1-12. doi:10.1016/j.dr.2015.07.004
- Cross, W. E. (2017). Ecological Factors in Human Development. Child Development, 88(3), 767-769. doi:10.1111/cdev.12784
- Kail, R. V. (2010). Children and their development. Upper Saddle River,, NJ: Prentice Hall.
- Pozzi, G., Frustaci, A., Tedeschi, D., Solaroli, S., Grandinetti, P., Nicola, M. D., & Janiri, L. (2015). Coping strategies in a sample of anxiety patients: Factorial analysis and associations with psychopathology. Brain and Behavior, 5(8). doi:10.1002/brb3.351
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