The Influence That Significant Others Have on an Individual’s Development. Thematic Analysis.
The influence that significant others have on an individual’s development. Thematic analysis.
Abstract
The aim of this qualitative study was to explore whether significant people in human’s life can influence an individual’s development. The assumption that early relationships with our main careers play central part in our later development derives from Bowlby’s attachment theory and his ideas of internal working model. Data for the study was collected through the use of semi-structured interviews within the theoretical framework of social constructionist perspective. Thematic analyses were used to analyze pre-recorded material and the findings showed that significant others could influence individual’s development in life.
Introduction
The epistemology and ontology in this qualitative study derives from social constructionist position. It suggests that people are able to reflect on their life experiences, make sense of them and form their meanings. These meanings are then constructed and interpreted through language and could be shared with other people. This qualitative study has focused on interaction between people and it’s importance in human development. Many experts in this field has examined assumption, that our experiences from childhood shape our development and are then reflected in our behaviour in later relationships. However, their views about this topic differ to some extent. Judith Rich Harris (1999, as cited in Wood, Littleton and Oates, 2007) in her work The Nurture Assumption emphasizes the influence of peer groups on children’s development. She argues that influence within peer groups is greater then parental influence. Schaffer’s (1996, as cited in Wood et al., 2007) observational studies about peer and sibling’s relationships support these suggestions. He claims that interactions between children are multi-faceted and diverse and that they have significant influence on each other.
Other theories suggest that the
Abstract
The aim of this qualitative study was to explore whether significant people in human’s life can influence an individual’s development. The assumption that early relationships with our main careers play central part in our later development derives from Bowlby’s attachment theory and his ideas of internal working model. Data for the study was collected through the use of semi-structured interviews within the theoretical framework of social constructionist perspective. Thematic analyses were used to analyze pre-recorded material and the findings showed that significant others could influence individual’s development in life.
Introduction
The epistemology and ontology in this qualitative study derives from social constructionist position. It suggests that people are able to reflect on their life experiences, make sense of them and form their meanings. These meanings are then constructed and interpreted through language and could be shared with other people. This qualitative study has focused on interaction between people and it’s importance in human development. Many experts in this field has examined assumption, that our experiences from childhood shape our development and are then reflected in our behaviour in later relationships. However, their views about this topic differ to some extent. Judith Rich Harris (1999, as cited in Wood, Littleton and Oates, 2007) in her work The Nurture Assumption emphasizes the influence of peer groups on children’s development. She argues that influence within peer groups is greater then parental influence. Schaffer’s (1996, as cited in Wood et al., 2007) observational studies about peer and sibling’s relationships support these suggestions. He claims that interactions between children are multi-faceted and diverse and that they have significant influence on each other.
Other theories suggest that the
References: Wood, C., Littleton, K., & Oates, J. (2007). Lifespan development. In T. Cooper & I.Roth (Eds.), Challenging Psychological Issues (2nd ed., pp. 1-69). Milton Keynes: The Open University. The Open University. (2007). Interviewing and Thematic analysis [Audiovisual programme 4, DVD]. In DSE 212 Exploring Psychology. Milton Keynes: The Open University. Appendix 1 Appendix 2