Major developmental forces (socio-cultural, psychological, biological, and lifestyle) that influence emerging, middle, and late adulthood.
Effective transition from childhood to adulthood, including emerging, middle, and late, is primarily impacted by certain socio-cultural, psychological, biological, and lifestyle forces. The first and most important is the socio-cultural and lifestyle environments, especially family and other life experiences like education. Environmental factors like parent-child relationships, socioeconomic status, and other socio-demographic can significantly affect adulthood development. For example, positive bonding between a child and an emotionally present parent during childhood can assist in the growth of the kid's capacity to relate and bond with others in the future. Psychological development, especially the growth of the cognitive abilities like decision-making, during early childhood can as well improve these cognitive abilities in future during adulthood. Also, biological factors like proper nutrition can assist in child development. It provides the essential growth needs (Wood et al., 2017).
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Current research methods for studying adult aging and the main approaches to measuring behavior, including strengths as well as a weakness for each
Today, there are several research methods scientists can use to study adult aging. They can either choose the quantitative way or opt for the qualitative approach. Quantitative research involves the collection of empirical data through mathematical, computational, or statistical methods. The primary purpose of this type of research is to design and apply scientific hypotheses, theories, and models, particularly pertaining phenomena. On the other hand, qualitative analysis is exploratory and only collects and analyzes non-empirical or non-numerical data.
Several quantitative methods can assist in measuring behavior. Experimental studies are the most common and widely applied. This technique involves manipulating one variable to measure the changes in another variable. The benefits of the method include the ability of the researcher to manage variables. The technique is also intuitive and is mainly supported by research. Personal bias and the potential of the sample misrepresenting the entire population are some of the downfalls of the technique. Questionnaires are also often used to measure behavior, whereby a selected group of participants are given specific questions to answer, and their responses analyzed to make inferences. The advantage is that the method can assist in gathering information from a wide range of people in a more economical manner. The disadvantage is that preparing questionnaires is tedious (Morgan, 2013).
Summary of a research study on the aging of adult populations
Morimoto et al. (2015) argue that pneumonia in increasingly becoming a worrying health problem among adults. To prove this fact, the researchers conducted a study to highlight the impacts of community-onset pneumonia in Japan, a country considered to host the highest populations of the elderly. The researchers monitored pneumonia patients aged above 15 years for a period ranging between Sep 2011 and January 2013. The outcome of the study revealed that 16.9 percent of pneumonia cases resulted in death. The death rate for populations aged above 85 years was higher compared to those between 15 and 64 years. It is important to note that the primary reason the study outcomes match the theoretical perspective is that the latter often guides the former. The theory usually directs and steers experimental studies or surveys.
References
Morgan, D. L. (2013). Integrating qualitative and quantitative methods: A pragmatic approach. Los Angeles: SAGE.
Morimoto, K., et al. (2015). The burden and etiology of community-onset pneumonia in the aging Japanese population: A multicenter prospective study. PLOS ONE, 1-18.
Wood, D., et al. (2017). Emerging adulthood as a critical stage in the life course. Handbook of Life Course Health Development, 123-143.
