Application Paper

Due: 3/14 or 3/15

25 Points

The purpose of this 3-4 paper is to get you to think critically about the concepts and ideas you encounter in this class. More specifically, this paper encourages you to apply the ideas and theories you are learning about human development to the analysis and interpretation of real-world events. For the first part of this assignment, you will need to watch a movie of your own choosing. Once you are done with this, you will need to analyze at least two of the movies characters using at least two developmental theories (also of your own choosing). I expect that your discussion and application of these theories will be thorough. This means your paper should include information from the following sources: your book, lecture, and 2 outside sources other than your book. One of these outside sources has to be a scholarly journal article. I want to know what these sources say about the theories you have chosen. Have their been any new developments on the topic/theories? Are there any new studies testing the theories or dealing with the theories? If so, what do they say? Are there any articles dealing with the specific problems, behaviors, or circumstances the characters encountered? If so, what do they say?

Your 3-4 page paper should be structured so that the following components are thoroughly addressed:

  1. Briefly (and I mean briefly) state what the film is about. Describe the personality of the characters you are going to analyze. What sort of behavior, emotions, and thoughts do they exhibit? What sorts of situations are they placed in, etc.? Basically, I want to have enough information about the characters to know why you have chosen to analyze them using the particular developmental theories you have chosen. NOTE: I do not want a critique of the movie, nor a two page description of everything that goes on during it.
  2. Thoroughly describe and define the first theory you have chosen. What are the main tenants of this theory? Who are the major people? Are there any concepts or ideas related to this theory that you will use to analyze the characters you have chosen? If so, thoroughly describe and define them too. Be sure to incorporate information from the required sources where possible.
  3. Analyze the actions and/or personality of the first character you have chosen, using the first theory you have chosen. How would this theory explain the characters thoughts, feelings, and behaviors? Be specific and incorporate information from outside sources where possible.
  4. Thoroughly describe and define the second theory you have chosen. See #2 above for further detail.
  5. Analyze the actions and/or personality of the second character you have chosen, using the second theory you have chosen. See #3 above for further detail.
  6. Conclude the paper.

Be sure to include a reference page for the sources you used. Additionally, the paper should be typed, double spaced, and printed using standard margins and fonts. Remember to put your student number on the top of each page. Failure to follow these requirements will result in a deduction of points.