Why Worldview Matters
Every individual has a different and unique way of viewing the world. Worldviews are how people see and interpret the world around them. There are different world realities for everyone due to the circumstances we grow up. For instance, the economic conditions of a person, education, and upbringing impact their worldview. It is therefore essential to consider the worldviews when studying development theories since it shows people’s diversities. By learning other people’s views of life, people get to understand life on another level and offer empathy for other people’s conditions. Additionally, the worldviews elaborate on various cultures and backgrounds, making it easier to understand the development of an individual. Considering these views when studying development theories helps appreciate the mindset or mentality created by different belief systems. This step makes it easy to enjoy the development processes of people.
Development Theory
Development theories describe how changes occur in the society and people within. One of the significant development theories is Erikson’s stages of psychosocial development by Eric Erickson. According to the theory, an individual’s personality develops in eight stages from childhood to adulthood (McLeod, 2018). As people grow, they experience various positive and negative psychosocial conflicts and try to navigate the situations. A healthier personality in an individual indicates successful completion of previous stages (McLeod, 2018). The main idea of the theory is that a person faces crises that may be easy or difficult to solve at each level. For instance, the first stage constitutes trust versus mistrust. If the child gets provided quality care, they grow while trusting other people, while one who lacks attention ends up lacking confidence (McLeod, 2018). The defining characteristic is that the crisis in each stage occurs due to interactions between an individual’s psychological needs and the needs of society.
My Worldview
One of the greatest worldviews is the spiritual growth and life of Christians. As a Christian, I believe in the fellowship and quest for spiritual growth. By assessing one’s religious narrative, it is easy to attain spiritual growth. Additionally, communing with others and expressing oneself in worship helps one get closer to God (Ashbrook, 2019). A spiritual view allows one to create meaning in their beliefs and assumptions about the Deity. As with psychosocial development, spiritual growth has different stages as a new believer to maturity. A new believer seeks and tries to understand and learn about fellowship (Ashbrook, 2019). Each level has different revelations and conflicts since one knows and correlates their initial beliefs to those they acquire. The growth of one stage results in a more informed and aware individual for the next stage. Therefore, my spiritual growth worldview is compatible with Erickson’s theory as it shows the different stages of development and conflicts arising in them.
Summary
In conclusion, worldviews help understand how different people interpret and analyze the society around them. Since individuals grow in various circumstances, everyone possesses a unique perspective in life. When studying development theory, it is, therefore, essential to learn and understand the multiple worldviews. Consideration of worldviews when learning development theories creates a better understanding and interpretation of people’s perspectives. This step also promotes a clear understanding of cultures and appreciation of different individuals. This information is helpful in future coursework since it shows the importance of worldviews and development theories and ensures they get prioritized during the study.
References
Ashbrook, R. T. (2019). Mansions of the heart: Exploring the seven stages of spiritual growth. Fortress Press.
McLeod, S. (2018). Erik Erikson | Psychosocial stages | Simply psychology. Study guides for psychology students – Simply psychology. Web.