Psychology Assignment: Case Analysis Of 63-UP Series

Question

Task: In this psychology assignment you will further develop the case study with other group members, and examine the individual’s life, taking a lifespan developmental perspective. The key developmental issues they have experienced over the course of their lives should be provided and analysed through the theoretical and empirical topics covered in this unit. This theoretical and empirical basis should be utilised to provide an explanation for that individual’s life story as linked to developmental psychology. Thus, your case study should provide the following:

• Background description to the individual (you will need to watch the documentaries up through the most recent version, 63-up);
• Developmental issues experienced by the individual;
• Analysis of developmental issues experienced on the basis of theoretical and empirical literature;
• Reflection of case study incorporating key ethical issues inherent in this type of lifespan psychological research;
• Overall conclusion

Answer

Background description of Tony Walker in 63-UP Series discussed within the psychology assignment
In the 63-UP Series, there were fourteen individual characters with different lifespan stories that had been developed since they were seven years and it isabout the science of a meaningful life(Phuong, 2019). Considering assessment 1, the character of Tony Walker has been taken into considerations. In the 63-UP Series, Tony Walker has portrayed with his wife wherein they settled in the countryside of English.In 7-UP, Tony told that he wants to be a jockey but when the series followed him as he chased his dream yet said at 14 if he was not able to meet the set goals then he would become a taxi driver. Hence, in the 21-Up series, he became a taxi driver and owned his own cab at 28. The series followed Tony wherein his married life with Debie has been portrayed. He was filmed at 49 in Spain as they were enjoying vacation and at 56 Tony said he desired to open a bar there which he did with his brother-in-law but soon parted due to their difference. However, when Tony was last seen in the series, he and his wife were taking care of one of their grandchildren, and the couple converse about their marriage and their expectation or anticipation for the coming future.

In the UP- series, Tony is in many ways seems to be a very vibrant and most charming personality- but also he seems to be an unhelpful and unfaithful husband. It is expressive that past that drives the viewers to tears when, in 56-UP, he appreciates his wife and the barely credible permanence of their marriage life. The moment where he appreciates his wife and children, Tony seems inattentive. This is because he unexpectedly recalls his relationship of thirty-five years, and he shows gratefulness toward his wife Debbie and also his children who gave him support in his life. Here, it can be said that without a way-finder like his wife and children, a man like Tony can have lived an emptier life to a great extent.

Development Milestone Experienced By Tony Walker
Throughout the series, it seems that the participants experience mortality, setbacks of dramatic characters, and separations from their love life. In the 63-Up Series, one issue has been developed and experienced by Tony Walker and that has been discussed. The individual characters have faced several social and emotional issues, wherein they had to experience the death of their beloved ones, face separation or divorce as well as career issues wherein Tony Walker has not faced such issues like broken relationship and chronic unemployment but shows a hardship of living a life from the childhood itself. Tony Walker was from poor family background wherein he was not able to pursue his ambition or passion in life and thus, became a taxi driver for living and this indicates that the said character had faced several social and emotional issues for a living. Hence, it can be said that the hardship that has been faced by Tony shows the effects of social and emotional development as this development affects the self-confidence, empathy, the capability of the child to develop lasting partnerships, meaningful life and partnerships, and a sense of significance and value to those around them.All the hardship and problems made Tony a resilient individual and he was able to lead a successful life due to these hardships he had face in his childhood. This shows despite all the adversities, Tony Walker was able to gain achievements in his life which made him the most irresistible character in the whole series.Concerning the life experiences of Tony, it can be said that the social and emotional development of the children also influences all other development areas. Here, it can be said that these development issues that have been experienced by Tony Walker are mostly faced by the people in real life and this portrays a real connection with the series wherein both men and women, concerns about investing their lives with a meaning wherein they were not able to discover in any other activity.

In 56-Up, Tony is seen giving appreciation to his wife and children, this shows that his married life had prospered. Despite the hardship that he had has to endure due to his tough childhood, he has been able to develop as a better human being. This is his developmental milestone as he was able to establish a durable married life with his wife for 35 years (CBN News, 2013)Along with that, he believes that his life would have been emptier if he did not have his wife as his companion. This shows there has been a significant emotional development throughout the life of Tony Walker. Another developmental milestone for Tony is that his status has risen since his childhood. It is a general belief the children coming from a poor background hardly succeed in life. However, in the care of Tony Walker, there has been an exception, this is because not only he has developed emotional but also socially. This is because as an adult not only he had a stable job but also a stable lifestyle that was entirely different from his childhood. Unlike the other characters, Tony Walker has shown a remarkable journey and also his future looks promising. Therefore, these are the developmental milestones of Tony Walker that has been shows in the Up series and he is considered as one of the irresistible rouge character.

Analysis of Development Issues
Theorist Jean Piaget believed that the environment of a child was very much essential for their physical development and as well as mental development (Williams, 2018). Analyzing the physical issues of the characters of the Up Series, it can be said that the belief of Jean Piaget is true because several events of the character’s childhood affected their physical development. The instance of Tony’s character shows a poor family background with poor parents who had failed to give Tony a privileged life that every child must deserve while developing (Healy, 2021). Hence, by considering the character of Tony and its physical development in UP-Series, it can be said that the childhood development of Tony was challenging but this did not hinder him from achieving a successful life in the end.

All these life events have been illustrated in the 63-UP Series wherein the lifespan and its development of Tony has been shown based on their real-life experiences wherein people will gently go back to their personal baseline of contentment after a tragedy through their social and emotional life. The research psychologist, Sonja Lyubomirsky also stated that the key to contentment is to boost that baseline by cultivating an approach to life that focuses on appreciating the good things in life and the need for qualities such as compassion and forgiveness (Smith, 2013).

Linking the Theory and Research
Erikson’s psychosocial stages of development are related to the character of Tony as it mostly focuses on the resolution of crises and hardship that he has faced to become a successful and complete person. Infancy: The infancy of Tony Walker was challenging because he belonged to a poor family and he did not have much facilities for himself when he was an infant. This be because the infants from poor background are subject to several adversities in their early life (Haynie, 2014).

Early Childhood: Since his childhood, Tony loved horses and he aspired to become a jockey and he wanted to train under Tommy Gosling. Along with that, he also loved taxis and this was also one of his childhood interests. Pre-School: This was the time when the maker of Up Series met Tony Walker, he was an energetic 7 year old boy who was studying in East-End home for school. At this age when he was asked about the importance of fight he had replied that it is important to fight for moving forward.

School Age: When he reached school at the age of 14 he had become a shy boy and he has was not as energetic as before. There is a vast difference in the character in the 14 year old Tony and the 7 year old energetic Tony. Adolescence: Even during his adolescence, the energy and spark of young 7 year old Tony is missing and this is considered as the age factor that is shaping his character.

Young Adulthood: By the time of young adulthood, his old character was back and his was loud and boisterous again. The maker of the series could see the reflection of the 7 year old Tony in the 21 year Tony. However, at this age, he could not become a Jockey as he has said when he was 7 but this did not let him down and he stayed optimistic. Middle Adult: By the time Tony Walker was a middle adult, he had become a successful cab driver. He is married and has two children and he is content with his life, he does not believe that education alone can guarantee you successful future. Maturity: At the age of maturity, Tony looks back to all the thing he has achieved in his life and difficulties he overcame with the help of this wife and children. Tony lived by his belief that if you fall once you need to get up and keep moving forward.

Reflection
The overall series invites reflection on Tony Walker’s life as contrasting to similarity and also challenges people to evaluate their own lives. Through the case study, a few key ethical issues could be identified that can occur in the lifespan of psychological research. The ethical issue that can be faced is the protection of the participant that are involved in the research (Mcleod, 2015).This means that the maker of the documentary needs to ensure that the participants do not go through any kind of physical or mental injury. In the case study, the makers of the documentary had the responsibility of protecting 14 participants throughout the series. Along with that, confidentiality is also an issue that can be created at the time of psychological research and this needs to be effectively mitigated.

Conclusion
In conclusion, it can be said that the overall series is about the real-life experience of the participants and how they dealt with the issues that come across in human lives. Also, the series discloses failure to achieve on goal is not the end of the world or the life as many Tony Walkercould not become a Jockey as he has aimed in his childhood. This however did not stop him from pursing another career and becoming a successful cab driver in the later part of his life. This shows his zeal towards the life and his never giving up attitude through which he could achieve better life.Originally, the life experiences Tony set out to evaluate the long-term impact of social class on life changes and happiness wherein it shows that money mostly matters for living a comfortable and happy life. This has been supported with the overall analysis of Tony Walker’s life experiences, it can be said that people should not give up due to challenges and difficulties that they face in their life. They needs to stay optimistic and keep living their life so that they can work towards making it better.

References
CBN News. (2013). The “Up” children - then and now. Www.cbsnews.com. https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/the-up-children-then-and-now/2/
Dowell, B. (2019). Catching up with the cast of 63 Up. Radio Times. https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/documentaries/63-up-seven-up-cast-members-where-are-they-now/
Haynie, I. (2014, June). Childhood poverty, living below the line. Https://Www.apa.org. https://www.apa.org/pi/ses/resources/indicator/2014/06/childhood-poverty
Healy, C. M. (2021, April 21). Los Angeles Review of Books. Psychology assignment Los Angeles Review of Books.
https://lareviewofbooks.org/article/seven-plus-seven-plus-me-the-up-series-under-lockdown/ Mcleod, S. (2015, January 14). Psychology Research Ethics | Simply Psychology. Simplypsychology.org. https://www.simplypsychology.org/Ethics.html
Phuong, T. V. (2019). 7-63 Up UK - Season 1 Episode 1 - June 05, 2019. In YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHXVsQfw4AE Smith, J. A. (2013). Five Life Lessons from “56 Up.” Greater Good. https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/five_life_lessons_from_56_up
Williams, D. (2018, September 6). Child Development Theories: Jean Piaget. First Discoverers. https://www.firstdiscoverers.co.uk/child-development-theories-jean-piaget/