For this assignment, you will conduct an analytical comparison of how two distinct cultures approach the transition from one developmental stage to another, emphasizing the role of family. You can choose the transition between any two stages of the lifespan (e.g., late childhood to adolescence, adolescence to young adulthood, older adulthood to death, etc.)
For the purposes of this assignment, culture is being defined broadly and can refer to any socially definable group with its own set of values, behaviors, and beliefs. This can include cultural groups whose customary beliefs are defined by racial, religious, or social group. These can encompass larger or smaller cultural groups (i.e., subcultures).
You will incorporate primary research through interviews (or recordings of interviews or documentaries) and offer a nuanced understanding of the chosen stage within the selected cultures in a 5-7-page paper.
Follow these steps to get started:
Choose two distinct cultures for comparison.
Select one specific developmental transition to analyze (e.g., late childhood to adolescence, adolescence to young adulthood, older adulthood to death, etc.).
Review what research studies say about the transition within both cultures and synthesize at least 4 scholarly sources (2 for each culture). Focus on specific cultural practices or beliefs instead of generalizations.
Then, identify a primary source for each culture to support your analysis. Your primary source can be an interview you conduct, a recording of an interview conducted firsthand with a person/people belonging to that particular cultural group, or a documentary that speaks directly to some of the experiences of individuals that belong to that cultural group. Interviews (either conducted or viewed in videos or documentaries) should be with individuals who have personal experience or expertise in the selected transition within the chosen cultures. When selecting a documentary, be selective. It should have addressed the topic in depth and should be at least 30 minutes long.
Synthesize the information learned/collected from your primary (#4 above) and secondary (#3 above) research to provide a well-rounded analysis for your paper. Read below for more details on what your paper should cover.
Paper Components
Format your paper using the below headers (centered and bolded per APA 7th ed formatting guidelines) and respond to questions under their associated section.
Header
Components
Introduction
§ Introduce the development transition (e.g., late childhood to adolescence, adolescence to young adulthood, older adulthood to death, etc.) and describe the primary P.I.E. markers (e.g. if you chose the transition from adolescence to adulthood, describe the primary physical, intellectual, and emotional changes from adolescence to adulthood)
§ Briefly describe why you chose this transition and these two specific cultures and what you were hoping to learn
Culture
§ Provide an overview of 2-3 major relevant cultural aspects of each chosen culture. Here are some examples of categories that might be relevant to your cultural group: family structure and dynamics, religious/spiritual beliefs, traditions, educational values, social norms and taboos, economic factors, legal and political systems, healthcare practices, communication styles and language, attitudes towards gender and sexuality, etc. You can choose cultural aspects outside of these examples.
Family
§ Analyze the role of family in the transition of each culture (i.e., describe the impact of family roles and dynamics on the transition – e.g., physical resources, emotional support, socialization, stimulation, attitudes, expectations, beliefs, etc.)
Analysis
§ Explain similarities, differences, and underlying complexities between the two cultures
§ Reflect on your findings and how they align or differ with your cultural perspective/practices
§ Identify potential limitations/constraints of the analysis
§ Propose implications or future research directions
Formatting Guidelines
APALinks to an external site. title page with name, date, and title (e.g. “Transition into Adulthood among South Asian Immigrant Families and Black Southern Baptist Families”)
5-7 pages, double-spaced, 12 pt. Times New Roman, 1-inch margins, no spaces in between paragraphs.
APA citations both in-text references and full citation in a reference page – at least 4 scholarly referencesNote APA 7th edition formatting for interview sources: Since a personal interview is not published anywhere, it is considered personal communication and is not included in the reference list. It is, however, cited within the body of the paper. For example: (J. Hernandez, personal communication, May 25, 2018).
For the sake of space, please only cite your interview within the body of your paper ONCE. You can simply reference back to the interviewee as needed (e.g., The interviewee explained…; Mr. Hernandez shared how….; The interviewee also talked about…)
If you are citing a documentary, click hereLinks to an external site. for information on how to cite in the reference page as well as in-text.
College-level writing, logical flow of ideas, proofread.
Upload as Word document with naming convention: “Developmental Transition_First Name Last Name.” This is an individual assignment.
This assignment is due on 4/27 by 10pm EST