Trump Election Fraud Claims from a Psychological Perspective

 

One of the most fundamental recent events in society has been the Donald Trump election fraud claims, which have not only seen this individual refuse to concede the election to the winner, but also create an environment within which a significant number of Americans no longer have confidence in their electoral system. The significance of this situation cannot be underestimated because they have led to a scenario where there is an opening for future presidential candidates to dispute the elections based on false claims of fraud as well as attempts to make use of the judicial process to ensure that there is the promotion of their personal rather than national interests. Trump’s rejection of the election results based on unsubstantiated fraud claims came about following his realization that he was falling behind Joe Biden, his main rival, and that there was a high possibility of his losing the elections. This led to his turning to his Twitter account and making use of it as a means of promoting his false narrative, in a manner that not only galvanized his supporters, but also ensured that there was the promotion of a scenario where doubt was cast on the election results. It is noteworthy that because of his claims, Trump has not only endangered American democracy, but he has also put it into considerable strain as he has created an environment within which future candidates from both parties could use the same baseless claims in attempts to keep power. This paper considers the Trump election fraud claims from a psychological perspective, with specific reference to the social dominance orientation and the authoritarian perspectives.

The election fraud claims that were leveled by President Trump as well as his campaign team have had a highly divisive effect on the United States. This is because it has left a large number of individuals who voted for Trump feeling disenfranchised based on the belief that the election was stolen and that Trump, who represents their interests, was wrongfully pushed out of power by the Deep State as well as corruption within the election process. This is a reflection of the influence of the authoritarian perspective, which shows the manner through which these individuals display deference to authority, in this case the authority of President Trump and the belief that all that he says is the truth. The authoritarian perspective is characterized by a rigidity when it comes to the hierarchical view of the world, aggression towards groups that are considered foreign, as well as concerted efforts to resist new experiences. This is a scenario that has played an important role in the promotion of the Trump agenda because his supporters are individuals that display the characteristics of viewing the world from an authoritarian perspective. These individuals have come to believe that Trump is not only right, but that there are outside forces out to ensure that the white dominance of American society, who they consider to be true Americans, is eroded, to be replaced by foreigners. Trump has played on these fears to such an extent that he has made use of the fear and sense of being under threat among his supporters to ensure that they view the new political reality as being a threatening and dangerous place that they should resist. This is the reason why they have continued to give considerable support to the unsubstantiated claims by Trump while at the same time attacking the validity of the election results.

The social dominance orientation has also come into play in this scenario because of the enhancement of a perception of danger by the dominant majority in American society. Trump has undertaken to make use of the tactics applied by authoritarian or populist leaders across the world as a means of making sure that there is the promotion of his agenda. This has been seen through the way that he has undertaken to make false claims about the danger of the liberals and other left leaning members of society. He has claimed that they are out to destroy the American way of life through not only lifting controls on immigration, but also seeking to make sure that there is the promotion of a situation where white people, especially in the rural areas, are disenfranchised in their own country. Trump has further made false claims about increased crime as well as unvetted immigration which have further created the idea of being under siege among his supporters. With a background of terrorist threats that are actually genuine, citizens who already feel threatened and have experienced considerable change in their communities have come to support Trump and the simple solutions that he has offered them. The sense of being under threat because of the coming loss of power has made Trump a highly dangerous individual and it may only be a matter of time before he ends up undertaking actions aimed at encouraging his supporters to take on a more aggressive approach that could considerably harm the social fabric. There is also the potential of Trumpist movement becoming a powerful force in a society that is currently quite diverse yet could end up becoming more conservative because of the social dominance orientation of the white majority.

The psychological factors considered above are not unique to the United States. However, the fraud claims by President Trump could end up creating an environment within which future elections will come to be viewed with suspicion by a considerable part of society. Thus, it would have been best for all parties involved to take a calm stance and give the electoral system a change to do its work. Trump is not the first one-term president in the history of the United States and he is unlikely to be the last and it is the same electoral system that brought him to the presidency. Therefore, his supporters should have taken on a more rational approach based on the fact that the United States has an open political and electoral process that allows individuals to run for office in future elections if they wish to do so. Trump could look at 2024 as another opportunity to not only galvanize his support, but also win back the White House. The approach that he has taken is counterproductive and all Americans, including his supporters, should ensure that they not only reject his false claims of fraud, and accept the new reality that President Trump was defeated in a fair election process and that Joe Biden will become the new president of the United States following the inauguration ceremony in January.

The Cognitive Behavioural Theory

 

The cognitive behavioral theory was developed by the psychiatrist Aaron Beck and it is based on the concept that if the beliefs of individuals do not change, then there is little opportunity for improvement to their mental health. Beck proposed that the main aim of therapy is to ensure that there is the promotion of a scenario where individuals are guided towards changing their behavior in such a way that allows for their symptoms to change (Beck, 1993). This is because beliefs are essentially operational units which mean that the thoughts of individuals as well as their behaviors will have an effect on their actions. therefore, it is necessary to makes sure that there is the promotion of a scenario where the major target of therapy are the beliefs that are held by the patient as well as the promotion of a scenario where they are guided towards bringing about an improvement of their perception of life in a manner that prevents them from having negative thoughts. The cognitive behavioral theory is therefore one that can be used in a diversity of therapeutic circumstances based on the condition that is affecting the individual at the time. This therapy, because of the way that it targets the negative aspects of the thoughts of individuals, is highly effective, especially when it comes to the way that it is able to effectively treat a diversity of disorders such as compulsive gambling and uncontrollable anger, which are problems that significantly affect the lives of individuals in an undesirable manner. Cognitive behavioral therapy is an extremely beneficial method of ensuring that there is the effective treatment of psychiatric, psychological and medical disorders that have become quite common in the modern world.

The Role of the Counselor

The role of the counselor is extremely pertinent when it comes to the cognitive behavioral therapy approach. This is because it involves the counselor essentially undertaking an understanding of the thinking process of the patient in such a way that provides them with the means of changing their perspective of the world (Beck, 2011). The treatment of depression, for example, is a process that requires that the counselor makes such that he not only understands the core beliefs of the patient, but also makes sure that the patient is prevented from undertaking any harmful actions through a change of the core beliefs. In this case, the role of the counselor is very important in this approach because it is one that guides the patient through a process involving taking on a positive thinking perspective as opposed to merely providing them with an avenue to express themselves. The counselor has to ensure that he takes on the role of a guide in a manner that allows the patients to express themselves while at the same time being guided by the counselor involved in the process of enhancing their self-esteem as well as undertaking actions that have a positive effect on their thought process. Thus, the counselor is therefore extremely important when it comes to the process of restructuring the destructive thinking of patients in a manner that allows them to return to a sense of normalcy. The latter process shows that the counselor or therapist is an individual that has an extremely crucial role in the treatment of patients.

The role of the counselor also involves assisting patients in the process of setting goals that are realistic. This is a process that requires that that the counselor provides guidance to the patients concerning how to take responsibility for their thought as well as actions (Leahy, 2008). It allows the counselor to ensure that he guides the patient through the process of changing their thought and perception in order to ensure that there is a relative change in the behavior as well as emotional responses of the patient. It is also noteworthy to consider that the counselor is placed in a position where there is a consideration of the faulty thinking process of the patient, which he can then point out and address through the development of a strategy aimed at changing the faulty thinking into more positive thinking. The counselor is therefore able to proceed towards ensuring the development of an effective treatment process based on the development of new ideas and methods that are generated towards helping the patient achieve a more positive outlook of themselves. Moreover, the patient is guided towards the attainment of an attitude aimed at promoting the development of new experiences in addition to having a new perspective concerning their environment. Counselors can also give their patients home assignments in order to help them improve their perspective concerning themselves and take on a more productive attitude that allows them to overcome their condition. In this way, patients end up overcoming faulty thinking and attaining a better level of emotional wellbeing through the assistance and guidance of the counselor.

Therapeutic Goals

The cognitive behavioral therapy has a number of goals which are extremely important to its success. Among the most important of these is ensuring that there is the promotion of emotional intelligence and self-awareness when it comes to the therapist helping their patients make a self-analysis and become aware of how to distinguish their feelings between the healthy and unhealthy ones (Sun et al., 2019). Another goal of this form of therapy is to ensure that patients are helped to understand how distorted thoughts and perceptions can contribute to the development of feelings that are painful. There is also a process through which patients are provided with the means of dealing with their symptoms in a rapid way in such a way that promotes an emphasis on the current situation that they are enduring and the solution of these problems. Also, there is the goal of developing self-control among patients through teaching them specific techniques that not only identify but also challenge distorted thinking. In this way, there is the prevention of future episodes of emotional distress and instead, cognitive behavioral therapy makes it possible for the patients to attain personal growth through provision of means through which change to core beliefs that tend to be at the source of their suffering. Therefore, cognitive behavioral theory is pertinent because it ensures that there is the promotion of the welfare of patients through a focus on the source of the problem while at the same time ensuring that there is personal development through the enhancement of their self-esteem and an improvement in their outlook of the world. Thus, the role of the therapist is quite significant in this type of therapy since they act as a guide to the patient to alleviate their psychological problem.

There is a focus on the negative attitudes that the client might have and the therapist has the responsibility of pointing them out to the patients and making them realize that they are actually the cause of the psychological problem prevalent in their lives. This is an important factor in the therapist-patient relationship because it allows the therapist with an opportunity to provide the patient with the means of changing their attitudes and taking a more positive outlook to life (Alvares et al., 2014). Moreover, as mentioned above, it allows the patients to recognize that their negative attitudes are counterproductive and that these attitudes play a significant role in bringing about a scenario where they are forced to have a pessimistic view of life that actually causes such problems as depression (Karwoski et al., 2006). Therefore, in order to make sure that there is the advancement of better patient mental health, the therapist has to guide them towards making sure that they achieve a balance in their lives that prevents them from having a pessimistic attitude. Cognitive behavioral therapy also considers that in most cases, patients will prefer to talk about their problems, and because of this, there is the need for the therapist to ensure that he makes himself available and trustworthy enough to such an extent that the patients can share their darkest fears. The sharing process is important because it allows the patient to confidentially begin the change process since they share their problems with the therapist and come to terms with them. It is also necessary to consider the example of a patient suffering from depression can be helped through this form of therapy because it allows them to have a discussion with the therapist as a means of sharing their problem; enabling them to overcome it.

Techniques and Methods

Cognitive therapy is one that seeks to ensure that there is the improvement of the lives of patients through ensuring that there is a change in perspective. It is different from traditional therapy in a diversity of ways because it is not only active and directive, but it is also focused on the present time (Leichsenring et al., 2006). Moreover, the process is one that is aimed at being short-term, meaning that the goals of the therapy have to be attained within a short time. It becomes pertinent to make sure that there is the promotion of improvement among patients through a proactive approach aimed at helping them discover the root cause of their psychological problem and enabling them to not only come to terms with, but also overcome them. Therefore, in order to cognitive therapy to be a success, it becomes essential for them to place emphasis on a number of issues. The first of these is the identification of goals and problems that can be shared by the therapist and patient. This ensures that there is the effective setting of targets for the treatment process, which allows for the establishment of the basis for the relationship between the therapist and his patient. Another consideration is the establishment of a clear-cut agenda for each session, which allows the therapist to guide the patient towards making sure that there is the consideration of the aims and objective of the sessions that will be conducted. During this process, it becomes necessary to create a timeline for the attainment of goals during each sitting. It is also essential for the therapist to ensure that their patient receives some practice in changing their perspective through the provision of self-help activities that they can undertake following the therapy sessions. This is significant because it allows the patients to put into practice what they have learned and attempt to improve their perspective of life in a manner that they develop a more positive outlook. The final method is based on the process of taking objective measures of outcomes in a bid to determine its success. The role of the therapist in this case is to ensure that the patient is provided with strategies including behavioral, cognitive, and experiential to alleviate their suffering.

Reactions

This counseling approach is one that is most effective especially when one considers the way that it can help patients overcome a diversity of psychological problems, including depression. Cognitive therapy is also effective because it helps in the reduction of symptoms of anxiety and depression almost as effectively as medication, which in the end allows for a lowering of potential relapses. It is noteworthy that this approach is necessary in making sure that there is the promotion of a personalized approach where the therapist helps in guiding the patient towards overcoming their negative perceptions and towards the attainment of positive change. Therefore, the cognitive behavioral therapy is critical in the treatment of different psychological problems because of the considerable role played by the therapist in the process, while at the same time ensuring that the interests of the patient remain the main objective.

Central and peripheral routes to persuasion

 

Persuasion is the process of changing attitudes in such a way that allows for the promotion of a scenario where the individual involved is able to ensure that the audience takes his side of an argument. This is especially the case when one considers the manner through which persuasion is a basic aspect of human society. There is a lot of information concerning persuasion and this can be understood through the use of the elaboration likelihood model. This model makes the proposal that there are two routes of persuasion, namely the central and the peripheral (Yalch & Elmore-Yalch, 1984). This paper seeks to develop an understanding of the central and peripheral routes of communication and the role of the communicator, message, and the audience, in the process.

The central route of persuasion is one that involves the thoughtful consideration of the arguments made in the message. This is especially the case when one considers that there is the need to ensure that the ideas and content of the message have to be well thought out and included prior to the message being presented (Di Blasio & Milani, 2008). It is also necessary to note that when a receiver is undertaking central processing, they are actually being an active participant in the persuasion process. There are two prerequisites when it comes to central processing namely the motivation and the ability to think about the message that is to be given. The importance of this step comes about through a consideration of the way that the audience can be persuaded to pay attention to the message that is being given and how best to make sure that there is the promotion of a scenario where there is the advancement of message effectiveness. Thus, if the audience does not understand or is not interested in the message, it is likely that he lacks the ability to undertake central processing.

The peripheral route, on the other hand, is based on the decision by the listener to either agree or disagree with the message based on other factors apart from the strength of the arguments made. An example of such circumstances is where a listener may make the decision to ensure that he listens to the argument and agree with it based on the attractiveness of the presenter of the message (Petty & Cacioppo, 1984). Another aspect of the peripheral route is that the listener could end up being persuaded based on the consideration of the many arguments that a message might have, but does not have the motivation to think of the arguments individually. In this way, peripheral considerations rather than the credibility of the message end up having a greater impact on the persuasion process. However, it is essential to consider that there are instances where individuals will choose to agree with a message based on the seeming knowledge of the source. This occurs in cases where the audience is not willing to think too much on the message and prefers to trust in the word of the source. Because of this, the receivers of the message using the peripheral route will most likely be more passive concerning the message than is the case with the central route.

Therefore, when it comes to persuasion, it matters whether the audience is willing to take on the central or peripheral route. Under such circumstances, the persuasion that takes place from a central route will have different effects from that taking place from the peripheral route (Pöyry, Parvinen, & McFarland, 2017). Thus, attitude changes that come about because of the processing of arguments that are relevant to issues will often show greater temporal persistence, greater behavior prediction, and greater resistance when it comes to counters to the persuasion that are based on peripheral cues. In most cases, persuaders will often seek to ensure that their message and its impact lasts longer in the minds of the audience, but while this may be the case, it is pertinent to note that there are instances where peripheral routes have a more lasting effect. However, it is important to consider that while the central route is the most preferred one when it comes to persuasion because of the length of its duration in the minds of audiences, both the central and peripheral routes should be well understood because they occur to receivers in the regular social circumstances.

There is a focus on the duration of the message when considering the central route. This is significant because of the desire to understand how best to influence the audience through the persuasiveness and the number of times that they are exposed to the message. In this route of persuasion, there is the active engagement of the audience to such an extent that they end up believing the message that they are being told or shown (O'Keefe, 2016). If the content being shown is directly related or near to the audience, the person is more likely to be influenced by the message to change their behavior to the one desired by the communicator. This is because the central route is one that makes use of credibility, arguments, facts, and expertise in order to ensure that the attention of the audience is gained. This process therefore ensures that there is the establishment of an environment where the audience is more likely to trust in the information being presented to them.

The peripheral route of persuasion is based on the message promoting popularity and fame. The latter comes about through the way that messages end up being used as a means of persuading the audience based on the attractiveness of the individual giving the message rather than the message itself (Algarni, 2019). There are no elaborations to the message and instead, there is the promotion of a scenario where the audience is passive. Mental shortcuts are used to enhance the persuasion process, which ensures that there is the creation of an environment within which individuals are persuaded temporarily and because of the euphoric feelings that they might have, accept the message as fact. However, change in attitudes through this route is always temporary and in the end, the audience can be persuaded otherwise quickly.

An example of the workings of persuasive routes is that of advertisements. When advertisements are shown, the message that is given is often one that seeks to ensure that the audience is attracted to it (Allison, Davis, Webb, & Short, 2017). In this way, the audience can be persuaded to either change his behavior or agree with the message being given. In this way, different attitudes are formed and changed through the use of the advertisement. The process of persuasion in this way is one that considers the different types of audiences. The first of these are those individuals that are easily influenced due to their gullibility. The second are those that are highly argumentative and skeptical, meaning that they cannot be influenced easily. The third are those individuals who have bad communication skills yet have firm beliefs. The fourth and final category is those individuals that are not only leaders, but also trust others to ensure that they follow their ideas and thinking while using their charisma to ensure that they are followed by others. Therefore, the way that most individuals in society behave fall into one of the categories that have been mentioned.

The communicator has the role of making sure that they are not only credible, but also highly persuasive. This is an important aspect of the peripheral persuasion route because the perception of the individuals involved is one that should be viewed as not only trustworthy, but also competent as a means of achieving the goal of persuading the audience (Guyer, Briñol, Petty, & Horcajo, 2019). Moreover, it is essential to consider that the individuals involved have to be knowledgeable concerning their message in a manner that allows them to not only gain the trust of the audience, but also enable them to change the views of the audience in a way that persuades them that he has nothing to gain personally. The likeability of the communicator is also critical because it allows for more to be accomplished through the peripheral route in a manner that ensures that there is the promotion of similarity with the audience as well as the use of their physical attributes, such as beauty, to enhance the effectiveness of the message. In this way, the communicator is able to play a highly significant role in bringing about the enhancement of the message through his presence and the attitude that he generates from the audience towards him.

The message is also an important aspect of persuasion and it plays a significant role when it comes to the central route. This route is one that requires that the message can be more persuasive through the promotion of a positive mood among the audience (Wood, Kallgren, & Preisler, 1985). Furthermore, it is a means through which to ensure that there is the enhancement of a positive attitude from the audience in such a way that allows for the attainment of the goal of persuading them to accept it. The message has to be tailored in a way that ensures that there is the use of credible information as well as an effective means of promoting the interests of the audience so that they can be persuaded to listen. In a scenario where a message of a threat is being given, it becomes necessary to also include information concerning how to best handle the threat in order to overcome the fear that comes with it. Moreover, the message can be presented as a two-sided argument that allows the audience to consider the options involved and make the decision that best suits them.

The audience plays the role of listening to the message being transmitted. Therefore, there should be a consideration of the way that they can be persuaded so that the message can be tailored to their attitudes. Furthermore, there should be a process where they are able to both contrast and assimilate the message so that they can be able to not only handle the diversity of issues being presented, but also come to a decision concerning their position on the matter. Moreover, it is critical for the audience to be allowed to assimilate messages through the opinions being presented in the said messages being presented as being similar to their own position than they really are; essentially persuading them to take on the position that is desired by the communicator.

The people that are persuaded by the peripheral route tend to be passive unlike the central route because of their unwillingness to think through the message being presented. This is unlike those persuaded by the central route, which will often end up seeking to ensure that the message they get is authentic and based on facts. Moreover, the attitude changes that come about from the attraction of attention is a basic aspect of the peripheral route and because of this, it is based on populism. The latter is especially prevalent in the peripheral route of persuasion, which make use of unsubstantiated claims, unlike in the central route, which is used in informative programs to educate the audience. The discussion above has also shown that central route persuasion tends to last longer than that of the peripheral route, which shows the manner through which individuals in society will often end up in a scenario where they are swiftly persuaded by populist ideas only to forget about it within a short time. thus, while the audience is deeply involved in the processing of messages using the central route, the same cannot be said of peripheral routes, which they show low involvement in.

Early Mental Health Treatment

 

Early mental health treatment was often quite dangerous for the patients involved. Among the earliest and most common of these treatments were trephination, bloodletting and purging, and isolation in asylums (Peters & Tesar, 2020). Trephination was a process that involved the removal of a small part of the skull using a saw, auger, or bore and was used for thousands of years as a means of treating mental illness, which was at times considered a form of demonic possession. Bloodletting and purging grained prominence in the 17^th century, and it involved a belief that illnesses came about because of an imbalance of humors in the body. A consequence was that bleeding was considered a means of making sure that there was a return of the proper balance of humors in the body. 

Furthermore, there was the belief that bleeding could also help in the treatment of mental illness; a process that would be considered quite unethical in the modern world since there was the use of venesection or leaches. Isolation in asylums was another aspect of mental illness that became popular beginning in the medieval period. The main intention of asylums was to ensure that the individuals affected by mental health problems were kept away from view of their communities and families because during this period, mental illness was often a social stigma. However, in the modern world, the passage of such laws as the National Mental Health Act (1946) allowed for a prioritization of mental health in society. 

Developments in treatments based on a better understanding of mental illnesses have ensured that the safety of patients is prioritized. It is likely that the developments in research and more insight into mental illness will allow for even better treatment methods in future to ensure that there is the enhancement of patient safety.

Human Development and the Learning Process

 

The development of human beings encompasses their development at cognitive, physical and psychosocial levels. This process takes place throughout their lifespan and has a considerable influence on the way that they perceive the world. it is also essential to consider that these individuals are affected by their environment, specifically their socialization from infancy, which results in a scenario where they are able to adapt to their environment and come to terms with it. The physical development of individuals takes place in the growth and changes that they encounter in their brains and bodies, in addition to their motor skills, senses and overall health and wellbeing. The cognitive aspect, on the other hand, involves the process of learning, memory, attention, reasoning, and language, among many other aspects. Finally, there is the psychosocial development, which involves the developmental of personality, social relationships, and emotions, which determine the character of the individuals involved. The importance of these processes cannot be underestimated, especially when it comes to the learning process because they ensure that there is the attainment of competence among learners. This paper seeks to make an analysis of the manner through which human development at a cognitive, physical and psychosocial level has an effect on the learning process.

The learning process is one that comes about following the developmental stages of individuals. Thus, learning begins from a completely dependent level at infancy and early childhood, and gradually develops into a more independent approach where the individuals involved are able to make sure that they can direct their own learning (Kasworm, 1983). In this way, the educative framework develops in a manner that is aimed at eventually attaining a level of independence in learning that ensures that there is learning that is self-initiated and self-directed. Through this process, it becomes possible to make sure that there is the promotion of a scenario where the individual is able to maintain a stable learning process where he is capable of understanding the diversity of concepts that he is learning. The major aim of education is to make sure that the individual involved is able to attaining a learning state that is mature, so that he can not only think for himself, but also transmit the knowledge that he has to others comfortably. However, in order to attain the latter goal, it is necessary for there to be a facilitative environment as well as resources that are aimed at the provision of an effective education for the individual. Through these facilities, it becomes possible for individuals to ensure that they are able to learn new skills, attain knowledge, and develop attitudes concerning different aspects of their environment. The capabilities of individuals are therefore considerably enhanced as they move from one developmental stage to another, which allows for the advancement of the learning process in a manner that ensures that they become more independent. However, in order to ensure the understanding of the connection between human development and the learning process, it is essential to consider the developments that take place in the physical, cognitive, and psychosocial domains.

The physical domain is one that is involved with the growth of the bodies of individuals from one stage to another. During this process, it becomes possible for there to be an awareness of the changes that take place in the gross motor skills as well as their increasing coordination in children (Draper et al., 2012). This process is one that is best observed when it comes to the way that children will coordinate when undertaking such actions as playing sports, as they move from one developmental stage to another. It is essential to consider that not only is physical development a matter of the body alone, but also of the development of the brain, which ensures that the child motor coordination is not only functioning, but also provides an environment within which there is greater coordination between planning and emotions in adulthood because brain development will often continue beyond infancy and childhood. Physical development also includes such areas as sexual health, changes in senses, as well as primary and secondary aging processes. It is also necessary to consider that when it comes to physical development, there is the need to make sure that there is the promotion of healthy habits such as exercise and nutrition which are pertinent for every stage of development. This is especially the case when it comes to the way that the latter helps in ensuring that the learning process is more effective. It is therefore necessary to ensure that there is the integration of healthy nutritional habits among individuals from an early age so that they are able to maintain these habits during the most critical parts of their lives, including the learning process.

The learning process cannot take place without cognition, and this is the reason why the cognitive domain and its development cannot be underestimated. Infants tend to learn at a rapid pace, especially when it comes to the development of language (Fernald et al., 1998). There are also huge differences when it comes to the way that children at different stages of development will think, especially from a logical level, concerning the world around them. Therefore, cognitive development involves a process where there are a diversity of mental processes, including learning, thinking, and understanding, which begins at childhood but does not stop there. Instead, there is the promotion of a scenario where cognitive development continues to grow to such an extent that when a child reaches adolescence, he or she ends up developing the ability to think logically concerning the abstract world. It is during this stage of development that these individuals end up often challenging adult perspective based on the process where they are essentially exercising their newly discovered cognitive skills. It is also through the process of human development from childhood to adulthood that individuals end up developing practical intelligence based on moral reasoning. The experiences that they encounter over time allow these individuals to develop wisdom, which is critical to the attainment of the goal of applying experiences to practical matters in other contexts. The different forms of intelligence as well as memory abilities will often change as individuals grow older and because of this, the development of the brain and the mental abilities associated with it end up becoming more pertinent based on the cognitive functions that take place across the lifespan.

Development at a psychosocial level is a process that considers the manner through which individuals end up developing both psychologically and socially. At the early stage of development, there is a focus on the manner through which infants develop in relation to their caregivers, especially from the perspective of temperament and attachment (Leerkes & Zhou, 2018). However, as the social world of the child expands and there is psychological growth, there is a consideration of the different types of interactions and play with other children. When they go to school, their interaction with their teachers also becomes important because it involves the development of personality, relationships, self-esteem, and emotions in the individual. As time progresses and the child develops further, peers become more important, especially at the adolescent level, which allows them to not only explore new roles, but also make sure that they develop their own identities independent of their primary caregivers, especially their parents. Psychosocial development continues across childhood, with the result being that it becomes quite challenging for there to be an effective means of bringing about the attainment of an individual identity. Individuals in the adolescent stage will often seek to make sure that they try out a diversity of processes aimed at promoting a scenario where they come to attain a level of identity that is acceptable to them. The psychosocial domain is one that ensures that there is the promotion of a scenario where the individual involved is able to develop mentally within a social environment, which allows them to not only become more effective members of society, but also to identify as individuals.

Therefore, following a consideration of the developmental processes, it becomes necessary to ensure that it is effectively connected to the learning process. This can be done through a consideration of the way that the cognitive, physical, and psychosocial development of individuals ends up creating an environment within which they are able to learn effectively (Orongan et al., 2019). A number of activities mark the changes that take place when individuals develop from one stage to another including a movement from the dependence of the learner on the authority of the teacher to one where there is considerable interdependence or independence. Another aspect of development is seen through the way that individuals will over time evolve from the passive acceptance of information to a move towards inquiry and evaluation that come about through the development of intellectual capabilities. Also, there is a movement from institutional learning structures to those that better reflect the interests of the individual involved. In this way, the individual is better able to make sure that there is the promotion of a scenario where he conducts personal or cooperative learning activities in an effective manner. Thus, learning not only becomes easier, but it also ensures that there is the attainment of the goal of promoting the interests of the learner in such a what that allows for better academic attainment as he becomes more independent of the teacher. Learning is therefore a critical aspect of the human development process since it equips the individual with the means to integrate effectively into society.

Change is a critical process within the human development framework because it ensures that individuals are able to modify their behavior and attitude in order to attain certain goals. This is a process that involves learning, which provides individuals with the means through which they shift from one behavior to another as a means of attaining the goal of bringing about changes to behavior (Elder Jr & Shanahan, 2007). There is also the need to consider that change is a process that involves the identification of differences in characteristics in an inclusive act of judgment that is made use of in a descriptive way. An example of such a scenario is where an individual is categorized as either being within a teacher-directed or self-directed behavior. This perspective is one that considers the individual to have the capability to determine which behavior best suits their learning process. It is important to consider that change is critical in the developmental process because it allows individuals to gain a greater understanding of not only their environment, but also gain the ability to learn more complex concepts in their education. Change to behavior has the ability to ensure that there is the establishment of means through which individuals are able to gain more from the learning process than would otherwise have been the case in lower levels of development. Thus, they are able to move from directed learning where there is an authority figure to a learning process that is self-directed and independent.

Growth is another process which can be considered essential especially when it comes to the learning process. This is because as individuals increasingly enhance their learning skills through cognitive and physical development, they are able to ensure that they not only achieve the goal of bringing about progress in their education, but are also able to add and build onto the foundation based on a hierarchical process (Barham et al., 2013). Growth orientation is significant because it involves a scenario where there is self-directed learning based on the experiences that the individual has attained over time through their human developmental process. From infancy to adolescence, individuals develop new capabilities at every state, resulting in a situation where they are able to grow from one stage to another. Thus, they move from complete dependence to a high level of independence as they seek to attain knowledge concerning their areas of interest. The progressive development of the learner is therefore a critical step in enhancing their learning process since it allows for the process of pedagogical learning growing into self-directed learning based on the experiences that the individual has accumulated over time. Growth ensures that the individual is able to attain the key skills and interactive elements capable of making sure that there is the establishment of learning projects that are not only considerably advanced, but also reliant on bringing about the personal and mental development of the individual. In this way, growth can be considered to be a consequence of the learning experiences of the individual in such a way that he is able to attain greater cognitive skills that go hand in hand with physical development.

The development of individuals is a process that involves a scenario where there is the assumption of growth and change. This is significant especially when one considers that the learner is able to gain greater insight and skill when it comes to their learning stance (Kagan, 1976). It is also essential to note that learners are individuals that have undergone considerable growth from one developmental stage to another. A consequence of this situation is that these individuals develop learning capabilities based on their developmental stages to such an extent that they are not only able to advance their knowledge, but also pursue their learning interests. It is also pertinent to note that the learning experiences of individuals both formal and informal are critical to their understanding of their environment. this is especially the case when one considers the considerable growth that individuals undergo to such an extent that they are not only able to move from being cognitively less developed to highly competent individuals, but they are also capable of making sure that they shift from dependence to independence. It is also from this process that learning takes place, which is significant because it shows the manner through which the attainment of knowledge concerning the human environment is tied closely to the development of individuals from one stage to another.

In conclusion, the analysis above has sought to show the way that human development at cognitive, physical and psychosocial levels has an effect on the learning process. Human development, especially at the early levels, tends to have a profound influence on the way that individuals will respond to their environment. This is inclusive of the potential of their being highly influenced in their learning at both the formal and informal levels to such an extent that they end up in a scenario where they are able to move from complete dependency on their caregivers to a level of independence based on the influence of their peers. Human development is therefore a process that allows individuals to learn through socialization in such a way that not only enhances their capabilities from level to level, but also ensure that there is the promotion of individual interests as they grow older and recognize their individuality.

Short-term memory

 

Short term memory is a critical aspect of the lives of individuals because it helps them to conduct their daily activities. This is because it provides them with the means of making sure that they perform their activities in a manner that is effective and efficient. There are often changes in short term memory as individuals grow older, as seen in the manner through which they end up in a situation where as they grow older, their short term memory is not as good. Short term memory involves the performance of memory for short durations, meaning that it involves individuals recalling events that have just taken place. In this way, individuals end up using their short term memories more often to ensure that they fulfill specific tasks. It is noteworthy that aging, as well as the development of conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease can result in a situation where short term memory becomes considerably limited and it has an effect on both men and women at an equal level. The study of short term memory is pertinent because it allows for the creation of a perspective concerning the way it works as well as the manner through which individuals use it to fulfill their everyday tasks. This paper considers short term memory from different perspectives, including on the basis on gender, and decay as well as the way that it is affected by diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

Short term memory can be considered to be gender based and because of this, it is more effective among women than among men. This perspective is based on a study that sought to show the manner through which short term memory works among men and women (Knox et al., 2007). This study, which involved equal number of men and women, showed that women were more capable of using their short term memories than men. When both groups of participants were shown images, the male participants were only able to recall about 21% of the images while the female participants recalled an average of 60%. Thus, women have a greater short term memory capacity than their male counterparts. The latter study on short term memory is pertinent because it allows for a consideration of the manner through which women are more likely to have a greater short term memory capacity than males and allows for a determinant of the role that gender plays in this type of memory. It is noteworthy that because of this, it has become possible to make sure that there is the promotion of a hypothesis where because of the greater capacity of short term memory that women have, they have the capability to enhance their multitasking to such an extent that they can get more accomplished than men. It is also pertinent that short term memory manifests itself differently in men and women because it allows for a consideration of it based on gender differences.

Short term memory is all about the recollection of recent events. The importance of this memory is that it allows individuals to make sure that they undertake tasks or recall events that have taken place recently. However, the longer the delay prior to recollecting the event, the less information is likely to be recalled (Cowan, 2008); resulting in a scenario where the mind will seek to fill in the gaps with false information. Short term memory does not allow for rehearsal to such an extent that once information is received, the process of loss begins immediately. There is the need to make sure that there is the rehearsal of the information perceived or received in order to ensure that there is the retention of the memory in the long term. Therefore, based on the latter consideration, it becomes possible to note that short term memory is one that has a limited duration since there are not further actions taken to ensure that the information lasts longer. Short term memory is therefore based on the way that the faculties of the human mind interpret scenarios and the considerably limited amount of information that it is able to recall in a temporary state. Short term memory decays over time and this creates a situation where information that is given becomes more unreliable as more time passes by. A consequence of this scenario is that the process of long-term retrieval is that it creates an environment within which it is quite difficult for memories to be recalled without contamination.

Short term memory plays a critical role in making sure that there is the absorption of new information. However, there are instances where short term memory can be affected, especially through aging and Alzheimer’s disease. At the initial stages of Alzheimer’s, for example, the short term memory ends up being impaired and the individual involved ends up becoming forgetful (Grady et al., 2001). As the disease progresses, however, the impairment ends up interfering with the ability of the individual to not only perform their work, but also to interact socially. Therefore, short term memory and its efficiency are determined by the context within which the individual is involved. The age of the individual, for example, can create problems with short term memory because it creates an environment within which it is difficult to achieve accurate recollection. Thus, the older the individual, the less likely he is to have an accurate short term memory. The short term memory capabilities of individuals end up playing a significant role in the development of their long term memories. Without short term memories due to changes to the brain physiology, it becomes extremely difficult to sustain short term memories, meaning that there is the promotion of a scenario where long term memories are no longer developed. Consequently, short term memories become extremely pertinent in making sure that there is the promotion of overall recollection in individual and are therefore important in bringing about the effective performance of memory over time.

In conclusion, the discussion above has considered short term memory from different perspectives, including on the basis on gender, decay as well as the way that it is affected by diseases such as Alzheimer’s. It has shown the way that short term memory is critical for the creation of means through which basic tasks can be performed by individuals. However, when considered in the context of delay, the longer the delay is from an event, the less likely is the short term memory to be accurate. Therefore, while short term memory is pivotal in ensuring the attainment of long term memory, its efficiency depends on the delay that is encountered from the time events take place.