Analyze human behavior with regard to individual capabilities and limitations.
Case: Jayla and Elijah

Jayla Williams is a 22-year old who just graduated from college a month ago. While she was in college, she had many experiences that helped her develop into the young adult that she is today. Jayla has a strong religious background, and when she entered college, she was exposed to diverse individuals who didn’t necessarily share her same background or religious beliefs. She was also introduced for the first time to people who were atheists, and to those who did not believe in anything at all. Her religious beliefs are important to her as they guide her behavior and her values and morals. Since graduating college, she is still a very religious person, but due to her interactions, she now has a different way of viewing her religion and her overall beliefs about this part of her life. Jayla has been attending church regularly, and has met Elijah, a 23-year-old man with similar religious beliefs to hers. She feels very comfortable around Elijah, and trusts him fully. She feels connected to him emotionally and can openly talk to him about her feelings. Elijah claims to love Jayla, but he often expresses thoughts that she is cheating on him or that she doesn’t want to be with him and is going to leave at any moment. This is upsetting to her as she has never cheated on him and desperately wants the relationship to work.

Cognitive Development

The changes discussed in the scenario related to Jayla’s cognitive development have been discussed by many theorists including William Perry. William Perry developed a stage theory related to cognitive and moral development of students in college. His theory has nine positions or stages that he uses to explain the cognitive changes that occur in college students throughout their time in school. Using the scenario about Jayla, address the different statements listed below related to her cognitive development. For the purposes of this paper, assume that at the end of college Jayla has reached Position 8.

1. Using Jayla’s religious beliefs in the scenario above, examine each of the nine stages of Perry’s theory as they relate to her exposure to ideas about religion that are different from her own. With each of the stages, illustrate how Jayla would view religious beliefs that were different from hers. Be sure to utilize at least one specific example for each of the stages that are discussed, and identify any strengths or limitations with regard to each of the stages. When you discuss the stages, please break them down like they do on page 421 of the book. Note that Perry groups Positions 7, 8, and 9 together, so do this in your paper as well.

2. Justify whether or not you feel Jayla is more capable in terms of her cognitive development as a result of her experiences in college. Using Perry’s theory, defend your answer with specific examples of why you do or do not think she is more capable with regard to her cognitive development at the end of college versus when she first entered.

Socioemotional Development

In the scenario with Jayla and Elijah, they both seemed to have different views of the relationship, and seemed to be in different places with regard to how they feel. The book discusses three attachment prototypes in peer/romantic relationships, including Avoidant, Anxious-ambivalent, and Secure.

1. Using the scenario, determine which type of attachment both Jayla and Elijah have based on the information presented. Support your answer with examples from the scenario.

2. Summarize some of the main components that comprise each of the types of attachment Jayla and Elijah have. Be sure to identify any strengths and limitations with the types of attachment.