what is trajectory life course perspective

by Gage Collier 4 min read

In addition to these principles, three key and related concepts — trajectory, transition, and turning point — are commonly used in life course research to describe human developmental phenomena. Trajectories are “paths of change in developmental processes” (Van Geert, 1994, p.31) and mark the long view of the life course.

Trajectories are “paths of change in developmental processes” (Van Geert, 1994, p. 31) and mark the long view of the life course. Long-term human phenomena such as work life, education, parenting, and marriage are often described in terms of trajectories.

Full Answer

What is trajectory in life?

The comprehensive approach of the life course perspective offers important insights with specific relevance for the study of health trajectories, as will be described in this section. The …

How do life course trajectories vary by social class?

May 02, 2020 · The life course perspective combines the impact of both long term and short-term events on an individual's life. This perspective has been buttressed by a number of long …

Are men’s life course trajectories more rigidly structured than women's life trajectories?

Jul 24, 2014 · Life course perspective is a theory used in the social sciences that looks at how a person grows and changes over time. Researchers using this theory may study a cohort, or a …

What is the life course perspective?

The life course perspective is a sociological way of defining the process of life through the context of a culturally defined sequence of age categories that people are normally expected to …

What are examples of life trajectories?

Examples include: an individual who gets married at the age of 20 is more likely to have a relatively early transition of having a baby, raising a baby and sending a child away when a child is fully grown up in comparison to his/her age group.

What are the five principles of the life course perspective?

Several fundamental principles characterize the life course approach. They include: (1) socio-historical and geographical location; (2) timing of lives; (3) heterogeneity or variability; (4) "linked lives" and social ties to others; (5) human agency and personal control; and (6) how the past shapes the future.

What is life course perspective in research?

The life course perspective is a holistic approach to examining the lives of people over time. It includes continuities and stability on the one hand and changes and transitions, in relationship to larger social, economic, and historical contexts that influence both continuity and change on the other [20, 21].

What are three themes of the life course perspective?

Three important themes of the life course perspective—timing of lives, diversity in life course trajectories, and human agency—are particularly useful for engaging diverse individuals and social groups.

What is the difference between transitions and trajectories?

A transition is a discrete life change or event within a trajectory (e.g., from a single to married state), whereas a trajectory is a sequence of linked states within a conceptually defined range of behavior or experience (e.g., education and occupational career).

What is the life course perspective in social work?

The life course perspective emphasizes the interdependence of human lives and the ways in which relationships both support and control an individual's behavior. Social support, defined as help rendered by others that benefits an individual or collectivity, is an obvious element of interdependent lives.Aug 12, 2014

How does the life course perspective enhance the study of aging?

The life course approach to ageing suggests that the rate of decline in function for a particular organ or system is not only dependent on contemporary influences but on the level of peak function attained earlier in life, which in turn depends partly on developmental processes and early environmental influences (Dodds ...

What is the life course perspective and how does it relate to health development?

A life course perspective acknowledges that health status reflects cumulative life conditions. Thus, interventions should be tailored to specific developmental stages and take into account the impact of cumulative social and environmental exposures, both positive and negative.

Who came up with the life course perspective?

Glen Elder
Glen Elder theorized the life course as based on five key principles: life-span development, human agency, historical time and geographic place, timing of decisions, and linked lives.

What is a trajectory in social work?

Trajectory. An Examination of long-term patterns (not discrete) of stability or change over time composed of multiple transitions. -A path from one transition to another. Life event (non-norm)

Are life transitions age graded?

Life course theory posits that life transitions are age graded, meaning that they typically occur within a given age range, and in a normative sequence. Transitions that occur at unusual ages (i.e., “off time”), or out of sequence, may be particularly difficult.

What is life trajectory?

Also, what is a life trajectory? Trajectory: A Model For Your Path in Life. Your trajectory is simply the path in life that you choose. When you continue to progress your life in a certain direction you will reach a certain end-goal.

What is trajectory theory?

While most theories look to one factor as to why people become criminals, trajectory theory is a theory that says there are multiple pathways to crime. Paths, in this case, are routes through life that direct a person toward delinquent behavior quicker and at a higher rate than other trajectories. Click to see full answer.

What is life course perspective?

Lesson Summary. Life course perspective is a theory used in the social sciences that looks at how a person grows and changes over time. Researchers using this theory may study a cohort, or a group of people born during a particular timeframe who've experienced similar historical events.

What is life course theory?

The life course perspective, also known as life course theory, is used in the social sciences to help understand human development. The approach takes into account how we grow and change as we go through life experiences. It even looks at how historical events and cultural shifts affect an individual's evolution over time.

What was it like to grow up during the Great Depression?

What was it like to grow up during the Great Depression in the United States, a time in which an estimated one in four people in the workforce were unemployed? Profound changes in the economy affected just about everyone . For children, still in an early stage of development, the Depression shaped their lives to a great deal, affecting everything from the values they learned to whether they grew up with the basic necessities of life.

What is a transition in life?

A transition occurs when there is movement from one role or status to another over time. This transition to having less money occurred because of the life event of losing a job. Getting married, getting divorced, a loved one passing away, and having a baby, along with many other changes, are all considered life events.

What are life events?

A life event is a significant change that has a consequence or impact on a person's life.

What is a turning point in life?

This kind of transition is known as a turning point, a period of time that alters the life course trajectory. A turning point can include negative experiences, such as college savings being drained, as well as positive experiences, such as a renewed appreciation for the support of those helping to deal with the crisis.

What is cohort theory?

Researchers using this theory may study a cohort, or a group of people born during a particular timeframe who've experienced similar historical events. They study the transitions people experience, where there is movement from one role or status to another.

What is life course perspective?

The life course perspective is a sociological way of defining the process of life through the context of a culturally defined sequence of age categories that people are normally expected to pass through as they progress from birth to death.

What is life course theory?

Life course theory merges the concepts of historical inheritance with cultural expectation and personal development, which in turn sociologists study to map the course of human behavior given different social interaction and stimulation.

When was the life course concept first developed?

When the concept was first developed in the 1960s, the life course perspective hinged upon the rationalization of the human experience into structural, cultural and social contexts, pinpointing the societal cause for such cultural norms as marrying young or likelihood to commit a crime.

What is trajectory theory?

While most theories look to one factor as to why people become criminals, trajectory theory is a theory that says there are multiple pathways to crime. Paths, in this case, are routes through life that direct a person toward delinquent behavior quicker and at a higher rate than other trajectories.

What degree does Leanne have?

Lesson Transcript. Leanne has a master's degree and an independent licensure in chemical dependency counseling. She has extended experience in corrections and post-secondary education.

What are the factors that contribute to delinquency?

Studies have shown that depression, anxiety, aggression, ADHD, and low intelligence are all highly correlated with delinquency.

What are the causes of delinquency?

Certain mental disorders and types of personalities have been linked to higher rates of delinquency. Studies have shown that depression, anxiety, aggression, ADHD, and low intelligence are all highly correlated with delinquency. Let's now take a look at another case study.

Unhealthy Life vs Healthy Life

Let’s look at another common example. Let’s say you have the desire to lose weight and be more fit and healthy.

What Can You Do Right Now?

The most important thing you can do RIGHT NOW is to determine what the right trajectory is for you. Examine what your current trajectory is and ask yourself whether continuing down this path will lead you to the life you desire the most?

Want Some More Guidance?

There are a ton of other strategies you will need to be successful in progressing down your new trajectory and these are all provided to you in the Launch Your Life Academy.

For the Comments

I’d love to hear your thoughts on the concept of trajectory. Are you currently on the right path in your life? Do you desire to change? Have you tried changing previously? What successes or challenges have you experienced when stepping onto a new trajectory?

What is the life course perspective?

The life course perspective attempts to understand the continuities as well as the twists and turns in the paths of individual lives. 2. The life course perspective recognizes the influence of historical changes on human behavior. 3.

What is social age?

Social agerefers to the age-graded roles and behaviors expected by society —in other words, the socially constructed meaning of various ages. The concept ofage normis used to indicate the behaviors that are expected of people of a specific age in a given society at a par- ticular point in time.

Who cared for Maria and Carlos in the evenings?

They were happy to share the care of Maria, along with Carlos, while Emma worked. Emma cared for Maria and Carlos in the evenings so that Rosa and Aida could work. Maria was, indeed, an engaging baby, and she was thriving with the adoration of Rosa, Carlos, Aida, Juan, and Emma.

Who is Emma's father?

Emma’s father, Carlos, worked hard to make a living for his family,sometimes working as many as three jobs at once.After the children were all in school, Emma’s mother, Rosa, began to work as a domestic worker in the homes of a few wealthy families in Manhattan.

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