University of Maryland Lifespan Development Discussion

Part 1. Main Entry: Post a brief analysis of what you have learned from this week’s readings and activities. Start a new thread, and place the header — Name’s Main Entry (e.g., Liam’s Main Entry) at the top. Within the body of your post, clearly identify each segment of the required response in order to facilitate discussion development.

a. This week’s great takeaway: What concept or theory did you find most interesting this week? Why?

b. Choose one of the following options:

1. Marriage Types:In this week’s readings (Typology of Marriage) Olson and Fowers (1993) break marriages into five types: vitalized, harmonious, traditional, conflicted, and devitalized. Find examples in the media (articles, blogs, stories, articles, images, etc.) that represent three of the types. Once you have selected your three examples, post them here, accompanied by an explanation of why you selected each as representative of the associated marriage type.

Before you begin, you may find reading Olson and Fower’s (19913) article (shared in our Week 7 Learning Resources). The methodology applied is interesting. Figure 1 in the article (page 8 of the attached PDF) provides a distinctive visual contrasting characteristic across the five types.

2. Persuasive Information: Create a one-page brochure, or a brief one to two-minute infomercial, for people in midlife or late adulthood, targeting the enhancement optimal aging. As you begin your design, think about what facts and resources you identify as most important. How can you best convey those details? When your product is ready, post it to this discussion, accompanied by a brief statement of what inspired your design approach.