1.1. Physical--"It's a girl!" My parents found out my gender when they were able to, marking the physical determination of my gender. From toenails to brain, I begin my life in the womb. My physical properties change drastically from conception to birth. As a newborn my head is a third of my body, and during the womb my organs, tissue, and nervous system begin to develop. Genetics are a master key in what I will look like. I inherited blond hair, blue eyes, and fair skin from my parents and grandparents.
1.2. Cognitive--As my brain develops prenatally and as a newborn, I begin to differentiate people. Sense of touch is key to my development, as I am able to recognize familiar objects, or learn about new ones. I use touch to feel objects by placing them in my mouth or hands and feet.
1.3. Socio-emotional--I interact with my mother in the womb, and when I am born I begin to endure relationships with those around me. The "Big Five" theory suggests that neuroticism and extroversion is inherited. This can be argued as to why I inherited extroversion; enabling my newborn abilities to explore.
2. Adolescence
2.1. Physical--Alas, my favorite and most tumultuous stage I have experienced this far. Adolescence marks a great feat. Many things stand in the way, and puberty is one of them. I am more developed than other girls my age, and it began at an early age. My primary and secondary sex characteristics developed during this stage. I started wearing bras, and began menstruation. As our book states, the start of menarche, can sometimes bring anxiety to other girls this age. I was one of them. I was constantly struggling with my growing body and changes. Although I am thankful now, I wish I would have been then. My height stopped at fourteen, and I have been five foot four inches ever since!
2.2. Cognitive--Our book states that during adolescence, our ability to think beyond the concrete, current situations to what might or could be distinguishes the difference from that of our former childhood years. Abstract thinking more or less. I know in high school, I questioned authority, and faith more so than ever before. I was also able to utilize the formal operational stage; using the principles of logic to conduct problem solving and thinking skills. This is true for high school science classes. As I used many abstract thinking to determine conclusions.
2.3. Socio-emotional--To me, socio-emotional almost seems like the most prominent component of adolescence. Friends, enemies, parties, off campus lunch, choosing your classes. These are all examples of social interaction during this period. During my adolescence I was fixated of hanging out with my friends. I rarely spent weekends at home with my parents. Growing up in a small town I was able to make friends or at least know everyone in my school or graduating class. Self esteem was never really an issue for me during adolescence, although our book states that this is a very trying time for that; as younger adolescents want others' and themselves to view them in a certain way.
3. Early Adulthood
3.1. Physical--Early adulthood, where I find myself currently. I am very happy in this period, and I have noticed very little physical differences this far. Although weight is more of an issue now than before. I was always very active, and now that i work and do homework all the time, I find it harder to eat how I want without exercising, as it causes me to gain weight. Our book states that obesity is an epidemic during this period. Weight control is difficult, and battling it is a large issue for those who are overweight. I am studying to be a Registered Dietitian so hopefully that aids in my ability to stay fit and healthy through the rest of my early adulthood stage.
3.2. Cognitive--Cognitive, almost seems the most vital to me now. I am not who I was in adolescence. I value cognitive skills highly, and school is the number one priority in my life. Schaie's stages of Development are key during this period. One in particular appeals to me, the achieving stage. It states that young adults must confront and resolve several major issues and the decisions they make have implications for the rest of our lives. For example, two years ago I was presented with two job offers. One which offered more slack in hours, and one which schedule was unpredictable. I choose the former, because it enabled me to go to school full time and still have time at home for homework and social skills.
3.3. Socio-emotional-- I have noticed a difference in my socio-emotional stage during early adulthood than in my previous periods. I have started to make myself a priority over those in my life. I don't care as much about what others' are doing, and instead I focus on what will benefit me. Our book mentions that during early adulthood we are often confronted with choosing a partner. I have done that already, well I am at least in a steady long term relationship. I hope that through the rest of my early adulthood that I am content in my decision and live happily ever after with my current partner. Our text also mentions that some psychologists believe that our attachment style as infants is repeated in the quality of our intimate relationships as adults.
4. Middle Adulthood
4.1. Physical--Of course several factors arise during this time period. Stress, heart disease, and cancer are in larger amounts for people during middle adulthood. We seem more prone to this ailments. As a Registered Dietitian I hope to curb some of those issues. I believe that in middle adulthood I would have a strong hold on nutrition and physical activity. As someone who has always been active, I hope to maintain a healthy and very active lifestyle. I want to enjoy tennis, and I hope to participate in more physical activities as I age. Our book mentions the importance of maintaining regular health screenings, and as someone who works in health care I know that I will be prone to do them.
4.2. Cognitive--My favorite part of this chapter, was learning about cognitive development, and crystallized and fluid intelligence. Our book states that crystallized intelligence is the information, skills, and strategies that people have accumulated through experience and they can apply them to solving skills. I hope that while I continue my career in health and nutrition, that I am able to make more intuitive and experience based decisions, not just based on my academic skills.
4.3. Socio-emotional--The empty nest syndrome comes to play when discussing social and emotional traits during middle adulthood. I plan on having children, and I assume that during this period I will be experiencing loneliness or depression when they leave the home. On the other hand I value my relationship with my partner, and I hope that we are able to rekindle any romance that was shoved aside while raising a family. I also hope to maintain healthy work relationships, and perhaps retire or have a retirement plan so I can pursue my passion in traveling.
5. Late Adulthood
5.1. Physical--Internal aging is mentioned in our text, and it includes outward signs of age as well as the functioning of our internal organs and tissue. Our reaction time is also slower during late adulthood. I hope that during late adulthood, I posses zero diseases or health related issues. I hope that my skills in nutrition will carry on into late adulthood as well. I hope to take very little medications, as I fear they are signs of ending life sooner than expected. I also hope that I am still able to ride my bike and go on walks with my lover.
5.2. Cognitive--I know cognitively I wont be as sharp. Our text mentions how the cohort effects allow us to attribute influences that we had during a particular area. Environmental and cultural affects are also in control. I hope that during late adulthood I am still as sharp as I was in the former periods. I love to read, and I want to continue to do so in my late years. I also want to continue staying up to date on current trends in technology.
5.3. Socio-emotional--Ego integrity versus despair stage is adamant during late adulthood according to Erikson. This period is characterized by a process of looking back over one's life and coming to terms with it. I hope that I am in a good retirement and am financially stable with my husband. I want to continue being involved in my community and spending time with my family, grandchildren, and pets. I have a love for dogs and cats and I want to add that companionship during late adulthood.
6. Infancy and Toddlerhood
6.1. Physical--As an infant, our book mentions that infants begin to show reflexes. At the physical stage I am able to do the rooting reflex, the startle reflex, and the Babinski reflex. Gross motor skills are also developed, yet not sophisticated quite yet. As a toddler I begin to utilize them, and begin to walk, crawl, walk up stairs, and jump in place.
6.2. Cognitive--Psychologist Jean Piaget argued that at the cognitive level, infants acquire knowledge from facts communicated by others. Infants learn by doing is still an unanswered question. The substages include habits, and coordination of reactions. At the end stage, Piaget argued that beginning in toddlerhood, the major achievement is the capacity for mental representation. The information processing approach seeks to identify the way that individuals take in and use and store information. According to our text this is when we represent cognitive development.
6.3. Socio-emotional--According to Psychologist Erikson during infancy and toddlerhood we pass through the stage of trust versus mistrust. During this stage we largely depend on our caregivers. This is an obvious statement, because as an infant, we are not able to care for ourselves. We require someone to feed us etc. Goodness of Fit is another socio emotional approach/theory to social development in this stage. It is said we work well in an environment that fits our personality. For example, I was a fussy and highly irritable child, so I would have worked best in a more directed environment so I could channel my energy in one direction.
7. Preschool Period
7.1. Physical--Gross and fine motor skills are increasing sophistication. I am no able to jump distances, ascend and descend stairways, and can hop on one foot. I know how higher levels of physical activity, which increases my chance of injury. According to my parents I played outside alot, had high energy, and wanted to always do something outdoors. Our book mentions how physical growth is astounding at this stage. I was normal weight and height during this stage. Although many vary in body shape.
7.2. Cognitive--Piaget's approaches are in this stage as well. The preoperational stage allows us to use more symbolic thinking, and our ability to mentally reason is emerges. We have a more logical and organized approach to thinking during the Preschool period. Another feat is concentration on one object or thought. Centration allows us to ignore another stimuli in order to focus on one. During this stage, my parents mentioned I was moved up in my preschool class due to higher cognitive abilities. I was able to concentrate at a higher level than others' at my age.
7.3. Socio-emotional--The Preschool period reminds me of when I was in preschool. I interacted very well with others' and I am still friends with people I met during preschool. The theory of mind during this stage states that we are better at understanding peoples motives. For example, I remember when my mom would work nights at the hospital and would be angry with my sister and I if we were loud during the day while she was trying to sleep; so we need to play quietly while she were home sleeping. Being more socially aware of peoples actions makes us more socially able.
8. Middle Childhood
8.1. Physical--During middle childhood our coordination improves immensely. As a girl I was able to have accurate movements towards skipping all the way to high jumping. I remember going camping during this period, and I had enough hand foot and eye coordination that I was able to ride dirt bikes and go-carts. Our book mentions muscle coordination improvement during this stage, like in softball pitching and swimming. I also took four years of swim team during this stage in my life.
8.2. Cognitive--Right and wrong is established during this stage and according to the information processing approach I was able to handle information with increasing sophistication. Memory storage and retrieval is higher than before, and I am capable of determining when something is right or wrong. During middle childhood I was more than able to utilize vocabulary. This is when it grows rapidly. With that said, I participated in four spelling bees during this period, and won all four times. I relate that to this stage in my life, when I was willing to engage in more reading and writing.
8.3. Socio-emotional--I remember during this stage when I was playing sports. My parents had enrolled me in everything from gymnastics, to softball, to soccer. The industry versus inferiority stage is characterized during this period and efforts to meet challenges are presented by parents, peers, and school. This theory presents that the more hardworking you are during this stage will carry on into your adult years. I have always been busy, whether due to my parents pushing me or myself. Even now in me early adulthood I am enrolled in school and work full time while maintaining my health and well being. I can attribute this to the socio emotional time of my middle childhood.
9. Death and Dying
9.1. Physical--Physical I want to come to terms with death. Assuming a one hundred year life span. I would be physically ready for death and dying. I hope it is peaceful and not painful. I want to know the facts or details associated with my impending death.
9.2. Cognitive--Cognitively, I want to be aware of my termination. That if I were to have an illness or some sort of internal failure, that I come to terms with my situation. I hope death education is in my life, and my mind is set and ready to go when it looms. Kubler-Ross's theory suggests that the final stage of death is acceptance; and by being cognitively aware, I will accept and have made peace with myself and those around me.
9.3. Socio-emotional--When death is impending I want to have the chance to decide when I say good bye. I hope those around me will remember me as being pro active and healthy, while making positive life decisions. I also hope that my husband has entered the acceptance stage of my impending death as well as his.
