Developmental Psychology Scrapbook

A Little Bit About Me

What Makes Me, Me?

• My full name: Gabrielle Hall Phayme
• My Birthday: October 8, 2002
• Zodiac sign: (a proud) Libra
• Where I was born: Bryn Mawr, PA
• Ethnicity: African American and Guyanese (Guyana: a small country in South America)
• Favorite color: Lavender
• Favorite food: Fruit
• Favorite dinner meal: Grilled Salmon w/ broccoli and couscous
• Favorite things to do:
• Dance
• Read
• Journal
• Anything that involves creativity

Highlights of this Stage

• Learning about my medical problems (asthma, allergies, etc.): at an early age having to develop self-responsibility

• Learning that I am young for my grade: maturing earlier than others, but held me back because I always felt like the "baby" compared to my friends

• Moving up to Preschool then to Kindergarten: starting my learning journey and creating/keeping, my friendships

• Meeting my two best friends for the first time: establishing a bond that will last for decades

• Moving closer to my Uncle and Nana: starting a new school in 1st grade; sparking the love and need for family in my life

• First Dance Class: finding other kids like me who could not sit still and loved to move

• First Gymnastics Class: learning that I do not love gymnastics, but love to flip around

• Becoming a Big sister: beginning a life long relationship with my favorite person alive

Key Events

Early Childhood

Piaget

Sensorimotor Stage: experiencing the world through senses and actions; object permanence, stranger anxiety

Ex) When I was about two years old I dialed 9-1-1 on the phone. This demonstrates how I was exercising my new mobility with my fingers and giving into my curiosity of the new numbers I learned.

Preoperational Stage: Represents things with words and images; playing pretend, egocentrism

Ex) Around age four I had an imaginary angel that would watch over me. I thought that if God gave me an angel, then it means I am a good girl but must remain a good girl. This demonstrates how my imaginary friend symbolized obedience and following the rules. She kept me from getting into trouble.

Trust vs. Mistrust: Infancy (to 1 year); if needs are dependably met, infants develop a sense of basic trust

Ex) At this age, I learned to trust my parents when they would console me whenever I cried or provide me with my favorite meals at dinner time.

Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt: Toddlerhood (1 to 3 years); toddlers learn to exercise their will and do things for themselves

Ex) At this age, I learned how to dress myself in the morning (with some help from my parents) and I learned how to retrieve my own pacifier when I needed it.

Erikson

Obedience/Punishment: Infancy; no difference between doing the right thing and avoiding punishment

Ex) When I was younger I would go to Sunday school because I knew if I didn't, or if I put up a fight trying to not go, my parents would not let me play with my barbies.

Self-Interest: Pre-school; interest shifts to rewards rather than punishment

Ex) Around this age I had an obsession with my binky (pacifier). My parents tried really hard to break my habit of going to pre-school with out it. So, if I successfully went to pre-school with out a tantrum and with out my binky, I would be rewarded with it at the end of the day.

Kohlberg

Highlights of this Stage

Key Events

• Moving into a new house: being closer to my Uncle and his family; going to school with my cousin

• Starting at a new dance studio: really pushing myself to get better

• Becoming a Girl Scout: realizing my passion to help people

• A major bus accident in my town: first tragedy that I had ever experienced

• Very first school dance: first time I ever dressed up for someone else; felt like I was growing up

Elementary School

Concrete Operational: 7 - 11 years; concepts are attached to concrete situations. Time, space, and quantity are applied, but can not be understood

Ex 1) At this age, I began to understand the concept of personal space. If I was ever annoying my parents or my friends, I knew when they wanted to be left alone.

Ex 2) Additionally, I learned the concept of time through my family and I always being late. More specifically, if we were supposed to be out of the house by three o'clock, I knew that if the big digital clocked read 3:05, we were late.

Piaget

Elementary School

Industry vs. Inferiority: Children learn the pleasure of applying themselves to tasks, or they feel inferior

Ex) At this age, I absolutely loved doing my homework. Not only was it fun, but every time I got an answer correct I felt so smart and I was proud of myself. The correct answers resulted in a gold star on my folder. The gold star on my homework was a positive reinforcement that encouraged me to continue finishing my work every night.

Ex) Every night, around 8 o'clock, I would sit in front of the television and watch my favorite Disney shows as a way to end off my night. If I did not do this at night, I felt as though I would not get a good nights rest.

Erikson

Elementary School

Conformity and Interpersonal Accord: school-age; the "good boy/girl level". Effort is made to secure approval and maintain friendly relations with others

Ex) As a little girl, I always tried to please everyone. If my friends wanted something, I would get it for them. I did anything for them because I was afraid of loosing them; also, I wanted them to see me as a "good girl" and a nice girl - I wanted everyone to like me and to see me as someone who is reliable.

Kohlberg

Highlights of this Stage

Key Events

• Moving to a new school: this was the first time I have ever really changed schools and it was a tell-tell on how outgoing/social I was
• Joining the competition team: this was the first real indication that I had a passion for dance and that I actually had a talent
• Making new friends at both school and dance: stepping into these new environments was nerve-racking to do alone; this was truly the first time when I felt lonely
• My Best Friend's Dad passing away: even though he was not related to me, this was my first real loss because I had known him all my life
• Stopping our Thanksgiving traditions: when we ended our family traditions on going to North Carolina for Thanksgiving, it broke my heart because it meant that we were all growing apart
• My 13th Birthday: I was always the last of my friends to do anything (maturing and all), so turning thirteen was big for me because it was the first time that I felt like I truly belonged.

Middle School

Formal Operational: 11 years and older; Abstract logic and reasoning. Strategy and planning become possible. Concepts learned in one context can be applied to another.

Ex) We were provided a civics in 7th grade and this is when I started learning about politics and how the government worked. But, I applied this to my life by stating my opinions when my family talked about politics or government issues. Before I would shy away from it all because I didn't know anything (but mainly because I hate talking about politics), but learning about it all I felt like I could hold my own.

Piaget

Middle School

Industry vs. Inferiority: School age (6-12 years); Humility; acceptance of the course of one's life and unfulfilled hopes

Ex) Even though it still has yet to be fully mastered, I began to accept my flaws as they were and embraced my skills as well. Specifically in the area of friends. Honestly, I did envy the things and traits my friends had and found it hard to appreciate what I was given. Through one misunderstanding with a friend group, I began to see what I had to offer as a person. And I started to look for friends who accepted it and valued it.

Erikson

Middle School

Authority and Social Order: School-age; orientation toward fixed rules. The purpose of morality is maintaining the social order. Interpersonal accord is expanded to include the entire society.

Ex) Even though it is not the best thing to do at times, I always tried to please everyone to keep them happy. I also always made sure to abide by the rules and I tried to get others to do the same. At dance, when the teacher was not around, I tried to make sure that everyone was still stretching or going over what we learned. At school, I was a loyal friend and always tried to include.

Kohlberg

Highlights of the Stage

• Getting diagnosed with an anxiety disorder: I became much more aware of how I functioned and learned new strategies and techniques for calming myself
• My first dance solo: the first time I ever had to rely on myself and my skill
• Being accepted into TAG: the first time I've ever gotten involved outside the Stuart community and my community in my town; first experience with substance abuse
• Joining Black Student Union (BSU): the first time I started getting involved in my culture and people who have experienced similar situations
• Becoming a Peer Leader
• Running for VP freshmen year and Secretary Senior year: first time I've ever really exercised my leadership qualities
• Getting my Drivers License: the first time I have ever felt independent and like an adult
• Being named dance captain: first time I felt as though my skill was being acknowledged
• Ultralight Beam Solo: connecting my spiritual side with my dance side

Key Events

High School

Formal Operational:

Ex 1) I do believe in good Karma and bad Karma. I try my hardest to treat others the way I would like to be treated. It does get tiring, so sometimes I take a break. But, overall I always treat friends, family, and my superiors with the utmost respect.

Ex 2) It wasn't until junior year of high school when I started to pay attention to what was happening in the world. I started to become more aware of what was happening to my community (race, gender, and age). Even though I still can't watch the news, I used social media as my outlet to know all details and ways to help.

Piaget

High School

Identity vs. Confusion: Adolescence (12-19 years); Sense of complexity of life; merging of sensory, logical and aesthetic perception

Ex) Junior year was a big year for me. This was the year when I truly questioned everything about myself (morals, beliefs, and values). Around this time, I slowly distanced myself from what my family always believed and valued and started looking towards what I believed and valued as my own person.

Erikson

High School

Social Contract: Teens; Mutual benefit, reciprocity. Morally right and legally right are not always the same. Utilitarian rules that make life better for everyone.

Ex) I began to believe that doing the right thing does not depend on logical reasoning all the time, but that its when you are true to your heart. Whenever I make decisions, I use my intuition and my heart as a guide. Even though I make decisions this way, I always make sure to acknowledge how my actions may effect those around me.

Kohlberg

My Self Concept...

"You can not mess with the light" - Kanye West, Ultralight Beam

What Is My Self Concept?

Mom & Dad's response

Cognitive:

1. Gabrielle began recognizing words early. As early as 3 years old, when we would read her favorite stories, she would identify the words on the page. She was able to read basic texts by the time she was 4 years old.

2. No.

Social:

1. Annelise. Gabby and Annelise are 7 days apart in age. They have different but complementary personalities. Gabby is very introspective and Annelise is very outspoken. They positively influence each other with their strengthens. They lean on each other, looking for the other to provide counsel in different situations. Annelise has encouraged Gabby to speak her truth instead of holding it in.

2. Gabby made friends very easily. I think she exudes a very approachable air.

Moral:

1. Yes. We are a family that faith is important. Gabby had gospel songs that she would sing while traveling in the car. Her favorite was “I am a friend of God” by Israel Houghton. There was another time when she, at the age of 5 or 6, encouraged a friend to learn about Jesus.

2. Honesty, Loyalty, Compassion - These are the very characteristics that Gabby moves by. They season her every action and comment.

Mom & Dad's response

1. Be kind and be honest. Punishment would include a conversation about why what was done was not the best action, and what would have been a better way to address the situation.

2. First, we would have the conversation and discuss the issues. The main issue being that Gabby lied. We value true in our home even if the answer is not one we like. Then, we would have a conversation about alcohol, substance abuse, etc. We would look at scenarios, what could have happened, and the repercussions.

3. Be honest. Share your feels and allow the friend to respond.