Scholastic and Personal the Process

¶ … Scholastic and Personal

The process of human development is assessed according to multiple phases, each of which carries its own distinct set of expectations in terms of emotional growth, psychological development, physical maturation and social awareness. With each phase will also come a distinct set of life cycle considerations and a set of both socially and self-imposed pressures to participate in certain rites and elements of the life cycle. The intercession of these realities produces what are referred to in psychology and sociology as the stages of development. These will tend to be distinguished from one another in a normally developing individual by an array of physical, mental and sexual changes that will significantly shape the course of one's life. Certainly, this would be my personal experience, with the challenges, opportunities, gains and losses that I have faced all converging to shape who I am and who I wish to be. Though I, like all individuals, have had my share of unique experiences, great fortunes and terrible tragedies, a reflection on my life in three stages denotes a close correlation to academic research on the natural stages of development that make up the life cycle.

Childhood (6 to 12):

The concept of emotional development is described in Erik H. Erikson's 1963 text, Childhood and Society. Here, the sociologist asserts that the ability of one's parents during the formative stages of life to earn the infant's trust will impact directly the success of his development. This would be the case for me both in a positive and negative regard, with the influence of my mother bringing great warmth, positive energy and encouragement and the influence of my father bringing an early appreciation for the perils of alcoholism and the strain of addiction.

As I have studied the emotional development stages affiliated with childhood, I have gained a greater appreciation for the impact which this has had on my behavior, disposition, actions and interests. To the point, in elucidating the stages of emotional development which contribute to the mental and psychological growth of a human being, Erikson pays a great focus to the matter of trust and nurturing. In infancy, the first crucial human relationship which a person has is that which he shares with his mother. It is within the confines of this relationship that a child may be expected to develop feelings of security. In his text, Erikson asserts that "the firm establishment of enduring patterns for the solution of the nuclear conflict of basic trust vs. basic mistrust in mere existence is the first task of the ego, and thus first of all a task for maternal care." (Erikson, 249) This, he explains, is what enables the child to begin to experience a sense of comfort even while achieving an awareness of his dependency on others. Constituted by the certainty that though she has left the room, the mother will soon return, a child comes into a sense of himself as he relates to other people according to the parameters of this first relationship. Trust, in this context, may be interchanged with confidence, which the sociologist explains is a virtue gained on the strength of one's ability to first trust others and then, with maturation, trust himself.

This is a critical assessment which provides extensive insight into my own personal path of emotional development. Within the context of this relationship, I was always able to maintain a degree of comfort based on her love and her capacity to help me cope with hardship and crisis, of which there would of course be a significant amount in my life. It would be on the basis of my mother's great strength and compassion that I would find the power within myself in later life to endure experiences that I would refer to as tragic in nature. Among I would refer in this segment to a period that may be called my late childhood, which is distinguished in my memory by a pleasant geographical surrounding and an excellent support system constituted of my mother, my friends and animals, the last of which I have always shared a special relationship. As I reflect now, the was the period in which I had begun to find paths toward validation through the nurturing of positive personal relationships. The social tendencies, the loyalty and the dedication which I tend to bring to my family relationships, my friendships and my sense of affection for animals. To my understanding of the process of development, the security and balance which I feel in my personal relationships seems to extend from a youth spent in this decidedly positive atmosphere.

In terms of my growth as a learner, this would be a time rich with stimulation and excitement. My late childhood would be experienced very much in accordance with that which is expected at this stage in terms of intellectual growth. The rate of a child's development is impacted as much by its environmental surroundings as by its individual capabilities. With the right framework and support structure, it is possible to facilitate the proper socialization in a child, thus encouraging the appropriate development of physical, emotional and cognitive abilities. Likewise, a suitable setting for these faculties would offer a stable test sample by which to measure individual progress. The home environment is a key role-player in shaping the early capabilities of children toward all manner of induction, socialization and emotional stability. And for me, the inherently community-oriented small town where I was raised placed early demands the refinement of social instincts, promoting the composition of problem-solving skills and demanding participation in fitness activities, serving as an ideal lens through which to reflect on the early emergence of either talents or handicaps which would mold future learning patterns. Indeed, my relationship with animals comes especially to mind as an early developmental context in which moral and emotional cues began to emerge. My father, though certainly flawed by his disease, would nonetheless expose me to this important influence at an early age through his tending to a flock of sheep. Our sheep would be a bounty of positive developmental influence, providing me with one of the first opportunities to observe my family taking responsibility for these sheep and thereafter, to take this responsibility unto myself.

In reflection and benefited by the insight gained with education, I can see that This was illustrative of a number of the developmental steps which become apparent at this age. According to Huitt (2003) "behavior (adaptation to the environment) is controlled through mental organizations called schemes that the individual uses to represent the world and designate action. This adaptation is driven by a biological drive to obtain balance between schemes and the environment (equilibration). (Huitt, 1) For me, one of these foundational schemes would be that relating to the dynamic of caring for and attending to animals, which constituted an important part of our economy, society and family. Of course, these are not considerations that I was necessarily aware of as a child. Instead, my experience was simply formulated by my desire to mimic the behaviors of my father relating to animals, as these seemed to suggest some value both within and beyond our family.

In this context, and in the context of my mother's positive example and my father's negative one, I would begin to develop an understanding of moral schemes as something more complex than simply that which is defined by consequences. This conforms with Piaget's idea about moral growth as it coincides with the stages of development. Here, our research notes that at around "10 or 11 years -- children's moral thinking undergoes other shifts. In particular, younger children base their moral judgments more on consequences, whereas older children base their judgments on intentions. When, for example, the young child hears about one boy who broke 15 cups trying to help his mother and another boy who broke only one cup trying to steal cookies, the young child thinks that the first boy did worse. The child primarily considers the amount of damage -- the consequences -- whereas the older child is more likely to judge wrongness in terms of the motives underlying the act." (Crain, 120) In my reflection, the positive orientation and influence provided by my care for animals would help to illustrate this understanding. I could observe the intrinsic value of actions and decisions rather than simply viewing them in terms of personal repercussions. As I would move toward a greater clarity on my ultimate career path, this ethical refinement would be crucial.

Adolescence (12-20):

The period of my life which passed between the ages of 12 and 20 would be subject to a remarkable array of changes. During this time, I would pass from childhood through adolescence and into early adulthood. This is a period especially distinguished by puberty and all which that implies. As KGI (2007) indicates, "dramatic physical changes are the hallmark of early adolescence and these physical changes are important to your adolescent. They signify that he or she is developing like his or her peers." (KGI, 1)

I did start to notice many changes in myself, both in terms of my increasing tendency toward physical activeness and my heightening interest in the opposite sex. At first, this interest was manifested of my generally social nature. And to the point, this adolescent period would be an excellent time in my life in terms of cultivating a loose but increasingly intimate social network. This conforms with my general research on this stage of development, which is highlighted by a transition from a life dominated by home and family to one increasingly more divided to the pursuits of school, extra-curricular activity, athletic team membership and information social gathering. These tend to function as substitutes in certain areas where previously only the family fulfilled certain needs.

This was a tough time though. In the midst of the rapid changes that were altering my physical and emotional experiences, my family was also going through a challenging transition. After a happy upbringing in the countryside, I would face a difficult adjustment upon our family's move to the city. I would have to make all new friends and re-establish myself in a new social context. Fortunately, the aspects of my social development focused on here throughout would help me to make this transition smoothly. Once again, I would make great friends who would come to serve an increasingly important role in my happiness, my development of personal identity and my support system on the whole. This would be consistent with expectations at this time, where, "occurring in Young adulthood, we begin to share ourselves more intimately with others. We explore relationships leading toward longer term commitments with someone other than a family member. Successful completion can lead to comfortable relationships and a sense of commitment, safety, and care within a relationship. Avoiding intimacy, fearing commitment and relationships can lead to isolation, loneliness, and sometimes depression." (Waters, 5)

It is also at this point that I began to develop what I consider to be a moral compass. This was aided in no small way by my father's serious struggle with alcoholism. As I grew older, my father's problems with alcohol became increasingly apparent, stimulating what would be an important sense of responsibility in me both to learn from his negative example and to help others fight against this crippling addiction. I knew as a teenager that I would ultimately come to work in the field of mental health services as a substance abuse and chemical dependency counselor. Again, this is an age where a growing awareness of personal identity, combined with a clearer insight into the ethical implications of our actions as described earlier, helps us to project ideas about that which we might like to accomplish in our lives. Though career aspirations will typically change in nature many times for some people, this is an age where the path begins to grow slightly clearer.

In addition to providing me with a clear path from an early age for professional development, my father's condition and the strain which this placed on my household would begin to magnify the inherent sense of independence that begins to develop for young teens. I would begin to yearn for my independence and the difficulties in my household only tended to intensify this feeling. I began to assert my own identity and to desire a level of freedom which is often not easy to come by at this age. Though my experience would be heightened by my father's alcoholism, these feelings would be normal for the age. According to Waters (2008), "during adolescence, the transition from childhood to adulthood is most important. Children are becoming more independent, and begin to look at the future in terms of career, relationships, families, housing, etc. During this period, they explore possibilities and begin to form their own identity based upon the outcome of their explorations." (Waters, 5) My explorations had especially led me to place a high value on romantic relationships as, during the age of 16, I had my first sexual experiences.

This would coincide with a time of upheaval in my household as my father's problems with alcohol worsened, leading me to immerse myself more fully in my social and romantic pursuits. In particular, I established a relationship with a girlfriend that played a central part of my life at this time and my personal development in general. In response to the intercession of conditions at home with my own growing need for independence, I desired to live with my girlfriend, a demonstration of an increasing sense of manhood. This was especially stimulated by battles with my father. When my baby brother was born and was diagnosed with schizophrenia, it brought yet an even greater strain upon my house. It was also at this time in my life that I experienced one of my most devastating emotional blows. When I was 20 years old, my girlfriend was killed in a car accident, effectively removing the strongest bulwark I had against the troubles at home. This would cause me to seek dramatic change. I was now by age and experience, an adult and I left for Rio de Janeiro on my own.

Early Adulthood (20-40):

The change of scenery to Rio de Janeiro would be a great one for me, but would also bring me face-to-face with the challenges of independence. From a social perspective, the city would be an excellent place to spend my earl adult years. I would use this time to date extensively, meeting many beautiful women and learning about myself through this lens. I would begin to appreciate the positive relationship that I had with my mother and the normal pace of personal development that helped me to reach this point. These would be crucial to my success in romantic relationships, which research denotes is demonstrative of a relationship to the developmental phases. Accordingly, Wilder (2003) tells that "writers, such as Harville Hendricks have developed descriptions of what adults are like if they get stuck at one of these developmental crises. Hendricks particularly focuses on the effects which getting stuck produces in love relationships and mate selection. Notice the importance of this connection between the failure to grow up properly and adult life. Omitting or distorting any stage of development will produce a deficit in all the stages that come afterwards. Once again we see the power of a hierarchical model, this time of maturation." (Wilder, 7)