AP Psych Development Through the Lifespan Project (Meagan Carr)

  • Birth

    Birth
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    Erikson - Infancy (to 1 year)

    Issue: Trust vs. Mistrust. If needs are dependably met, infants develop a sense of basic trust.
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    Sensorimotor (birth to nearly 2 years)

    Experiencing the world through sense and actions (looking, hearing, touching, mouthing, and grasping). Developmental phenomena: object permanence, stranger anxiety
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    Erikson - Toddlerhood (1 to 3 years)

    Issue: autonomy vs. shame and doubt. Toddlers learn to exercise their will and do things for themselves, or they doubt their abilities.
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    Preoperational (2 to about 6 or 7 years)

    Representing things with words and images; using intuitive rather than logical reasoning. Developmental phenomena: pretend play, egocentrism
  • Parents Divorce

    Parents Divorce
    This means that I see my dad less and therefore he is not as familiar to me as my mother, so my mom and I form a closer relationship while I am not as attached to or as trusting of my father.
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    Erikson - Preschool (3 to 6 years)

    Issue: initiative vs. guilt. Preschoolers learn to initiate tasks and carry out plans, or they feel guilty about their efforts to be independent.
  • My dad gets remarried

    My dad gets remarried
    This causes me to question conventional mother and father roles because I have a mother and a stepmother.
  • My mom gets remarried

    My mom gets remarried
    This brings a stable father figure back into my life, reestablishing gender roles in my home.
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    Erikson - Elementary school (6 to puberty)

    Issue: industry vs. inferiority. Children learn the pleasure of applying themselves to tasks, or they feel inferior.
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    Concrete Operational (about 7 to 11 years)

    Thinking logically about concrete events; grasping concrete analogies and performing arithmetical operations. Developmental phenomena: conservation, mathematical transformations.
  • First day of school at Holton

    First day of school at Holton
    This puts me in a more enriched environment, helping my development.
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    Formal operational (about 12 through adulthood)

    Abstract reasoning. Developmental phenomena: abstract logic, potential for mature moral reasoning
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    Erikson - Adolescence (teen years into 20s - in this case 13-21)

    Issue: identity vs. role confusion. Teenagers work at refining a sense of self by testing roles and then integrating them to form a single identity, or they become confused about who they are.
  • My father dies

    My father dies
    The death of a loved one makes me question mortality and the fragility of life, a subject that most people do not have to grapple with until a much older age.
  • My adoption

    My adoption
    After my father's death, my stepfather adopts me, giving me a both legal and emotional father figure :)
  • High School Graduation

    High School Graduation
    Graduating from high school marks a transition from an adolescent lifestyle to a more mature, responsible, adult lifestyle.
  • First day of college at Elon University

    First day of college at Elon University
    Living away from home and being in a new, much more diverse environment exposes me to new people and new experiences that aid me in developing intellectually and emotionally.
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    Erikson - Young adulthood (20s to early 40s - in this case 21-41)

    Issue: intimacy vs. isolation. Young adults struggle to form close relationships and to gain the capacity for intimate love, or they feel socially isolated.
  • Graduate from college/first job

    Graduate from college/first job
    Graduating from college and going out into the working world makes me more responsible and self-sufficient while helping me mature into a more reason-based adult.
  • Buy first house

    Buy first house
    Such a huge investment makes me feel like I am creating a life for myself and instills in me the understanding that I am forging my own way.
  • Get married

    Get married
    Forming a close romantic relationship and getting married gives me a sense of intimacy. Having a loving life-long partner also gives me a sense of security and acceptance.
  • Birth of first child

    Birth of first child
    The birth of my first child brings out my maternal instincts and I begin to form a close relationship with my offspring.
  • Birth of second child

    Birth of second child
    With the birth of subsequent children, I find myself caring for them more and trying out different parenting styles.
  • Move (to bigger house)

    Move (to bigger house)
    As a mother, I will want to provide the best for my children and so my husband and I will decide to movie to a larger house to accommodate our growing family.
  • Birth of third child

    Birth of third child
    By the time I have my third child, I have discovered the parenting style that works best for me and I develop close relationships with all of my children.
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    Erikson - Middle Adulthood (40s to 60s - in this case 41-65)

    Issue: generativity vs. stagnation. In middle age, people discover a sense of contribution to the world, usually through family and work, or they may feel a lack of purpose.
  • I begin to get premenopausal

    I begin to get premenopausal
    As I get older, my hormones will begin to change and my period of fertility will start to end. I will experience irregular periods, hot flashes, etc.
  • My first child goes to college

    My first child goes to college
    When my first child goes off to college, I will feel nervous for them and want to make sure that they are safe and well prepared, however in order to ensure healthy parent-child relationships, will understand that I will have to let them start to take control of their life.
  • All of my kids leave the house

    All of my kids leave the house
    When all of my children leave the house I will begin to feel lonely and wish for more children, this is commonly called “empty nest syndrome.” However, I will know that, due to my age and premenopausal symptoms, that I would run the risk of not producing healthy children.
  • Full menopause sets in

    Full menopause sets in
    As I get older, full menopause will set in and I will no longer have my period, signaling that I am no longer fertile.
  • Need glasses

    Need glasses
    As I age, I will notice that my body is beginning to change. Just like every other adult in my family, I will need glasses.
  • Birth of first grandchild

    Birth of first grandchild
    When my first grandchild is born, I will again experience the urge to nurture and I will relish in the opportunity to take care of another child.
  • I get senior citizen discounts

    I get senior citizen discounts
    When I get senior citizen discounts, I will feel as if my old age is real, making me miss my youth. However I will not let that get me down for too long.
  • Retirement

    Retirement
    Over the span of my life, the retirement age will go up, forcing me to wait longer to retire. However, when I do, I will have much more free time to do what I wish.
  • I move closer to my children

    I move closer to my children
    With more free time, thanks to my retirement, I will want to move closer to my children to help them with their families and be an involved grandmother.
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    Erikson - Late adulthood (late 60s and up - in this case 65 to 90)

    Issue: integrity vs. dispair. Refelcting on his or her life, an older adult may feel a sense of satisfaction of failure.
  • My first grandkids go to college

    My first grandkids go to college
    As my fist grandchildren begin to go to college, I will want to help my children with the cost, drawing on my retirement funds. Even at my old age I will want to help care for my offspring.
  • I begin to get arthritis

    I begin to get arthritis
    Following the lead of my mother and grandmother, I will develop arthritis in my joints, specifically my hands. This will make it more difficult to complete tasks such as opening jars etc.
  • I join a gym

    I join a gym
    In order to ensure a healthy life, despite my age, I will join a gym to help maintain muscle and ward off fragility.
  • I take up baking

    I take up baking
    o As I grow older, I will take up hobbies such as baking, which will allow me to feel productive instead of useless.
  • I move in with one of my kids

    I move in with one of my kids
    As my old age makes it more difficult for me to live without assistance, I will move in with one of my children to be closer to my family and also to reduce risk of injury.
  • I spend my free time reading

    I spend my free time reading
    o With all of my free time I will also take up reading more to enrich my mind and help keep my cognition (as much as possible).
  • Death

    After my death I want my kids to remember the lessons I have taught them. I don’t want people to mourn me too deeply, instead I want them to show their care for my by being the best person they can be. I want to be remembered through the actions of those I leave behind. I believe that the greatest gift I gave in my lifetime is the people who I influenced. I hope that after my death, my life is honored through the continuation of my of my values in the lives of other.