Eleanor Maccoby

Prenatal Development/Infancy

1915

Viva Emmons, Maccoby's mother, was a singer/musician and Eugene Emmons, her father, owned a small business in Tacoma, Washington (where she later spent her childhood). Her parents had unusual beliefs at the time. They were interested in reincarnation, astrology, and occult phenomena while also being vegetarians. This may have caused stress on their lives because they were seen as the "odd men out" for their "unusual" beliefs.

Eleanor Maccoby is born.

May 15, 1917

Childhood: Imaginary Friends

1920

Eleanor had imaginary friends by the names of Mr. and Mrs. Suddenly and their son Tumor. Eleanor may have been in the autonomy vs shame and doubt stage. She was starting to gain some independence and discover new things. Her discovery could have been the creation of her imaginary friends.

Childhood: Illness

1924

Eleanor contracted encephalitis and was in a coma for a period of time. Encephalitis is inflammation to the brain meaning that brain development could have been affected.

Adolescence: First Year of College

1934

Eleanor received a one year scholarship at Reed. She was used to knowing all the answers in middle and high school, however, got a rude awakening when she was asked to provide evidence to support her answers in class. This can be seen as accommodation where one has to adjust their existing schema, a framework that provides a structure for information, in light of new information. Eleanor has to adjust to providing more information to back up her answers instead of simply answering the question.

Early Adulthood: Marriage

1938

Eleanor met her husband, Nathan Maccoby, while attending the University of Washington and were married one year later. In 1940, they moved to Washington, D.C. until 1947 when they then moved to Michigan. Marriage is under the intimacy vs isolation category of socioemotional development. She had to learn how to form an intimate relationship with her husband while also learning how to be away from her family and friends. In addition, she also moved to a new place which also isolated her.

Early Adulthood: Earning Degrees

1939

Eleanor graduated from the University of Washington earning herself a bachelor's degree. Later, she earned her master's degree (1949) and doctorate (1950) from the University of Michigan.

Middle Adulthood: Adopting Children

1952

Eleanor and Nathan adopted three children in total. Janice was their first child followed by Sarah and Mark (both adopted four years after Janice). Eleanor postponed publishing anything for this time period to focus on spending time with her children. Eleanor was in the generativity vs stagnation stage.

Middle Adulthood: Stanford

1958

Eleanor and her husband were both offered jobs at Stanford University. Eleanor taught child psychology in the Psychology Department.

Late Adulthood: Autobiography

2016

Eleanor wrote a book accounting her life. She was in the integrity vs despair stage of her life. Eleanor may have been using writing a book to look back at her life and her accomplishments.