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Prenatal
During pregnancy, my mother used lavender scented candles and salts to help with morning sickness, and I now love the smell of lavender. This shows how my preference for smells was impacted during the prenatal stage. -
Toddler
When I was 9 months old, I began pulling myself up to a standing position using a table, and held on for support while taking steps. This demonstrates maturation in physical development, because I was slowly developing my body to be able to walk. My picture shows me learning to stand up very slowly. -
Toddler
When I was 3 years old, I would cry loudly every time my mother dropped me off at daycare, and would throw a tantrum until she had completely disappeared. I was demonstrating insecure attachment by showing signs of distress when my mother was gone. My picture shows me being anxious when I met Santa. I clung to my mother and didn't want to sit on his lap. -
Toddler
At 4 years old, I believed all my dolls and stuffed animals had feelings, and would be hurt and feel left out if I didn't play equally with all of them. I was exhibiting animism in the pre-operational stage of Piaget's cognitive development steps. My picture shows me and my teddy bear, who I would take everywhere with me so he wouldn't get lonely. -
Childhood
I started Spanish when I was 5 years old in kindergarten. My mom was also trying to learn it, and we would study together. However, I had an easier time than she did, because I was in the critical period of my language development, so it was easier to learn. My picture shows me "graduating" from kindergarten after successfully completing a small Spanish course. -
Childhood
When I started a new school in Costa Rica, I was very outgoing and made new friends easily. I was in the industry vs. inferiority stage of Erikson's psychosocial stages, because I was coping with the social demands of my new school. My picture shows me and my best friends in Costa Rica. -
Childhood
When I was 8 years old, I accidentally ripped a page of a textbook during class. I decided to put the book back instead of telling the teacher because I was afraid of getting in trouble. I was in pre-cognitive moral reasoning, because my morality was focused on not getting punished. -
Adolescence
When I was 15, I dyed the ends of my hair red, and then later, dark brown. I was trying to figure out how my hair reflected my personality. This shows that I was in the identity vs. role confusion stage of Erikson's psychosocial stages, because I was trying to figure out who I was. -
Adolescence
When I was 16, I discovered I have an aptitude for writing fiction and creating realistic characters. This shows that I am in the formal operational stage of cognitive development, because I can think about and imagine possible realities and abstract principles. -
Adolescence
When I was 16, at my first job, my boss told me not to replace a little boy's ice cream cone that he had dropped, because too much time had passed since he bought it. I followed his orders even though it didn't feel right to me. This shows I was in the conventional moral reasoning stage because I did what was expected of me to gain approval.
