Summary of the Problem
When I was born, I had a defect with my ear and as such, had a hearing problem. My granny, an experienced surgeon, she diagnosed me and noted that I did not have cartilage in my ear which brought the hearing problem. As such, many children of my age at the village, where I was living with my grandparents as my parents were working in Beijing, ridiculed me for being born underweight and also having defects in hearing at a very young age. Many also sympathized with me, seeing me as a weak child who had a rough time growing up. I did not take any of it and would always defend myself.
As many of the children did not continue with education beyond elementary school, I found it intriguing as many wondered how the weak child continued with education despite having multiple problems. I had numerous difficulties because my family has hereditary diabetes, and as such, I was required to visit the hospital now and then during my time at the elementary school. As such, many children would see me as the week and would not want to associate with me.
Theoretical Application
The theory applicable in this essay is the ecological systems theory which explains that human development is highly influenced by different environmental systems that together defines their relationship with other people. The theory was formulated by Urie Bronfenbrenner, a famous Russian psychologist and explained why people have different behaviours when compared in our families and when we are at school or work.
The microsystem segment of the theory depicts the connection that we have with those people who are close to us. They include our families and classmates. In regard to this, the segment explains what I went through when I was growing up. My sister and I were brought up by our grandmother and saw that she favoured my sister more than me. My sister used to act in a selfish way and wanted to have everything. For example, during my birthdays, my grandmother would tell me to wait one more month so that we would celebrate together with my sister. I always felt sidelined, and as such, I would exclude myself and behave in a weird way as I did not feel welcomed most of the time. At school, many children thought I was a week since I was suffering from different health conditions like hearing problem and hereditary diabetes.
Similarly, the exosystem segment of the theory explains a context where a person might form a bond with one another as a result of being actively involved together. In my case, I was brought up by my grandmother, and as such, I developed a strong connection with her more than with my parents who were working in Beijing. Interestingly, when I started living with my parents, I found out that I would not ask them for many things or ask them about some questions, however intriguing they were. My father bought for me a dog that we connected so fast. I was happy that I was able to have something that I would associate with, particularly when my parents were not around or when at work.
WE’VE HAD A GOOD SUCCESS RATE ON THIS ASSIGNMENT. PLACE THIS ORDER OR A SIMILAR ORDER WITH PapersSpot AND GET AN AMAZING DISCOUNT
Process of Development
Biological Processes
Being ridiculed because of one’s condition can affect how the people interact with others and also change the self-esteem. It can also interrupt with the way the person sleeps, eats and also conducts themselves in public. As a result, it may interfere with the daily routine of the person and how they do their things regularly. When a person ridicules another person, they demote it pointing out the wrongs in the person. Humour can have a negative impact on people (Papousek, 2017).
Cognitive Processes
They were being ridiculed as a child is detrimental to the learning activities of the child. It can affect the learning and also the results in the process. Children need to develop cognitive association and learning activities, but when they are bullied or ridiculed, they find it hard to associate or learn in any case. When peers or adults ridicule a child, there is a clear motivation that pushes them to behave in a conventional manner (Seibert, 2015). I found most of the time I wound not trust those who said they were my friends and often knew they would leave me and start mocking me because of my problems while growing up. Before I adopted, and before I was cured, I was lagging behind in class, but after accepting, I started performing well.
Socioemotional Processes
As mentioned above, I had developed a norm of not trusting my peers as I saw them as simply fake and would not accept that I was sick and had recovered. Most saw me as a weak and person who could not do my own things. It is possible to lack the attachment with others and mostly those who ridiculed my condition.
Periods of Development
Impact in Childhood
The impacts of the experiences impacted my childhood life and found myself not trusting my peers. I often stayed in my room every time after school and associated with only two friends of mine that were from my village. I had no trust for other children and often thought they saw me as a weak person.
Impact in Adolescence
During my adolescence age, I stayed with my parents and often did not associate with them as I was not fond of living with them. I did talk to them though not on a daily basis and as such, I learnt to live by myself, something that has really helped me even now that I am in the USA all by my own. That independence that I learnt from an early age as a result of my condition and upbringing has taught me to be depend on my own more
Impact in Adulthood
After I graduate from the campus, I believe that I will be able to lead a more independent life away from my family as I have grown to depend on my own. I know this will have an impact on how I will be associated with others but has taught me not to look up to someone in case I need help.
Conclusion
I believe the changes have the ability to impact the life of a person for life as it was felt when one was small, just in elementary school, in my case. As such, the changes have the potential to have long-lasting effects and affect how a person interacts with others and the behaviour in public. Most people who have faced bullying and ridicule has different behaviour that includes quietness and cannot trust people who claim to be their friends any more. As such, the effects can have a lasting impact, mainly when it was extremes.
References
Papousek, I. R. (2017). The Use of Bright and Dark Types of Humour is Rooted in the Brain. Sci Rep, 7, 42967. doi:https://doi.org/10.1038/srep42967
Seibert, A. &. (2015). Early mother–child attachment: Longitudinal prediction to the quality of peer relationships in middle childhood. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 39(2), 130-138.
