Human Growth and Development PSY-1100-405

Reflection:

1) Reflect on what you learned about “real life” in doing this assignment?  How has taking this class changed the way you think, feel or behave in your own life or career?

This was a very hard assignment for me to complete, it involved researching information on the impact of child maltreatment. I used to work with a Exotic Bird rescue, I had to help recuperate these parrots mentally and physically so they could hopefully be adopted. This paper hit home for me. I learned that you cannot justify abuse. I would catch myself many time trying to figure out how these heinous things happened to these birds, it would keep me up at night. I realized that abuse dose not need a reason, it just happens. If you focus on how the problem could have been prevented, or what caused it you miss on the opportunity to fix the problem. What has happened, has already happened. You just have to keep moving forward and learn from your mistakes. You can hang on to them with the hope that you will somehow figure out how to fix the past. You just have to hold your head high, own up to your mistakes and continue on.

2) How has taking this class enhanced or your understanding of developmental psychology?     How will you use this information in the future?

The human brain is so much more complex than I ever thought was possible. Things that happen during your childhood affect you whether you realize it or not. As we grow, so does our brain. It takes all the input we receive and processes it, if there are failures it remembers how you failed. If there are successes it remember how those were accomplished.  These memories are what creates us, we cannot change that, because that is our core. Knowing how we develop helps me understand that we are all human, I cannot judge someone for their past. I also cannot judge someone for some of the quirks that they develop. I don't know their life, what they have gone through to make them the way that they are, they also do not know my circumstances. What I need to focus on is helping those around me, if they are struggling I can help them find a solution, instead of wondering why they are struggling. This will help me become a better person.