Life Span Development and Personality of Oprah Winfrey Essay Example

recite at church, other women would tell her grandmother that Oprah was gifted. At the age of six, Oprah was sent to live with her mother. Oprah’s mother worked long and tiring hours, so Oprah was left with cousins and neighbors. Her mother was too tired to pay attention to her and this caused Oprah to start acting out and talking back.

Oprah’s mother knew she was unhappy and sent her to live with her father in Nashville, Tennessee.Oprah did not stay with her father for very long before her mother asked her to move back with her. Oprah’s mother was pregnant and wanted Oprah to move back home with her and help with the baby. Oprah moved back to Milwaukee where she lived with her mother and half sister. Oprah’s stepbrother was born a couple years later; because of the attention given to the baby, Oprah felt neglected.

Oprah fought with her stepbrother and sister; she began telling lies to get what she wanted (Angelfire, 2008). Oprah thought things could not get any worse and began to attempt to run away.Things did get worse for Oprah; at the age of nine Oprah was sexually abused by a male cousin, a family friend, her mom’s live in boyfriend, and a once favorite uncle. The abuse continued until Oprah left Milwaukee and moved in with her father. Oprah recalls her father being very strict, but today she loves him for it (Angelfire, 2008).

He was a big influence in her life and always wanted her to make the best of her life. It was under his stern guidance that Oprah found discipline, stability, and the inspiration to excel in

school and change her life.Oprah’s life was affected by two different theories of personality, cognitive and humanistic theories. In cognitive, behavior is explained as guided by cognitions (e.g. expectations) about the world, especially those about other people. Oprah’s younger years as a child and a teenager was made traumatic by loved ones. The things that she experienced caused her to behave badly, experiment with drugs, and turn to the streets.

Oprah became a problem child because of her expectations of others around her. Humanistic theory emphasizes that people have free will and they play n active role in determining how they behave. When Oprah moved in with her father, she changed her life for the better, despite the things she went through in the past. Her father was very strict, he made Oprah follow his rules. Oprah knew she had to change her life and follow her father’s rules.

This time that was spent living with her father influenced Oprah to become the woman she is today. Oprah has a canny ability to relate to her audience, this is evidenced through her compassion and empathy as she listens to others stories. Oprah has exposed traumatic episodes from her own life on nationwide television.This experience was a catalyst in creating a bond between herself and her viewers (Starpulse, 2008). Viewers can see Oprah’s dedication to philanthropy from her childhood pain.

Oprah has a profound impact on the philanthropic sector and philanthropic lives of Americans. From the everyday heroes she highlights to the causes she covers through her media outlets (i. e. Television, magazine, and film), Winfrey encourages philanthropy (Starpulse, 2008). Oprah has a genuine concern for children because of

her own traumatic child hood experiences.

A nationwide database profiling convicted child offenders, under the National Child Protection Act was established, Oprah rallied for this in 1991. One of the key features of Oprah Winfrey’s television persona is that her own private life has been an essential element of her talk-show format of public therapy (Marshall, D. ). Her poor black background and her past and current problems with child abuse, men, and weight have made Oprah an exposed public personality on television and have allowed her loyal audience to feel that they “know” her quite well. This televisual familiarity is part of the power of Oprah Winfrey.

References

1. Angelfire. (2008). Retrieved October 26, 2008, from http://www. angelfire. com/ne/lliegirls/WINFREY. html
2. Starpulse. com. (2008). Retrieved October 26, 2008,  from http://www. starpulse. com/Actrsses/Winfrey,_Oprah/Biography Academy of Achievement.
3. “Oprah Winfrey. ” (2008). Hall of Business. Retrieved October 26, 2008, from http://www. achievement. com
4. Marshall, D.P. (2008). Oprah Winfrey: U. S. Talk Show Host. MBC. Retrieved October 26, 2008, from http://www. museum. tv/archives/etv/W/htmlW/winfreyopra/winfreyopra. htm