Life Span Development and Personality xxxxxxxxx PSY 300 – General Psychology xxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Life Span Development and Personality “Oprah Gail Winfrey is an American media proprietor, talk show host, actress, producer, and philanthropist. Winfrey is best known for her multi-award-winning talk show The Oprah Winfrey Show, which was the highest-rated program of its kind in history and was nationally syndicated. She is also, according to some assessments, the most influential woman in the world.” (Henry, 2007). In this paper we will discuss at length about her personality, her heredity vs. her environment, and how they have played a crucial role in Oprah Winfrey’s life and psychological development. So who is Oprah Winfrey? Oprah Gail Winfrey was born on January 29th, 1954 where she was born to a single mother living below the poverty line in rural Mississippi (Novit, 1986). Oprah’s mother wanted more for her daughter than she had for herself, however wasn’t able to provide for her. Shortly after Oprah’s birth she was sent to live with her grandmother in the inner city of Milwaukee (Alchin, 2008). Oprah’s grandmother was so poor it is said that “she made Oprah ware dresses made from potato sacks” (Novit, 1986). Oprah’s grandmother taught her to read and write by the age of three, making her read and write bible verses over and over again (Novit, 1986). Oprah’s grandmother took her to church every week showing off her beautiful granddaughter’s talents of reciting bible verses. When Winfrey was a child, her grandmother would hit her with a stick or anything hard if she misbehaved in any way (Novit, 1986). Oprah was no stranger to hardship; by age nine Oprah was raped by several family members, by age 14 she was pregnant. Oprah gave birth to a beautiful baby boy however, shortly after birth the baby passed away. It was later said it was,