Melissa Hershey is a seven years old girl who has serious concerns interacting with other people in her life. Her past is quite complicated as she was affected by seizure that caused difficulties in her walking. Additionally, the father has not been present for a significant part of her life.
Brain and Behavior
The brain oversees the functioning of the human body making it a critical part in a person’s life. When Melissa was still four, the mother testifies that she had a grand mal seizure. Notably, seizures are a result of particular situations which interfere with the chemical an physical environment of the brain. In this case, the motor area of the cerebral cortex was affected and particularly the right hemisphere, which is responsible for managing the functions like control of the impulse. Melissa’s aggressive attitude toward is due to this dysfunctional part of the brain.
Sensation and Perception
A person’s behavior reflects how one is able to react and interpret stimuli (Jackson, 2006). Initially, she would cry intensively when her father left but her sensory capacity has been adjusted due to extended exposure to the father’s cologne in a process called adaptation. The brain automatically assumes the magnitude of stimulation it is experiencing.
Learning and Memory
Humans have powerful memories which can recall past events brought about by a mere whiff of an odor related to a memory. The initial stage in remembering things is called encoding. Notably, exposure to marijuana when a mother is pregnant exposes a child to the risk of long-term problems in cognitions and problem solving. In this case, coupled with the violence she observed from the parent fight, Melissa’s aggressive attitude could be explained from these facts.
Motivation and Emotions
Melissa has been lacking in self-actualization which refers to a personal fulfilment where one identifies their highest potential (McLeod, 2013). Melissa gets emotional whenever she smells the dad’s cologne causing her to sob.
Development
The mother used marijuana in a sensitive period during the pregnancy. By sensitive, it implies that an organism is highly susceptible to specific types of stimuli, which in this case is the use of drugs. She is an uninvolved parent who does not take any interest in the children’s activities.
Personality
Studies show that people develop personality based on repeated observation of how other people behave. In this case, Melissa observed her parents fighting which motivated her violent nature.
Social Behavior
Melissa does not engage in positive interaction with her friends and even takes their food when hungry. This behavior is a result of the idea that she is feeling frustrated out of the fact that she has to fend for herself at home.
Conclusion
Melissa’s background which entails a lot of violence and the mother’s use of drug when pregnant explain her aggressive attitude towards other people which was a result of insufficient development of the brain.
References
Jackson, P. (2006). Empathy examined through the neural mechanisms involved in imagining how I feel versus how you feel pain. Neuropsychologia, 44(5), 752-761.
McLeod, S. (2013). Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. 1-8. Retrieved from http://highgatecounselling.org.uk/members/certificate/CT2%20Paper%201.pdf
