Introduction
Oprah Winfrey was born to Vernon Winfrey and the late Vernita Lee on the 29th of January, 1954, in the Kosciusko, Mississippi. Oprah’s parents were unmarried; as a result, she lived with her grandmother, Hattie Mae, while her mother moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to look for employment (Rankin, 2017). Patricia Lofton is Oprah’s half-sister with whom they share the same mother but different fathers. Lofton was given up for adoption at a young age, and Oprah never knew she had a stepsister until they reunited in 2011 (Mogla, 2020). In addition, Oprah had two other half-siblings, Jeffrey Lee and Patricia Lee Lloyd, who are both deceased.
Oprah’s tragedies began at the age of six when her grandmother became sick. The situation caused instability in her life as she was sent to live with her mother and half-sibling, Patricia, in Milwaukee (Mogla, 2020). Though Vernita provided cleaning services, she was unable to support her children. A year later, Oprah was moved again to stay with her father, who enrolled her in elementary school and supported her growth in public speaking (Rankin, 2017). However, at the end of third grade, she went back to visit her mother, who had already given birth to Jeffrey. Oprah decided not to return to her father and started to live in Milwaukee. This was when Oprah’s cousin, uncle, and a family friend molested her, making her pregnant (Mogla, 2020). She had a preterm birth, and due to health complications, her newborn died two weeks later (Rankin, 2017). Oprah is famous because she has defied many odds and broken many social barriers to gain fame and fortunes, which most women have not achieved. Oprah Winfrey’s childhood experiences shaped the woman she is today.
Alder’s Theory of Personality
Alder’s theory can help describe factors that shaped Oprah’s personality. According to the theorist, every child is born with a sense of inferiority as they begin to experience the world (Carlson & Englar-Carlson, 2017). Therefore from an early age, individuals work toward overcoming this inadequacy by endeavoring for superiority. Although Oprah felt secure and safe while living with her father in Nashville, she never had stability in her childhood because her parents never married (Rankin, 2017). When Oprah decided to stay with her mother, she was never given the expected attention. Vernita’s work as a cleaning maid kept her occupied, and during her free time, she mostly spent it with Oprah’s little sister, Patricia. Her mother’s lack of supervision made her feel neglected and not good enough. For this reason, Oprah might have experienced inferiority because she was repeatedly molested but remained silent about it for years (Mogla, 2020). These traumatic events made Oprah have a troubled childhood, and she began stealing money from her mother, skipping school, dating boys, and even running away from home.
Adler’s concepts of compensation indicate that childhood experiences can drive people to rectify the inferiority they experience and cover-up for those inadequacies by developing other strengths. Therefore, despite the struggles that she encountered, Oprah was able to change and transform her life. Adler indicates that different outcomes can transpire during children’s quest for compensation. Positive compensation occurs when teenagers receive proper nurturing, accept their challenges, and learn to overcome their inferiority (Carlson & Englar-Carlson, 2017). However, the negative consequence is overcompensation, where individuals not only make up for their inadequacies, but in realizing their goals, they strive for control, dominance, and superiority over other people, which may be harmful to their personality and behavior.
Experiencing rape and getting pregnant at the age of 14 can have a detrimental psychological impact on most adolescent girls. However, Oprah’s father’s strict rules, counsel, and support made her turn her life around. The change was evident as she enrolled in beauty pageants and was later crowned Miss Black Tennessee in 1972 (Mogla, 2020). In addition, Oprah started focusing on her academics, pursuing public speaking as a career, and even won a college scholarship from a speech contest at the Elks’ Club. Therefore, Oprah positively compensated for the inadequacies she experienced earlier in her childhood and set goals that contributed to her success.
Oprah has inspired many people because she conquered different social barriers despite her traumatic childhood. Her ability to connect and assist other people in coping with their challenges makes her a good leader. Oprah has demonstrated that she is caring, courageous, and determined. Adler’s theory suggests personal ambitions empower people to develop strategies to overcome the feeling of inferiority. The framework that describes the human conditions and their inspirations is known as the style of life (Carlson & Englar-Carlson, 2017). This concept is manifested in people’s way of thinking and behavior. Alder believed that lifestyle is a product of a person’s creative power, shaped by early childhood experiences. Oprah is a dedicated philanthropist who sponsors various charitable initiatives globally. For example, she provides significant assistance to Chicago public schools and South Africa (Oprah Winfrey Charitable Foundation, [OWCF], 2022). Similarly, Oprah is one of the most outspoken campaigners against child abuse. Therefore, lifestyle entails individuals’ creativity or how they solve social problems. The style of life unifies and expresses Oprah’s personality, provides consistency for how she lives and helps her make a difference in the world.
Sex Differences in Personality
Temperament is manifested from birth and is described as children’s behavioral style, which determines how they emotionally respond to and experience their surroundings. Temperament features include mood quality, adaptability, activity level, sensitivity, and distractibility (Karvonen et al., 2020). In Oprah’s case, it is evident that she was highly active and energetic. As a child, Oprah was talkative, and sometimes she entertained herself by performing in front of an audience of farm animals (Rankin, 2017). Under the strict guidance of Hattie Mae, she learned to recite bible verses at a young age. Oprah addressed her grandmother’s church gathering about “When Jesus rose on Easter Day” when she was two years old (Mogla, 2020). Knowledge about temperament can help caregivers and parents to identify a child’s strengths and support them in succeeding in their relationships and environments. Oprah’s childhood was characterized by learning, which shaped her character.
Environmental and biological influences play a significant role in shaping peoples’ character. Physical appearance, early childhood experiences, and culture contribute to developing the big five personality traits. These behaviors include openness, agreeableness, extraversion, conscientiousness, and neuroticism (Shi et al., 2018). Research shows that women score higher in agreeableness and openness than men (Karvonen et al., 2020). For example, people with agreeableness qualities exhibit kindness, trust, and altruism. Oprah is empathetic and usually expresses concern for others. She enjoys helping and contributing to the happiness of other individuals in society.
A stereotype is described as biased ideas toward a person or a group, even if the views are inaccurate. This generalized belief about gender often contributes to unequal and unfair treatment, especially against women (Stewart et al., 2021). For instance, females are usually regarded as emotional, accommodating, and nurturing, while men are aggressive, self-confident, and natural leaders. These preconceived notions are the leading causes of social problems, such as gender-based violence and sexual abuse. Oprah is a role model to people because she defied many social odds to receive various recognitions and realize her visions in life. At 19 years, she had already accomplished many goals, including becoming the first black female news anchor in Nashville (Mogla, 2020). Harmful gender stereotypes limit women’s capacity to pursue their careers, develop their abilities, and make life choices.
Socialization and Social Roles
Socialization and social roles are essential in growth and development. Social interaction acquaints people with norms and prepares them to participate in a group by demonstrating certain expectations. Children usually start interacting with their family members at home and later in school settings. Socialization is crucial for children because the process prepares them for various capacities as they mature and become adult members of society. These roles include occupational duties or institutions’ responsibilities, such as parenthood (Haywood & Getchell, 2019). For example, as the founder of the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN), Oprah may start her day as a media executive, in which she is expected to supervise the creation of television shows, web series, or theater performances. However, at the OWCF, Oprah takes up the role of a philanthropist. She gives grants to community outreach programs to empower children and women and support their education. If she fails to fulfill her responsibilities, she may face the consequences, such as the loss of leadership and or relationships.
Conclusion
I have learned that for people to be successful, they should not allow their past experiences to influence their present. Oprah was brought up in abject poverty and defiled as a child and became pregnant at 14 years. Despite experiencing these traumatic life events, she defied all odds and succeeded in her life. Therefore, Oprah’s life journey is filled with hardships, courage, and determination. The personality concept that I liked the most is Alder’s theory, which critically explains how childhood experiences can shape an individual’s character. This psychological framework helps understand Oprah’s background, development, and life accomplishments. Alder proposes that every person is born with a sense of inferiority. This feeling of inadequacy is the driving and motivating factor behind people’s emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. Thus, the need to compensate for personal weaknesses motivates individuals to engage in activities to subdue their feeling of inferiority and develop other strengths.
Despite coming from an economically disadvantaged background, Oprah overcame her behavioral challenges and various social barriers. At the age of three, she learned to read and discovered her passion for media and journalism. Thus, based on Adler’s theory, Oprah was able to compensate for her childhood shortcomings by developing new abilities that propelled her to international fame and success. She is a role model to most people because she is a confident and resilient person who believes in her own strength and strives for superiority to compensate for the inadequacies she experienced in the past. Through self-determination, she transformed her life after all the hardships she experienced. Therefore, Alder’s theory emphasizes the significance of individuals overcoming their feeling of inferiority to gain a sense of belonging and achieve happiness and success.
References
Carlson, J., & Englar-Carlson, M. (2017). Adlerian psychotherapy. American Psychological Association.
Haywood, K. M., & Getchell, N. (2019). Life span motor development. Human kinetics.
Karvonen, J., Törmäkangas, T., Pulkkinen, L., & Kokko, K. (2020). Associations of temperament and personality traits with frequency of physical activity in adulthood. Journal of Research in Personality, 84, 103887. Web.
Mogla, A. (2020). Where did I goof up in life? Living life without excuses. Blue Rose Publishers.
Oprah Winfrey Charitable Organization. (2022). My vision for the Oprah Winfrey Charitable Organization. Web.
Rankin, C. (2017). God gave us wings: A journey to success: Theirs, mine and yours. Morgan James Publishing.
Shi, J., Yao, Y., Zhan, C., Mao, Z., Yin, F., & Zhao, X. (2018). The relationship between big five personality traits and psychotic experience in a large non-clinical youth sample: The mediating role of emotion regulation. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 9(648), 1-7. Web.
Stewart, R., Wright, B., Smith, L., Roberts, S., & Russell, N. (2021). Gendered stereotypes and norms: A systematic review of interventions designed to shift attitudes and behaviour. Heliyon, 7(4), e06660. Web.