Full House Psychosocial Development

Donna Jo, better known as DJ Tanner on the television series Full House, is the oldest sibling of three sisters living with her dad’s best friend Joey, Uncle Jessie, and Father Danny. At ten-years old, DJ’s mother died in an accident caused by a drunk driver, only six months after the birth of the youngest sibling Michelle Tanner. Of course, it would be rude to not introduce the middle sister, Stephanie Tanner. The producers recently released a continuation of Full House called Fuller House, where DJ became a Veterinarian M.D. after marring her high school sweetheart Steve. However, DJ was faced with another huge lose in life when Steve was killed on the job fighting a house fire, only this time she has three children of her own. Taking an

ideographical approach of DJ Tanner’s personality from Full House to Fuller House can be seen through the psychosocial lens of Erik Erikson’s fourth, fifth, and sixth stages, as well as Bowlby’s attachment styles, as described in Personality Psychology: Foundations and Findings by Marianne Miserandino.
Although DJ would appear to be on the way out of the fourth psychosocial stage of industry vs. inferiority, at the age of ten, this character presents many traits of a child struggling with the loss of her mother while learning how to do things on her own. As presented by Erik Erikson, teachers were also thought to have a vital role in the child’s life. This was perfectly illustrated in episode three of season one as DJ’s teacher noticed her intellectual abilities and moved her up to a higher class. DJ did illustrate a lack of self-esteem as she was busted attempting to hop the wall at school the very same day. As her father called her down from the wall and asked her what was going on, she explained that she was afraid that she would have no friends and was even more afraid of being called an “egg head, no, an omelet head!” Finally, Danny followed the teachers support in DJ’s intellectual development by listening to hear fears to realize that what she was afraid of, was failing. Danny further explained that if she does not at least give the new class a try, she may never know what she is capable of. According to Erikson, if Danny would either not have been there to catch DJ, or worse, not given her support towards knowing that she can succeed in the excelled course, she may have felt inferior and further doubted her abilities – even contrary to the obvious events (Miserandino, 2012).
Afterward, the show progresses with time to show DJ growing up as a young woman. The next and fifth stage of Erikson’s psychosocial development, identity vs. role confusion, is one of the most prominent stages demonstrated by DJ Tanner. As DJ grows a little older, and a slightly wiser, she begins to show an obvious struggle with who she is, who she should be, and who she wants to be as she moves between being a child and an adolescent. While DJ reports having an amazing time out one afternoon with her father and sisters, it is painfully obvious to the audience and her father that this is not the case. When she admits that while she was happy all day, she also could not figure out why she was sad at the same time. Danny took a good guess, “I’ll bet your sad for the same reason I am, because I don’t want the fun to end?” DJ agreed and told her father she was sad that he was all they had left, and felt she had to stay strong for her sister while wishing they could spend every day together. Identified by Erikson as a stage where adolescents learn what role they play, DJ played more of a mother role than that of the teenager she should have been.
Following this episode, DJ was presented with another example from Erikson’s fifth stage representing identity crisis, and a deep feeling of unhappiness with her own body. In short, DJ began to exercise heavily while eating less and less until one day she collapsed in the gym. Once her family found out, you guessed it, the Tanners were there with open minds to hear exactly what had lead DJ to this path. Supporting Erickson’s claims that an adolescent my feel uncomfortable with their own body, DJ had mixed feelings with caring about what other’s thought and wanted to be thin. This phase did not last long, as DJ was soon out of this way of thinking and back onto a healthy way of living, within two episodes.
The final and sixth stage of Erikson’s psychosocial stage, intimacy vs. isolation, is evident in both Full House and Fuller House. For example, DJ first fell in love with Steve in high school during the last few seasons of Full House. After Prom night, their relationship became more serious and intimate as their dreams were more committed to one another. They both dreamed of sharing a future together, and although DJ did not complete the intimacy stage with Steve, when Fuller House begins, the audience is informed that she did in fact successfully marry and have children. However, her husband died in a house fire while on the job as a fire fighter (Fuller House, S1. - Ep1). Finally, DJ illustrates a battle with role confusion as she is unsure if she will be able to successfully raise her children all alone. Not much has changed with this character, as it has proven difficult for her to ask for assistance when she needs it. After DJ is heard on the baby cam crying about this worry, her sister Stephanie and best friend Kimmy Gibler decide to move in to help her and let her know she does not always have to do everything by herself.
Equally important are Baumrind’s parent style’s and Bowlby’s attachment styles, which are both found in Full House and Fuller House. As demonstrated by research, parenting styles of children usually demonstrate that of their parents. This was no different for DJ Tanner once she was a mother on Fuller House! In the Full House Tanner House, Danny, Joey, and Jesse would solve most problem with communication, support, and hugs. The key factor here is the communication, which is present in DJ’s authoritative parenting style, much like her father’s. Even when the character is upset, her disposition is calm, rational, and regulated to handle any situation. In turn, DJ also presented a secure attachment style as described by Diana Baumrind (1966). Beyond the fact that DJ’s mother was sensitive to her needs, and was able to recognize her cries before she died, DJ’s father, Uncle Jesse, and Joey more than provided a secure environment that only continued this development of trust and support.
Overall, Psychosocial development was evident throughout many episodes and seasons of Full House.

Stage four of Erikson’s industry vs. inferiority is when children should have the most interaction with their teachers when learning more specific academic skills such as reading, writing, and math. More importantly, learning to balance independence and peer activity while building self-esteem can be one of developments toughest cognitive battles. In Full House, many of DJ’s academic struggles were presented during her academic years while her social issues became more prevalent during her adolescent years in high school. According to Erikson, if a child is not able to accomplish the skills they desire, the personality can lean towards inferiority as the world around them becomes too demanding. There is also stress between healthy failure to find a balance in competence and modesty, which can lead to what Erikson called the virtue of competence. DJ illustrated this plenty of times, as she would manipulate her younger sister Stephanie into doing her chores while she hung out with her best friend Gibler. Few mistakes went unnoticed by either her father Danny, Uncle Jessie, or Joey, and no mater what DJ did or did not do – they always encouraged her to make the correct decisions on her own. In addition, her good decisions reinforced, even if her bad deeds were punished. More importantly, DJ was never allowed to follow her

self-doubt.
During Erikson’s fifth psychosocial stage, Identity vs.

Confusion, adolescents are on a journey for who they really are, what they believe in, and where do they fit in. Stuck in between a child and an adult, this stage can prove dramatic at times. With awkward changes through puberty and social environments in school, no wonder adolescents have that uncomfortable feeling Erikson refers to. DJ depicted an adolescent uncomfortable in her own skin while worrying too much about what others thought. A group of cheerleaders told her she had to lose weight to get in, consequently, DJ began to eat less and exercise more until she passed out at the gym.
To sum up Erikson’s psychosocial stages, Intimacy vs. Isolation is present in adults eighteen and up, according to Erickson. When an adolescent begins to share things with someone they would not share with anyone else, they have successfully demonstrated open intimacy. DJ was able to become extremely intimate with her high school sweet heart Steve, and further depict Erickson’s Intimacy vs. isolation as they spoke of a long-term relationship together. The ability to achieve these relationships further demonstrates the secure attachment and ability to hold close

relationships.
Bowlby’s anxious-ambivalent, permissive, avoidant, and disorganized attachment styles are illustrated by an infant who is unable to use the love presented by a mother as she has not been persistent with her attention and love, child may ignore a mother all together, or a child may act nervous or afraid of the mother. Usually, with an anxious-ambivalent child, the mother has an inconsistency in care that has caused the child confusion and anger. An avoidant child may not even notice the mother, as he/she may be used to her absence. Finally, the disorganized child will proceed with a watchful eye or have a dazed glare. Although not always intentionally, the caregiver or mother may have a temper or get angry, which can cause an unsafe environment.