Essay On Psychological Development

Theory

Erik Erikson upheld that children grow in a preset manner. He did not concentrate on cognitive development, but he was interested in how children mingle and also how this impacts on their sense of self. His theory of Psychological Development outlines eight distinct stages each with two conceivable consequences. According to this principle, successful accomplishment of each stage will result in a healthy character and successful communication with other people. Failure to complete a stage successfully can lead to a reduced ability to finish others stages resulting in a more unhealthy relationship and sense of self. Our newborn babies are good example of this stage.

Mistrust vs. Trust

The first stage transpires between birth and one year of age and it is the most crucial in life. Since a toddler is utterly depended on, development of trust lays on the dependability and the quality of caretakers. The child depends on an adult for everything such as love, food, warmth, safety, and nurturing. If the child feels that the caregiver has failed to provide adequate love and care, the child will feel that he or she cannot put his or trust on such adults in life. If a child develops trusts, he will feel safe and failure to develop trust will result in fear and the child believing that the world is unsecure and unpredictable. In this situation, a child will not develop 100 percent trust but successful development will be striking a balance between two opposing sides hence will acquire hope which is openness to experience danger present. Our newborn babies are good example of this stage.

Self-sufficiency vs. shame and doubt

The youngster is growing physically and is moving away from the mother, picking what he wishes to play with. He or she is discovering his skills and abilities like putting on clothes and playing with toys. Such skills show the child’s growing sense of liberation and self-sufficiency. Erikson advises that parents should allow their kids to explore limits of abilities in an encouraging environment without failure. Parents should not condemn the child for disappointments since this aims at self-control without loss of self –esteem. Success at this stage will result in a virtue of the will. Our nephews and nieces are examples at this stage (Kagan & Moss, 2009)

Initiative vs. guilt

This stage occurs around the age of three when the child is regularly interacting with others in the school. They play a lot giving them an opening to explore their interactive skills through originating activities. He will begin asking many questions wanting to know more about the environment and if a parent responds by seeing the child as a nuisance, the child starts feeling guilty of being a nuisance (Moshman, 2011) Too much of guilt makes a child to interact less with others and this may inhibit creativity. Having a healthy poise between inventiveness and guiltiness is significant as success will lead to a virtue of purpose.

Industry vs. inferiority

Children at the age of 5-12 will learn to read, write, do sums and construct things by themselves. Teachers will start to take an imperative role in the life of a child and they will teach them specific skills. The child’s agemates will gain significance and be major source of a child’s self-esteem. If they don’t develop specific skills, they feel that the society is demanding and a sense of inferiority grows in them. Some failures are important so that they develop modesty. A stability between modesty and competence is important as triumph in this stage will result into a virtue of competence.

Individuality vs. Role misperception

During adolescence, children are becoming independent and they start to vision their future in terms of relationships, career, and families as they want to associate themselves with a society and settle in. This is the main stage as one has to learn the role that he will have as an adult. An adolescent will examine his identity in terms of sex and occupation. Erikson claims that youths may feel uncomfortable about themselves due to changes until they adapt into the changes and attainment in this phase will result in a virtue of fidelity. (Mussen, 2008) This virtue involves accepting others even when they are ideologically different. If one fails to establish a role of identity within a society, it leads to a role of confusion and this involves a person not being sure with what they want to do with their lives. Our younger siblings can represent this stage.

Intimacy vs. isolation

It occurs in young adults between the ages of eighteen to forty years when we begin to share more of their personally feelings with others. We experience relationships that result into long-term commitments with other people outside our families. If we complete this stage successfully, we end up in comfortable relationships having a sense of safety and commitment. Avoiding intimacy and relationships can lead to loneliness and isolation hence accomplishment in this phase will lead to a virtue of love. Our colleagues I our workplaces are good examples of this stage.

Generativity vs. stagnation

In our middle adulthood (40 to 65) we settle down and establish our careers beginning with our families and we picture ourselves in another angle. We give back to the society by raising children and being productive by involving in community services. Success in this phase will lead to a virtue of care. Characters in this stage can be our neighbors who have successfully made it in life (Webb, 2009).

Ego integrity vs. despair

It occurs at the age of 65 and beyond when we become senior citizens. Success in this phase will lead to a virtue of wisdom that enable on to look back at their lives with a sense of completeness and accept life without fear. Our grandparents are examples in this stage.

References

Kagan, J., & Moss, H. (2009). Birth to maturity. New York: Wiley.
Moshman, D. (2011). Adolescent psychological development. Mahwah, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.Mussen, P. (2008). The psychological development of the child. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall.
Webb, E. (2009). Worldview and mind. Columbia: University of Missouri Press.