MICAEL P. BERNARDO BSED-ENGLISH/ELITE
EDUC 111 -- Ms. Danica Kaye Pelayo, LPT
1. Who is Erik Erikson and how did his theory expand on Freud’s ideas?
Erik Erikson, is a prominent and established psychoanalyst and professor at Harvard
University. He was the one who produced what was to become psychology’s most
popular and influential theory of human development. His model – including eight
stages of psychosocial growth – replaced Freud’s controversial theory centered on
psychosexual development.
Like Socrates and Plato, Erikson was a student of Freud’s and expanded on his theory
of psychosexual development by emphasizing the significance of culture in parenting
practices and motivations and adding three stages of adult development (Erikson,
1950; 1968). And then, later introduced a psychosocial theory of development,
proposing that a person’s personality evolves throughout their life, challenging Freud’s
belief that personality remains fixed during early childhood. In his theory, he
highlighted the significance of social relationships at each stage of personality
development, in contrast to Freud's focus on erogenous zones, and recognized eight
stages, each defined by a conflict or developmental challenge. Achieving a healthy
personality and a sense of capability relies on successfully navigating each of these
challenges (Erikson, Psychosocial Theory – Lifespan Development).
2. What are the stages of Erik Erikson’s psychosocial development theory?
The proposed stages of psychosocial development by Erikson are:
Stage 1: Trust Versus Mistrust. In this stage, confidence and trust is being
emphasized. According to Erikson, as early as 18 months, it comes very crucial for a
certain child to develop trust with his/her environment, and uncertain about the world.
After all, we are entirely reliant on our caregivers for warmth, love, stability, and
nurturing. If reliable and predictable, we gain confidence, a sense of security, and a
feeling of safety in the world (Syed & McLean, 2018). Moreover, If care is inconsistent
and unreliable, then trust will fail. For example, when caregivers reject a child, fail to
meet his needs, or are emotionally detached, he may conclude that he cannot rely on
adults. Thus, at the very crucial early years, children must be guided and be cared for
consistently.
Stage 2: Autonomy Versus Shame and Doubt. This stage focuses on early childhood
– 18 months to three years – when a child gaining independence and an increased
perception of control over his physical skills (Erikson, 1958, 1963). Though early on in
development, a child begin to develop a heightened sense of personal control and
acquire feelings of independence. According to Erikson, potty training is crucial to
learning physical control and, ultimately, the development of autonomy.
Stage 3: Initiative Versus Guilt. The psychosocial development of this stage occurs
during preschool, between the ages of three and five years. As we can notice when
observing a child, when they do wrong and received increased criticism they easily
feels guilty. Similarly, while constant questioning in this stage can be tiring at times, if
it is curtailed by caregivers, a child may see himself as a nuisance, his interactions
with others.
Stage 4: Industry Versus Inferiority. In this stage four of Erikson’s psychosocial theory
– ages 5 to 12 years – children are immersed in a world of education, learning to read,
write, and solve math puzzles (Erikson, 1958, 1963). Teachers play an essential role
in the continued growth of children. Factors such as peer groups, performance and
approval gained by the students could affect their self-esteem and competencies.
Indeed, learning to fail can be a crucial element in the maturation of children– leading
to the development of modesty – while success meets their basic for feelings of
competence (Ryan & Deci, 2018).
Stage 5: Identity Versus Role Confusion. Teenage years can be daunting or quite
intimidating, both to the adolescents and parents, because here many changes to
physical and mental aspect of children that is now in the stage of adolescence. These
formative years – ages 12 to 18 – provide a valuable and in-depth exploration of
beliefs, goals, and values while searching for personal identity and a sense of self. It
is indeed true that transition between childhood and adulthood is crucial. According to
Erikson (1963), the fifth stage of psychosocial development exists “between the
morality learned by the child, and the ethics to be developed by the adult.”
Stage 6: Intimacy Versus Isolation. We are driven as young adults to investigate
interpersonal interactions and our aspiration to establish close bonds with others.
Erikson's sixth stage of young adulthood (18–40) is all on building lasting, meaningful
relationships. Erikson’s (1963) view is that the ability to love marks the ultimate
success of stage six – when relationships are meaningful and lasting. Whereas failure
can result in loneliness and isolation, success brings affection and emotional
fulfillment. Healthy interpersonal development requires a strong sense of self that has
been developed in earlier phases.
Stage 7: Generativity Versus Stagnation. The emphasis in Erikson's seventh stage
(ages 40–65) is on making a difference and leaving a legacy. While failure can cause
emotions of detachment and stagnation, success fosters a sense of purpose and care.
Stage 8: Integrity Versus Despair. Reflection on life is emphasized in Erikson's final
period, which is 65 years to death. Whereas failure breeds remorse, hopelessness,
and the fear of an unfulfilled existence, success breeds integrity, tranquility, and
wisdom from achievements. Success is in the belief that we have achieved our goals
and found happiness, leading to the feeling of integrity, “a sense of coherence and
wholeness” (Erikson, 1982).
3. Who is Jean Piaget? What are the different stages of cognitive development
theory?
Jean Piaget was a Swiss psychologist and genetic epistemologist. He is known for his
work on child development and his theory of cognitive development. He revolutionized
how we understand children’s cognitive development, showing that intelligence grows
through stages: sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, and formal
operational.
According to Jean Piaget's hypothesis, children's thinking gets increasingly
sophisticated and nuanced as they pass through four distinct stages of cognitive
development.
Children learn through their senses and behaviors during the first stage, called the
sensorimotor stage, which lasts from birth to around two years. During this time, they
establish important ideas like object permanence—the idea that things exist even
when they are hidden from view. Children then begin to use words and symbols during
the preoperational period, which lasts from two to seven years of age, although they
have trouble with logical reasoning. They could be egocentric, which means they have
trouble understanding other people's viewpoints.
During the concrete operational period, which lasts from seven to eleven years of age,
children start to reason more logically. They are able to comprehend ideas such as
conservation, which holds that an object's quantity remains constant despite changes
in appearance. Additionally, they start to think more genuinely about the feelings and
thoughts of others. Lastly, during the formal operational stage, which begins in puberty,
children learn to solve hypothetical issues and reason abstractly.