Erickson's Theory of Human Development
?>
Download eBooks and Software
 The Lotto Black Book
This Radical Approach To An Online Sales Letter Converts In The 3-5%... We've Never Seen Something Like This Since The Early Days Of 2004-2005 And I'm Sure You Haven't Either... We Convert More Than Our Competition And We Pay Out More... Try It!
Paleo Recipe Book - Brand New Paleo Cookbook
Brand New Paleo Diet Cookbook With Over 370 Recipes. Pays 70% Commission On This High-quality, Easy To Sell Product. Get Banners And Promotional Material At Http://paleorecipebook.com/affiliates.html
Real Writing Jobs
New & Improved Pricing Structure With Multiple Price Points, Downsells, And Upsells. Doing Better Than Ever! Plus, We Keep Emailing All Interested Users With Your Affiliate Link In The Emails To Make Sure You Get Credit! Realwritingjobs.com/affiliates.php
Articles > Kids and TeensErickson's Theory of Human Development
by: Angela Winters
Im sure youve heard the term Identity Crisis before. Its thought of as a conflict of self and society and its introduction came from one of the most famous psychoanalyst of the 20th century.
Sigmund Freud is probably the most familiar name that comes to mind when one thinks of famous psychologists. His basic foundation theories of instinct, phallic symbol obsession and oedipal complexes are prevalent in almost every artistic aspect of our culture. However, it was a friend and fellow psychoanalyst of Freuds, Erik Erickson, who created one of the major theories that open a window to the development of everything that makes us who we are on the inside. It is referred to as Ericksons Theory of Human Development and it simplifies the complex topic of human personality.
First, lets talk about the man himself. Erik Homberger was born in Frankfurt, Germany in 1902. The conditions under which he began life give a great deal of insight into his obsession with identity. He was challenged with it from the stat. His parents werent married and his Danish father left before Erik was born. His Jewish mother married Eriks pediatrician when he was three. Erik had Nordic features; he was tall, blond and had blue eyes. Neither the Jewish children at temple nor the German children at school accepted him.
As he grew up, psychology and art began to interest Erik and led him to various institutes including one where he was psychoanalyzed by Anna Freud, wife of Sigmund. Both later became close friends to Erickson. When the Nazis came to power, Erik moved to Boston where he studied child psychoanalysis and was influenced by many psychologists and anthropologists Mead, but many famous psychologists and anthropologists.
He is considered a Freudian ego-psychologist, meaning he takes the basic foundation of Freuds theories, but veers away by focus on social and cultural orientation. Ericksons theory closely ties personality growth with parental and societal values. His 1950 book, Childhood and Society, is considered a classic in its field.
There are eight stages of human development, each focusing on a different conflict that we need to solve in order to development successfully into the next stage of our lives. The idea is that if we dont resolve each stage or we choose the wrong of two choices, our ability to deal with the consecutive stages is impaired and the failure will return to us at some point later in life.
Stage One: Oral Sensory
Ages: Birth To 12-18 Months
Conflict: Trust vs Mistrust
The infants bond with their primary caregiver is about trust and love. The connection with that person (usually Mommy) allows them to feel like they are safe and can rely on the person who is basically the only thing they know. Its about touch and being there and can be seen in that tender stare they give you as you feed them.
Stage Two: Muscular Anal
Ages: 18 Months To 3 Years
Conflict: Autonomy vs Doubt
This stage focuses on self control and self confidence and Erickson gives toilet training as the greatest example of this conflict. He also points out that this is the stage where an overprotective parent can do the most damage. The child wants autonomy. Were all familiar with the two hour wait because they have to tie their own shoes. We wait because in this stage, failure to reinforce these efforts will lead the child to doubt themselves and your trust in them.
Stage Three: Locomotor
Ages: 3 To 6 Years
Conflict: Initiative vs Guilt
This is all about independence and letting the child exert his/her initiative. This is the stage where carrying your car keys or helping Mommy in any way possible is very important. They are developing a sense of responsibility and limitations. They will try to do things they cant and the response the parent gives them, encouragement or refusal, will allow the child to understand limitations without guilt.
Stage Four: Latency
Ages: 6 To 12 Years
Conflict: Industry vs Inferiority
This is about completion. Before this stage, were all familiar with the child beginning to do something, but then snap; he drops it and is on to something else. In this stage, completion and the pleasure it brings becomes crucial. This is greatly influenced by their introduction to school beyond day care. It is the coming together of mental and physical capabilities as well. Parents need to encourage their child to handle the different experiences of a home atmosphere and the atmosphere at school among others.
Stage Five: Adolescence
Ages: 12 To 18 Years
Conflict: Identity vs Role Confusion
This stage could be a book in itself; the teenage years. They are hard on everyone, but especially the child herself. They are aware that they will become a contributor to society (industry) and the search for who they are drives their actions and thoughts. The desire to know what it is they want and believe separate from what theyve adopted from their parents is crucial to their self confidence.
Stage Six: Young Adulthood
Ages: 19 To 40 Years
Conflict: Psychosocial Development
Love relationships dominate this stage for all of us and relies heavily on our ability to solve the conflicts faced in stage five. Can you be intimate? Can you be open? Can you commit? Intimacy is referred to as the ability to make a personal commitment and doesnt necessarily mean sex. Personal commitment, met with mutual satisfaction, make this a successful stage. If unable to handle this stage, an adult will resort to isolation.
Stage Seven: Middle Adulthood
Ages: 40 To 65 Years
Conflict: Generativity vs Stagnation
The words are getting bigger, but stay with me. Generativity is our ability to care for someone else which is mostly displayed in parenting. Specifically, its the ability to direct someone into society and the next generation. We dont focus on death, but we begin to understand that we are high in the order of society and owe society something. If we havent dealt with our previous conflicts, we become stagnant and our lives wont exhibit anything we can look back on.
Stage Eight: Maturity
Ages: 65 to Death
Conflict: Ego Integrity vs Despair
This is when we begin to reflect on our lives, accepting it for what it was. If we have done well in previous stages, especially stage seven, we can feel a sense of fulfillment and accept death as an unavoidable reality with dignity. If we havent done well, we can be filled with regret, despair over the time running out and fear of death.
When you read through the stages, its impossible not to identify them as youve experienced them or as you see your children experiencing them. However, Ericksons theory is not without critics. Many say that it is too focused on infancy and childhood and isnt very helpful for later in life. Others say it really applies to boys and not girls using Ericksons belief (Freudian) that boys and girls naturally develop different personalities.
In general, Ericksons Theory of Human Development is widely accepted and plays a major role in all human and psychological development studies and theories. The best advice is to use the theory as a framework or map for understanding and identifying what issues/conflicts unresolved lead to current behavior and preparing for the stages to come.
About The Author
Angela Winters is a freelance writer, journalist and national bestselling author of over twelve novels and short stories.
|
?>
News on Kids and Teens
Can kids be sent home right after appendectomy?
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Most children and teens getting their appendix removed could probably go home on the same day they have surgery without facing an increased risk of complications, a new study suggests. Researchers at Miami Children's Hospital tested the theory on more than 200 pediatric appendectomy cases, and the kids who went home after surgery had about the same rates of ... Free summer meals for kids, teens slated
Hutchinson USD 308 will offer again this summer free meals for anyone age 18 and under. No reservati ... Dangerous silence: Why you need to talk to your kids about sex
Today's society is awash in depictions of sexuality, ranging from salacious magazines, ads and Internet sites to... Rocket21 and National Geographic Channel Announce Photo Contest to Encourage Kids to Explore the Beauty of Nature in ...
Rocket21, [the only social networking platform designed to safely connect kids and teens with professionals and experts representing industries, professions, passions, and movements that span the globe], joined with National Geographic Channels to announce a new Rocket21 “Dream Experience” Photo contest, inviting youth to “Dream Big in Your Backyard”, in celebration of the new National ... AAA: 399 teens die in traffic crashes during each of the summer months
May through August are the deadliest times of year for teen drivers and passengers. According to AAA, almost 400 teens die in traffic crashes during each of these summer months because more kids are driving with less supervision because school is out.
|
