ERIKSON AND MY LIFE

My Life in Stages: Eriksons Theory of Development Erik Christensen Capella University CST5003- Survey and Research Human Development Mary Ellen Cooper, PhD August 29th 2010

Abstract Life is a ride that takes an individual many places, comes with many experiences and allows a person to grow, learn and become a part of society so that they can live a happy and healthy existence. During this ride, according to Erik Erikson, you go through many stages starting from infancy to late adulthood with each stage filled with unique developmental tasks and simultaneously confronts individuals with a crisis that they must resolve (Crandell, 2009), not necessarily being a catastrophic crisis but a turning point or crucial point of increased vulnerability and heightened potential (Crandell, 2009). In this paper I will explore Eriksons Theory of Development and how each step has helped me progress into becoming an adult, events that helped me pass through one stage to the next and also the differences between Eriksons stages to Lawrence Kohlbergs model of Moral Development. Each model possesses a unique view at how a person grows, experiences life and events but also how one becomes morally sound growing more aware of the environment around them.

My Life in Stages: Eriksons Theory of Development Erik Erikson has come up with eight different stages in his theory of development and with each new stages comes different and unique problems that are just in that stage which an individual must solve and master in order to move onto the next stage in life. According to Kohlberg, animportant prerequisite of moral development is direct and repeated experience with moral conflict in social settings (Kohlberg, 1990), just like with Erikson, without these problems and situations one cannot fully exit that stage and start on the next one and its unique problems. Eriksons stages begin from infancy (birth to 18 months) and goes till late adulthood (ages 55 or 65 till death) with every life stage in between helping one grow and learn. In each stage an individual is presented with basic strengths that help them develop as they investigate these situations in any stage they are in. Lawrence Kohlberg had similar steps needed to become an adult but instead of strengths gained from the step, for Kohlberg you gained more morally correct vision and thoughts about life and experiences. For me each stage and theory has brought new insight in whom I am, where I want to go and who I want to be, of course these have only come recently since I have become aware of these stages and how they affect my life. However, there have been events in my life that have made me realize when I was able to move into the next stages in my development. One quote that I found and it seems to go along with Erikson and his theory is by Francois de la Rochefoucauld a French author in the early 1900s and it goes We reach quite inexperience the different stages of life, and often, in spite of the number of our years, we lack experience. This is perfect because like Erikson, and in some regard Kohlberg, you need the experience to get from stage to stage but no matter our age, we sometimes lack the experience to fully move onto the

next stage leave us behind and fighting to gain the basic strengths that the stage holds for us. Most people do not realize that infancy is a time of great experience and exploration. A person comes with many realizations during this period even though they are too young to recognize what is going on around them. For Erikson during this period (ages birth till 18 months) you are starting to develop trust or mistrust (Crandell, 2009) for everyone around you which allows you to view the world, later in life, one way or the other being able to trust that they are going to be dependable or not. This thought process comes from being completely dependant on your parents as caregivers. If your parents are not there to help and support you when you are an infant then you are going to have a hard time being able to trust that the people near you, whom should be taking care of you, will actually do it. For me I was able to trust my parents and the ones that protected, feed and provided the things that I needed as a baby to grow and be healthy. My mother was always there for me and tells me stories of when I was a baby and would not sleep through the night. She would get up to hold me, rock me back and forth and feed me if needed, even though I always threw it up on her, she never let me go. I was able to trust my mother and for that matter anyone that was close to me since I was well taken care of. Since I was able to have this bond and it created trust between me, as a baby, I was able to move onto Eriksons next stage, early childhood and also into Kohlbergs first level, pre-conventional. The next stage, according to Erikson, is Early Childhood which includes the ages of 18 months to 3 years. During this stage a child is starting venture out and explore their surrounding more and more by themselves gaining physical strength to get up and move

without the help of their parents. While the parent is still around to help out, the child is more on its own to do things themselves from feeding to dressing. Within this stage, Kohlbergs first stage of development comes to play; the pre conventional stage. In this stage, common with children, one is mainly concerned with the direct consequences of their actions (Kohlberg, 1990) leading one to either do the action again or never again. In this pre conventional stage there are two levels that go along with it. In level one a child is only worried about what will happen to them if they do something wrong while in level two the child has the attitude of what is in it for me, having a give and take relationship with authority. For me, during this stage I can remember having a little sister and trying to get away with whatever I could since mom was busy with the baby and could not really punish me for what I was doing. Little did I know that all moms have eyes in the back of their heads and she punished me a couple of times, good, for being mischievous and bratty leading me to not even want to do the bad things that got me that punishment. For Erikson he would have said that the strength I achieved from this stage would be self control and courage (Erikson, 1977) while Kohlberg would say that I established what is right and wrong (Crandell, 2009) and became aware of my moral mindset, while all leading me into the next phase and stage, the play stage. The play stage consists of exploration outside the home, learning basic skills and taking on challenges on their own, showing the world and parents that they are able to do it on their own. In this stage children are between the ages of 4 and 6, most likely in school and participating with other children. For some, this stage is a tough one because they may or may not have been successful in the last stage and moved on. While they are in the age group to be part of this stage, they may not have fulfilled what needed to be

done in order to understand and function in this play stage. According to Erikson, During this stage, the child learns to take initiative and prepare for leadership and goal achievement roles. Activities sought out by a child in this stage may include risk-taking behaviors, such as crossing a street alone or riding a bike without a helmet; both these examples involve self-limits (Erikson, 1977). If you were not able to gain the strength of self control in the last stage then you are going to make mistakes that you should have made previously. One event that reminds me of being in this stage and making my way through it was back in Pre School using those different shaped blocks and trying to put them in their correct holes. Taking on a project on my own no matter how big or small and even with the help of others to accomplish them gave me a sense of individuality and the knowledge that I can do whatever I wanted to do. While I know that many people may not see this as a big step, being able to rationalize and do it really helps a child grow and feel like they have a sense of purpose, which ultimately is what someone, at any age wants to feel. While at this stage you play and explore when you want to, the next Erikson stage, School age, are more about time management and understanding that things need to be done in a timely fashion. Here in this stage, "Children at this age are becoming more aware of themselves as individuals (Crandell, 2009) while also wanting to be more responsible, being good and doing it right (Erikson, 1977). Children in this stage range from ages 6 to 11 and are generally in the first to seventh grade meaning that they have more school work, assignments due on a specific time and a little more freedom from their parents. In this stage, with all the new responsibilities, school work and freedom, is the most crucial stage for one to develop and achieve self-confidence. Here they get it from teachers,

coaches and then finally parents for their achievements in school and athletics. For me my self-confidence came from sports and not necessarily in the classroom, I was good in school but sports always outshined academics. Being able to play better than most kids my age gave me confidence in myself as a person, athlete and was all around just a good feeling inside. I once heard Mohammed Ali talk about his fighting days and how he felt while playing sports and even back then it stuck with me. He said Its a lack of faith that makes people afraid of meeting challenges, and I believe in myself (1987) and thats what sports did for me, I believed and had the self confidence to go out there and accept any challenge that came my way; which was the mindset that was needed for the next stage of adolescence. Adolescence is a very, very tough time for most individuals due to the fact that they are now developing physically, puberty, and mentally they may not be as old as their bodies make them feel. Here, according to Kohlberg, these individuals have entered into his conventional stage of moral development which means that Those who reason in a conventional way judge the morality of actions by comparing them to society's views and expectations (Kohlberg, 1990). Individuals look at society and acts on what is generally considered to be right and wrong benefiting society as a whole, begins to feel out and see what roles they play in society and try to live up to all expectations now put upon them. Just as Kohlberg believes that one must become part of a society and their roles, Erikson believes that same thing in his stage. Typically between the ages of 12 to 18 an individual makes the transition from childhood to adulthood, adolescents ponder the roles they will play in the adult world. Initially, they are apt to experience some role confusion- mixed ideas and feelings about the specific ways in which they will fit into society- and may

experiment with a variety of behaviors and activities to figure out where they stand (Erikson, 1977). My place in society was found out very early in my adolescence, I was going to be the good guy and the athlete. Leading my teams to win after win never really gave me a chance, in others eyes to be anything more than that. It was not all bad. With this new stigma put on me it also came with the respect and even, in some regard, some authority over my peers. I found out what my place was going to be by default and now today trying to figure out a little more in depth on where I fit in now, which is where the next stage comes in, young adulthood. According to my timeline I am in the young adulthood stage and know my identity and place in society but the funny part is that I dont feel like it. I knew what my role was when I was an adolescent but unsure of what it is now, Im still trying to figure it out and that is why I am here at Capella. Within in this stage an individual is also concerned withintimacy (Crandell, 2009) and looking to settle down to start a family. While I may not know where I stand in society, I am well aware of where I am going in terms of marriage and family. To me, it is funny that I knew who I was, trying to now find out who I am but knowing that someone loves me and will be there forever for me. I have the strength that the young adult stage gives a person, love, but do not know my identity outside of that. Morally, in terms of Kohlberg and his theory, I am also in the right frame of mind, post conventional, meaning that I know that the world holds different opinions, rights and values with laws being social contracts and should not be broken (Kohlberg, 1990). You must follow the rules that are set out for society or you are going to be in trouble; no more trial and error.

Erik Erikson and Lawrence Kohlberg both set out distinct stages and levels to move through in order to become an adult who is able to live and move around in our society. Within each others set of standards and events that one must go through so you may move from one stage to the next, they both intertwine at different points. To conclude, Eriksons eight steps to his development theory and Kohlbergs three levels, with two steps in each, are meant to create an individual capable of following rules, making solid judgments, living a life with a purpose all while finding out, everyday, who you are and what you truly want to get out of this life. While I have made it only to the young adult stage, learning about where and how I came to this point in life, not by years but by mentality and moral development makes me appreciate my upbringing and environment. Most people who do not have a strong environment to grow and explore do not reach the stages in a timely fashion due to the fact that they were not given the warmth and affection by the others around them making it hard to go from stage to stage.

References

Crandell, T. L., Crandell, C. H., & Zanden, J. W. (2009). Human Development. In T. L. Crandell, C. H. Crandell, & J. W. Zanden, Human Development. Erikson, E.H. (1977). Toys and Reasons: Stages in the Rituallization of Experience. New York: W.W. Norton. Kohlberg, L., & Colby, A., (1990). Measurement of Moral Judgment. New York: Cambridge University Press. Retrieved from: http://lectica.info/PDF/New_Tools.pdf Rochefoucauld, Francois de la (1963) retrieved from: http://thinkexist.com/quotes/with/keyword/stages_of_life/