Name of presentation

Child Development Theories

(Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory)
Erik Erikson’s Biography

o He was a craftsman and an educator in the late 1920s when he met

Anna Freud, an Austrian psychoanalyst. With Anna’s
encouragement, he began to study child psychoanalysis at the
Vienna Psychoanalytic Institute.

o He moved to the US in 1933 and instructed at Yale and Harvard

University.

o It was now in his life that he wound up keen because of society and
culture on youngster improvement. To fulfill his interest, he
contemplated gatherings of American Indian Children to help define
his hypotheses. Considering these kids empowered him to connect
character development with parental and cultural qualities.
Introduction to Theory
o “Children love and want to be loved and they very much prefer the joy of
accomplishment to the triumph of hateful failure. Do not mistake a child for
his symptom” - Erik Erikson
o Developed Freud's speculations.

o Accepted that advancement is long lasting.

o Underlined that at each stage, the kid gains frames of mind and aptitudes
coming about because of the fruitful exchange of the mental clash.
o Key points of psychoanalytic theories:

o Early experiences and family relationships are very important to development

o Unconscious aspects of the mind are considered

o Personality is best seen as a developmental process

Identified 8 stages:
o Basic trust vs mistrust (birth - 1 year)
o Autonomy vs shame and doubt (ages 1-3)
o Initiative vs guilt (ages 3-6)
o Industry vs inferiority (ages 6-11)
o Identity vs identity confusion (adolescence)
o Intimacy vs isolation (young adulthood)
o Generativity vs stagnation (middle adulthood)
o Integrity vs despair (the elderly)
Infancy: Trust vs Miss Trust

o The primary phase of Erikson's hypothesis of psychosocial

advancement
o Occurs in infancy
o Can I trust the people around me?
o The most important period in a persons life.
o Because an infant is utterly dependent, the development of trust is
based on the dependability and quality of the child's caregivers.
o If a child successfully develops trust, he or she will feel safe
and secure in the world.
o Inability to create trust will bring about dread.
o What's more, a conviction that the world is conflicting and
eccentric.
Physical Aspects of Case

o The case is about a 3 months baby girl that is in 1st stage of

development that is infancy according to Erikson’s theory.
o Infancy starts at birth.
o Major task is to survive.
o Humans pelvis is narrow and a baby with developed brain can’t
pass the birth canal as it is very narrow.
o So the brain size increases from 369 to 961 ml.
o Body is weak and infant is totally dependent on parents and best
survival mechanism for him is restless cry.
Social Aspects of the Case:

o The crucial social interactions are with the mother or mother

surrogate.
o Infants have territorial worldview with the family boundary
between ingroup and outgroup.
o Newborn children essentially live in ingroup where people have
comparable interests and viewpoints and produce the sentiment of
participation among individuals in ingroup.
o What must be emphasized is that, through these interactions, the
child learns both trust and mistrust, but in the right proportion: a
healthy sense of mistrust is also necessary for successful dealings
with others in social relations
Cognitive Aspects of case

o Newborns interact with their environment entirely through reflexive

behaviors.
o They don't consider what they will do, but instead pursue their
senses and automatic responses to get what they need.
o The first sub-stage is reflexive activity, which lasts from birth to
approximately 1 month.
o The second sub-stage is primary circular reactions, which spans the
ages of 1 to 4 months.
o During this time, babies intentionally repeat actions that bring them
pleasure and desired outcomes.
o In other words, they do things on purpose because it feels good or it
gets them what they want.
Developmental Markers:

o Cognitive Developmental Markers:

o This is the child's ability to learn and solve problems. For example,
this includes a two-month-old baby learning to explore the
environment with hands or eyes.
o A three month old infant as depicted in the case normally has
following developmental markers: Recognizes breast or bottle.
Follows movement by turning head. Startles at loud noises and etc.
o Erikson’s theory is based on psychological development therefore
cognitive aspect of development can be explained efficiently in this
case with the reference of Erikson’s theory.
Social and Emotional Developmental
Markers:
o This is the child's ability to interact with others, including helping
themselves and self-control. Examples of this type of development
would include: a six-week-old baby smiling, a ten-month-old baby
waving bye-bye, or a five-year-old boy knowing how to take turns
in games at school.

o A three years old baby can show following developmental markers:

Quiets to familiar voice or touch. Smiles at people. Enjoys being
hugged and cuddled.
o Erikson’s theory was in view that child’s need is not merely oral
and not primarily sexual but problems will arise if there will be no
proper social interaction.
 References

1. Erikson, E. and Erikson, J. (1998) The Life Cycle

Completed. W. W. Norton & Company, New York.

2. Erikson, E. (1964) Insight and Responsibility. W. W.

Norton & Company, New York.