PSYCHOSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

( By Erik Erikson)

PRESENTED BY
MAMOONA SHAHZAD
MP/2012-27

/
Erik Erikson
Erik Erikson’s Life History

• Born: 15 June 1902

• Developmental
Psychologist
• Known for his theory on
psychosocial development
• Served as professor at Harvard
and Yale
 cont…..
1. Born in Germany, an illegitimate
child of Danish parents
2. This fact bothered him all his life
3. Dropped out of high school and
spent time traveling in Europe
and studying art
4. Met Sigmund Freud and studied
Psychoanalysis with Freud’s
daughter, Anna Freud
5. Studied young people in different
cultures
6. Became interested in how young
people acquire a personal identity
and how society helps shape it
• Erikson believed that personality
emerges from an inner and outer
conflicts
• The crises arise at each of the
eight stages of life.
 Stage 1: Trust versus
mistrust
• Children are completely dependent
on others
– Trust: Established when babies given
adequate warmth, touching, love,
and physical care
– Mistrust: Caused by inadequate or
unpredictable care and by cold,
indifferent, and rejecting parents
 Stage Two: Autonomy
versus Shame and Doubt
• Autonomy: Doing things for
themselves
• Overprotective or ridiculing parents
may cause children to doubt
abilities and feel shameful about
their actions
 Stage Three: Initiative
versus Guilt (3–5)
• Initiative: Parents reinforce via
giving children freedom to play,
use imagination, and ask
questions
• Guilt: May occur if parents criticize,
prevent play, or discourage a
child’s questions
Guidelines for Teachers
• Teacher should encourage
initiative in pre-school children
• Examples
– Have a free choice time when children can
select any activity or game
– Have some costumes and props that go with
stories the children enjoy. Encourage the
children to act out the stories or make up
new adventures for favorite characters
Stage Four: Industry
versus Inferiority (6–12)
• Industry: Occurs when child is
praised for productive activities,
such as painting and building
• Inferiority: Occurs if child’s efforts
are regarded as messy or
inadequate
Guidelines for Teachers
• Make sure that students have
opportunities to set and work
toward their goals
• Examples
– Begin with short assignments, then move to
longer ones. Monitor student progress by
setting up progress checkpoints
– Have rewards for most improved, most
helpful, most hardworking for providing
support who seem discouraged
Stage Five (Adolescence):
Identity versus Role
Confusion
• Identity: For adolescents; problems
answering, “Who am I?”
• Role Confusion: Occurs when
adolescents are unsure of where
they are going and who they are
Guidelines for Teachers
• Give students many models for
career choices and other adult
roles
• Examples
– Invite guest speakers to describe how and
why they choose their profession
– Encourage them to talk to school counselors
– Be tolerant with teenage and don’t impose
strict dress and hair codes
– Give students realistic feedback about
themselves
 Stage Six (Young
Adulthood): Intimacy
versus Isolation
• Intimacy: Ability to care about
others and to share experiences
with them
• Isolation: Feeling alone and
uncared for in life
 Stage Seven (Middle
Adulthood): Generativity
versus Stagnation

• Generativity: Interest in guiding the

next generation
• Stagnation: When one is only
concerned with one’s own needs
and comforts
 Stage Eight (Late
Adulthood): Integrity
versus Despair
• Integrity: Self-respect; developed
when people have lived richly and
responsibly
• Despair: Occurs when previous life
events are viewed with regret;
experiences heartache and
remorse
cont…..
 Stage Eight (Late
Adulthood): Integrity
versus Despair
1. This phase occurs during old age
and is focused on reflecting back
on life.
2. Those who are unsuccessful
during this phase will feel that
their life has been wasted and will
experience many regrets. The
individual will be left with feelings
of bitterness and despair.
Thanks for your
precious