PSYCHO-SOCIAL

THEORY
BY ARCHANA SHARMA
BWU/BPY/22/035
 PSYCHO-SOCIAL THEORY OF DEVELOPMENT
 Erik Erikson covers normal development over the entire life
span of human beings.
 Development of an individual is the result of his interaction
with his social environment.
 From birth his social development puts him under specific
pressures or conflict called crises by making different
demands at different ages and to which he tries to resolve.
 Discovered 8 such crisis and linked them eight stages.
 Ego identity: conscious sense of self which constantly
changes due to interaction with others.
 STAGE AGE
Trust vs. Mistrust Birth to 1 years
Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt 2 to 3 years
Initiative vs. Guilt 4 to 5 years
Industry vs. Inferiority 6 to 12 years
Identity vs. Role Confusion 13 to 19 years
Intimacy vs. Isolation 20 to 40 years
Generativity vs. Stagnation 40 to 60
Ego Integrity vs. Despair 60 year onwards
 BASIC TRUST VS. BASIC MISTRUST

 Birth- 1 year
 Baby is completely dependent upon care giver and
the way it is handled at this stage may provide child
a sense of security or insecurity i.e. a feeling of trust
or mistrust.
E.g. An infant who is fed regularly and comforted when
upset will learn to trust their caregiver but if rejected it
will build mistrust.
 BASIC TRUST VS. BASIC MISTRUST

BASIC
RELATIONSHIP STRENGTH
Mother/ Caregiver Hope

QUESTION
Can I trust the world?

EVENT PATHALOGY
Feeding Withdrawal
 AUTONOMY VS. SHAME AND
DOUBT
 2-3 years
 Child engages in exploring his environment for
achieving a sense of autonomy.
 Within the bounds of safety, he must be provided
opportunities for the sense of autonomy and knowledge
about his limitations..
E.g. A parent allows their child to pick out their own clothes
to wear to preschool—even if the clothes are mismatched.
 AUTONOMY VS. SHAME AND
DOUBT

RELATIONSHIP BASIC STRENGTH

Parent Will

QUESTION
Is it okay to be me?

EVENT PATHOLOGY
Toilet training Compulsion
 INITIATIVE VS. GUILT
 4-5 years
 Child asks questions about each and everything and explores
his environment carelessly.
 The way the child is encouraged or discouraged by parents
goes a long way in developing ability in child to initiate plan
and carry out these activities in later life.
 If child is discouraged then he is sure to develop a sense of
guilt leading to hesitation and lack initiative in planning.
E.g. Allow children to clean up toys, make their bed, get dressed,
put dishes in dishwasher, etc. If you go in and remake their bed
you are telling them they are not good enough.
 INITIATIVE VS. GUILT

RELATIONSHIP BASIC STRENGTH

Family Purpose

QUESTION
Is it okay to for me to do
move do or act ?
EVENT PATHOLOGY
Independence Inhibition
 INDUSTRY VS. INFERIORITY
 6-12 years
 Teacher and school environment generate pressure on them to
work hard and perform well.
 If he performs well in school home or in other social environments
he will develop sense of industry filled with a sense of achievement
and will be motivated to work harder achieve more competency.
 But if he remains inferior he may look down upon himself and
develop a sense of inferiority.
E.g. being praised by your art teacher for the quality of artwork you
create is a scenario that promote the feeling of industry. If a child fails
to develop a sense of industry, they will feel a sense of inferiority
 INDUSTRY VS. INFERIORITY

RELATIONSHIP BASIC STRENGTH

Neighbours Competence
QUESTION
Can I make it in the world of
people and anything?

EVENT PATHOLOGY
Schooling Inertia
 IDENTITY VS. ROLE
 13-19 years (adolescence)CONFUSION
 Adolescents begin to search for their own personal
identity.
 Development of identity depends upon success he
achieves in resolving crisis of all previous stages.
 Failing in resolving crisis would result in role confusion
and he will not be able to find himself.
 Identity Crisis.
E.g. An example of identity is a teenager who has adopted the
identity of a gardener after exploring gardening interests.
An example of role confusion is a teenager who has not
committed to any particular identity and feels confused about
their place in society.
 IDENTITY VS. ROLE CONFUSION

RELATIONSHIP BASIC STRENGTH

Peer Fidelty

QUESTION
Who am I? What can
I be?

EVENT PATHOLOGY
Peer relationships Role Confusion
 INTIMACY VS. ISOLATION
 20-40 Years (early adulthood)
 Individual seeks to form close personal
attachments by merging his identity with that
of another person.
 Intimacy is the sacrifices made for closed
ones.
 When one fails to develop sense of intimacy
when relations deteriorate for one reason or
another one tends to develop a sense of
isolation.
 INTIMACY VS. ISOLATION

RELATIONSHIP BASIC STRENGTH

Partner Love

QUESTION
Can I love?

EVENT PATHOLOGY
Love Relationships Exclusivity
 GENERATIVITY VS. STAGNATION
 40-60 Years (middle adulthood)
 A person participates in the welfare of future generation
such as his own children, pupils, subordinates and young
people in general.
 There is a tendency to become egoistic and selfish which
leads to stagnation.
 Mid Life Crisis.
Example of generativity : raising children with love and care,
providing them with a nurturing and supportive environment
Example of stagnation : Avoiding responsibilities and
commitments
 GENERATIVITY VS. STAGNATION

RELATIONSHIP BASIC STRENGTH

Household and Care
Workmates
QUESTION
Can I make my life
count?
EVENT PATHOLOGY
Parenting Rejectivity
 INTEGRITY VS. DESPIAR

 60 Years and above

 Integrity refers to the integration of successful resolution of
all the seven previous crisis in the course of one’s life.
 Being successful builds sense of satisfaction to one’s ego.
E.g. Integrity: An elderly man feels satisfaction that he raised his
moral children and loved his wife as best he could.
Despair: An elderly man wishes he got a second chance,
reflecting on his mistakes his marriage.
 INTEGRITY VS. DESPIAR

RELATIONSHIP BASIC STRENGTH

Mankind Wisdom

QUESTION
Is it ok to have been
me?

EVENT PATHOLOGY
Reflecting on and Disdain
acceptance of one’s life
THANK YOU