Erik Erickson Research Paper

Erik Erikson’s Theory of Psychosocial Development
Joyce Williams
ECE332
Prof. Jessica Rodriguez May 4, 2012

Erik Erikson’s Theory of Psychosocial Development
In our American society, adults have grown accustom to asking children this one question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”, and our children have given us various replies such as a doctor, a nurse, a policeman, etc…, and care givers have given little or no thought as to how the kind of treatment that a child receives in the early stages of life will impact the child’s chances of obtaining that goal in life. This concern is exactly what Erik Erikson’s Theory of Psychosocial Development addresses due to the impact that the children’s mental wellness has on their life. Our children must first have a firm foundation where they feel mentally secure in order to obtain the level of confidence that it takes to reach their goals in life because if they do not, those goals may become no more than pipe dreams.
Erik Erikson’s theory of Psychosocial Development is based on the premise that all human beings are social in nature (having an inner instinct to form relationships with others) and possess a deeply embedded desire/need to belong, with emphasis on a person’s
personal awareness of themselves or better known as a person’s ego as stated in the following: “One of the main elements of Erikson’s psychosocial stage theory is the development of ego identity. Ego identity is the conscious sense of self that we develop through social interaction.) (Cherry, K., (n.d.), para. 2).
Mr. Erikson’s theory is divided into eight different stages of life (with the first two being the most critical), “Trust versus Mistrust”, “Autonomy versus Shame and Doubt”, “Initiative versus Guilt”, “Industry versus Inferiority”, “Identity versus confusion”, “Intimacy versus Isolation”, “Generativity versus Stagnation”, and “Integrity versus Despair” respectively and each succeeding stage is influenced by the preceding stage which he labeled as the “Epigenetic Principle” as explained in the following:
A generalized definition of the epigenetic principle is "that anything that grows has a ground plan and that out of this ground plan the parts arise, each part having its time of special ascendancy, until all parts have arisen to form a functioning whole". (Markstrom, C., Sabino, V., Turner, B., & Berman, R. (1997), para. 4).
With this in mind it is easy to understand and except the fact that the first two stages are the most critical stages because all the subsequent stages are extensions of them that are affected by the different experiences the individual encounters along the road of life. During stage 1 (Trust versus Mistrust) the child totally helpless, the child’s well-being is totally dependent the on the quality and amount of care (nurturing) he/she receives from a parent or care giver. The parent or care giver must show the child unbridled love and support both mentally (being there when the child becomes frightened or ill) and physically (providing food, clothing, and shelter) if the child is to ever obtain a sense of trust (feeling safe and secure) in a relationship with another person because if they do not nurture the child he/she may/will subsequently become anti-social (developing disruptive behaviors) or isolate themselves from the rest of society feeling as though they are misfits. During stage two (Autonomy versus Shame and Doubt) the child is becoming aware of his/her cognitive ability to make age appropriate decisions (establishing a sense of responsibility) in their choices of foods, toys, clothing, etc…, if the parent or care giver allows the child to make certain choices themselves, the child begins to build a personal feeling of being in control which enhances his/her feeling of security and the child begins to obtain a feeling of confidence in himself/herself in resolving problems which is the first steps toward independence as stated in the following: “With parental support, most children resolve early life crises productively.” (Rathus, S., (2010-2011), chap. 1).
When we as parents and care givers ask our children “What do they want to be when they grow up?” we must first ask ourselves “What role do I play that can possibly help them to achieve their goals?” and your answer should be “Whatever it takes”.
This is exactly what Erik Erikson’s Theory of Psychosocial Development addresses due to the hugh influence that their quality of mental wellness will have on their life. Our children (in the first stages of life) have to have a concrete foundation of mental security in themselves as well as in their abilities in order to garner the level of confidence that it will take to achieve those goals because without that foundation their chances of reaching them could become slim to
none.

References
Cherry, K., (n.d.), Erikson's Theory of Psychosocial Development: Psychosocial Development in Infancy and Early Childhood. Retrieved May 5, 2012 from http://psychology.about.com/ od/psychosocialtheories/a/trust-versus-mistrust.htm.
Markstrom, C., Sabino, V., Turner, B., & Berman, R. (1997). The psychosocial inventory of ego strengths: Development and validation of a new Eriksonian measure. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 26(6), 705-732. Retrieved May 4, 2012, from ABI/INFORM Complete. (Document ID: 26209365).
Rathus, S., (2010-2011), Child and Adolescent Development. CDEV- Student Edition.