Question

What are the major contributions and weaknesses in Erikson's theory and give illustrative examples.

Answer 1

CONTRIBUTIONS

-Firstly, it has a very general and a broad framework.

- It provided insight into the way of healthy development throughout the lifespan of the individual.

- Even though it states about normal development in a general basis, it also takes into concern the individual differences.

- It drives a relation between socialization and maturation and the issues within it.

- It has a highly integrative framework

- It explains how culture affects the development of the individual.

For example, even though Normally an individual has a healthy way of development, it can be influenced by the parenting techniques, different morals that are instilled into the individual and also their cultural and socio economic background. Thus it is general but also individual specific.

WEAKNESSES

- There is no link to genetic plan and there is no idea regarding the specific number of stages of life.

- Research studies have found that the males tend to focus on individualitty than connection.

- Crisis revolution is not explained properly.

- How the culture creates an impact on development must be further explained.

For example, even though it stated that culture impacys development like say, patriarchal society but it doesn't explain further how it affects the development and the elaboration is limited .