Question

Review Erikson’s psychosocial stage of initiative vs. guilt, and then consider Piaget’s first stage of moral development, heteronomous morality. Explain how parents can help their child to balance initiative and guilt while teaching “right” from “wrong.”

Answer 1

Eriskon’s 3^rd psychosocial stage of development, initiative v/s guilt comprises of a phase wherein the child is in his preschool years. Children begin to assert their power and control through directing play or through social interaction. Exploration and play are important elements of the stage and the child tends to struggle with the question of whether she/he is good or bad. Encouragement to make little choices for self, allowing the child to become an independent thinker helps the child to take initiative in future as well. On the other hand, if the child is constantly posed with the threats of criticism & has a negative stimulation in the environment, she/he becomes more likely to withdraw & stop taking initiative even if it is to learn. This is so because the child inculcates the feeling of guilt within due to which withdrawal in her/his own shell takes place. This stage is overlapping in terms of the age group with the theory of morality suggested by Piaget. The theory is called heteronomous morality and consists of a phase wherein children start seeing choices as ‘black & white’ and their world view becomes more polarized. This may again be due to negative stimulation in the environment where messages of ‘either right or wrong’ are provided every now & then. The child also tends to await punishment when an ‘immoral act’ is initiated by her/him. Looking at the two stages together, it can be said the two are highly related since the messages the child receives in usual conversations or directly displayed tend to play a critical role for the child. This means that the parents/caregivers need to be extremely mindful while interacting with the child so as to avoid using harsh terms or criticism. Firm boundaries are to be built while providing the child with the rationale of why things are the way they are.