Question

Erik Erikson had eight stages of psychosocial development and a friend, who is expecting their first child, wants to know what to expect during the first 15 years of the child’s life. Using Erikson’s stages, outline for your friend what to expect

Answer 1

We all goes under some step by step process in our development period. Your child will also experience every stages of the development. A Child devevelopment is,achiving the particular goal of life. In this development period the child will face anxiety,dependency and sometimes identity crisis also. Don't worry it is normal process of development.

According to the famous psychologist Erikson, The development process has eight stages. Every child goes under this process. So, your child will also experience that particular stages of development.

The psychosocial development Theorey was stated by the Erik Erikson in the year 1950,1963.Eriksons theorey was conceptualized from the concept of Freud's personality theorey. your child will goes under that 8 particular stages till the 15 to 18 years.According to Erikson, succesfull ending of every stages gives the child a healthy and good mental health.

Eight Stages of Development

Stage 1 (Trust vs Mistrust)

For your child this stage will start from the fisrt year of life.The child will face some conflicts about his or her safety. In this stage the infant will get confussed how others are safe for him. In this stage of life you as a parent need to be very concern about the safety of your first child. Always try to be with your child so that he or she can feel safe all the time. In this stage of life if you give your infant proper care, proper love and security then trust will be developed and if you are not enough concern about your child then it will create mistrust. Always helps to feel your child, that the world is the safest place for him or her. This kind of secured feeling will help the Infant to have a healthy development.

Stage 2(Autonomy vs Shame and Doubt)

This stage will continue till the 3 years of the baby.In this stage of development your child will try to have some independency. In this period ,your child will start walking one places to another places, The language developoment will start also from this stage of development.In this stage your child will seek some independency from you. They will discover that he or she has some own ability like choosing and wearing clothes, playing with toys etc. In this stage you as a mother need to support and aprreciate your child's independence. Your support will motivate your child and he or she will be more confident in future.

In this stage the development completely depends on the support of others. In this phase the child also suffers from the shame and fear of discouragement. So do not please dominate your child. Let the child enjoy the feeling of Independency.

Stage 3(Initative Vs Guilt Feeling)- This stage of development will continue till the 6 years of your child. In this period of development the child will become egar to interacting with everyone he or she like. Not only that in this stage your child will also be in a participating mood. The child will like to take a part in social programs. As eaxmple your child would be interested in showing their activity to you and to the others also. Always please try to appreciate the child's effort. This appreciation helps the child to enhance her or his talent.

In this period of life child also suffers from guilt feeling.Your child will suffer from the fear of punishment and the fear of critcism in this period of development. So please try to appreciate the child in the socializing process with others.This stage can gives a child a healthy social life. So it can be stated that, this is the most important stgae of development.

Stage 4(Industry vs Inferiority)-  In this stage the child starts to going school. In this stage of development child feels a pressure from his or her teachers and parents. Teachers insist the child for better performance. If a child gets reward for her or his hardwork or goodwork. The child feels motivated and feel egars to do more better work. But if the child gets criticism and punishment for their any kind of activity. Then this kind of punishments creates the feeling of Inferiority.

So my friend, be very gentle and supporting about your child's activity. Never compare your child to an another child. This will affect the development of your child.

Stage 5( Identity Vs Role Confusion)

This is the most critical stage of development. In this period of life the your son or daughter may get confussed about the role of her or his.''Who am I?'' ,''What is my role in this wide world?'' this kind of questions may arise in this period of Development. Boys and girls can suffer from Identity crisis also in this phase.

Please try to be friendly with your son,when he is in this stage of life. Always try to answer the questions of your son. I think the supportive and friendly behvior of the parents helps alot in this stage.

Stage 6( Intimacy vs Isolation)- In this stage of development the girls and boys generally forms an intimating relationship.. Sometimes they dont care about the Ego and Self respect to build a intimate relationship. Boys starts getting attracted to the girls and Girls starts getting attracted towards the boys.

But heartbreak is the most common event of this stage of life. Sometimes they feel depressed and worthless in this stage of life.

Stage 7(Creativity VS Stagnation) In this period of development creativity will increase. People becames creative and motivated in this stage. The satisfaction is the main thing in this stage. People wants to be satisfied inach and every situation. Appreciation is needed to motivate them in this period of Development.

In Otherside if the parents are not enough supporting, then people becomes selfish and self centered.So In this period parents should be very supportive and caring.

Stage 8(Ego- Integrity Vs Despair)

This stage is the last stage of development. In this stage of life someone feels satisafaction. If the earlier stages were pleasing,she can have a possitive attitude towards the world and if the earlier stages were not satisfying then he or she fees negative about the world.

After discussing all the stages of development. It can be said that your child will experience the 5th stages during the first 15 Years. The other stages also get continued after the 15 years. Try to follow the advise i have given according to the Erikson's Theory. I think this will helps.