Reference no: EM133404717

Question

According to Jacobus Maree's article, the first four stages of Erik Erikson's psychological development theory are as follows: Basic trust versus mistrust, autonomy versus shame and doubt, initiative versus guilt, and industry versus inferiority. To begin with stage one, basic trust versus mistrust, this stage begins during infancy at about one to two years of age. This stage requires the infant to be in a warm, loving, nurturing environment. It is also crucial during this stage that the infant is being well taken care of and their needs are being met. With these needs being met, the child will develop a sense of comfort. However, if the child is being neglected and their needs are not being met, feelings of mistrust and fear will arise. From my own personal experience, although I do not remember life at one or two years old, I will say that I have always been attached to my mother and she has always taken care of me for as long as I can remember, and I did not experience mistrust or anxiousness as a child. The second stage of Erikson's theory is autonomy versus shame and doubt. This stage follows at about two to four years of age. This stage is important in ensuring that the child gains a sense of independence, and self-control. Once trust is gained in their caregivers in the first stage, they will now begin to comprehend that their behaviors are their own and they control them. If the child is shamed or punished too harshly for his or her actions, they will have the negative outcome of developing a sense of shame and doubt in themselves. The positive outcome for this stage is a sense of confidence and independence. I believe I had a positive outcome at this stage because from what I can remember, I have always been extremely independent. I always wanted to make my own food, dress myself for school, and other things of that nature. Erikson's third stage is initiative versus guilt. Beginning at about four to five years old, the child should start to successfully complete tasks on their own, try new things, and explore their abilities. At this stage the child is now being faced with new challenges, and it is important they are being directed in a positive, helpful manner. If this need is not being met the child will develop feelings of guilt when they do something wrong, and anxiousness. The positive outcome in this stage is that the child develops determination to achieve goals and gains a sense of direction in what is right and wrong. A personal example of this stage for myself would be when I was in elementary school, I was a fairly well-behaved child. However, on the occasion that I did get in trouble for talking or not following directions I did experience feelings of guilt, and I would be ashamed to go home and tell my mom that I got in trouble at school. Another example of this stage comes from the book Educational Psychology, written by John Santrock. Included in the book is an excerpt from teacher Missy Dangler, portraying how the initiative versus guilt of Erikson's theory characterizes her classroom. She explains that she gives the students "jobs" in the classroom for showing good behavior. Being line leader, door holder, or teacher's helper for example. Dangler then goes on to show how these jobs correlate to Erikson's theory by explaining that if a student does not get assigned a classroom job, they have feelings of guilt and disappointment in themselves for not showing the proper behaviors needed to obtain a classroom job. Lastly, the fourth stage of Erikson's psychological theory is industry versus inferiority. At five to twelve years of age children are learning to master knowledge and intellectual skills. If the child is praised for good behaviors or accomplishments and has a strong support system, his or her chances of obtaining an adequate sense of proficiency and self-belief are increased (Maree, 2021). Another example of this stage comes from the book Educational Psychology. In an excerpt given by second grade teacher Susan Froelich, she explains that children in this stage are eager to learn. However, this comes with the downfall of feeling defeated if they do not catch on quickly. Personally, I had a great support system growing up and a loving family who encouraged me to do well in all aspects of my life, including school, sports, and personal hobbies, so I feel that I had a positive outcome from this stage as well. As previously discussed, there are specific needs in order for a child to succeed in each stage of Erikson's theory. However, there is one factor that stands out to me the most. In the article written by Neal Krause, a series of experiments were conducted to prove that social support and satisfaction play a significant role in development, especially in the early stages. The conclusion of Krause's research suggested that children who received emotional social support, or support from their caregivers and loved ones, were more likely to exceed in Erikson's stages of psychological development.