What Theories On Child Development Did Erik Erikson Hold?

Erik Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development posits that personality develops in a predetermined order through eight stages, from infancy to adulthood. Each stage involves a psychosocial crisis that can either positively or negatively affect personality development. Erikson’s theory was based on observations of middle-class White children and families in the United States and Europe, which may limit the universality of his stages.

Infancy is crucial in the first stage of Erikson’s psychosocial model, as it is when a person experiences a psychosocial crisis that could positively or negatively affect their personality development. Erikson expanded psychoanalytic theory by exploring development throughout life, including events of childhood, adulthood, and old age. He believed that children are not simply biological organisms that endure, but rather develop in the context of society’s expectations, prohibitions, and prejudices.

Erikson believed that achieving a balance between autonomy and shame and doubt would lead to will, which is the belief that children can act. The environment in which a child lived helped with their growth and adjustment, as well as their development of their mental health.

Erikson’s work is focused on how children develop the foundations of mental health, and his theory, called the Eight Ages of Man, explains what types of stimulation children need to master each stage and become productive and well-adjusted members of society. Erikson also believed that our behaviors and actions are driven by a sense of competence, and each phase of his theory focuses on specific aspects of ego identity development throughout one’s entire life.

What is Erik Erikson theory of development?

Erikson’s humanist theory of psychosocial development differed significantly from Freudian psychosexual theory in two ways. He believed that humans’ personalities continued to develop beyond the age of five and that personality development depended on resolving existential crises like trust, autonomy, intimacy, individuality, integrity, and identity. Erikson’s influential eight-stage theory expanded Freud’s original five stages to include life after early childhood, introducing the characteristics of adolescent identity crisis and adult’s midlife crisis.

Despite lacking a doctorate, Erikson returned to Harvard in 1960 as Professor of Human Development and Lecturer in Psychiatry. He taught undergraduate and graduate courses on human development and published three books, including Insight and Responsibility, Identity Youth and Crisis, and Gandhi’s Truth, which won the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award. Erikson was awarded the AM (hon) in 1960 and the LLD (hon) in 1978, retiring as Professor Emeritus in 1970.

What did Erikson believe about parenting?

In the early stages of development, babies develop an attachment to their primary and secondary caregivers, typically their parents. This secure attachment provides a sense of security and safety, allowing the baby to confidently move into the next stage of independence. This stage typically occurs between 9 months and 13 months, where babies cling to their parents and explore independently. This is known as the satellite stage, where they return to their mothership repeatedly.

To help children successfully navigate this stage, parents can hold them during feedings and respond when they are in distress. However, this is often easier in today’s society, where constant presence and engagement during feedings can be difficult. Instead of checking out during feedings, parents should be present and engaged, allowing their children to explore and develop a sense of hope and attachment. This approach is crucial for fostering a healthy attachment and fostering independence in babies.

Why is Erikson’s theory important to child development?

Erikson’s theory emphasizes the role of play in child development, particularly during the preschool stage of “Initiative vs. Guilt”. Through play, children can explore new roles, develop social skills, and express emotions. Early years settings should provide ample opportunities for imaginative play to support children’s psychosocial development. However, criticisms include the lack of a clear definition of play, its potential for misunderstanding, and the need for more comprehensive understanding of play’s role in child development.

What are the assumptions of Erikson’s theory?

The theory posits that humans possess fundamental needs that are universally shared. It further suggests that the fulfillment of these needs facilitates human development, which occurs in discrete stages rather than as a continuous process.

What is the psychosocial theory of child development?

Psychosocial theories focus on recurring changes in ego development, such as self-understanding, identity formation, social relationships, and worldview, throughout an individual’s life. These theories suggest that development is a result of continuous interactions between individuals and their social environments. The use of cookies on this site is governed by copyright © 2024 Elsevier B. V., its licensors, and contributors. Open access content is licensed under Creative Commons terms.

What is Erikson’s theory of infancy?

Erikson postulates that during the initial 1. 5 years of their lives, infants experience uncertainty about their surrounding environment. In order to cope with this uncertainty, infants should seek stability and reliable care from their primary caregiver.

What are Erik Erikson’s views on child development?

Erikson’s work on human development emphasizes the importance of placing childhood in the context of society, recognizing that children are not just biological organisms but are shaped by societal expectations, prohibitions, and prejudices. He also suggests that personality is shaped over the life span, suggesting that later life experiences can help heal or ameliorate problems in early childhood. Erikson advocated for a “new education of children” based on self-knowledge and a complex worldview, rejecting immediate diagnoses of health or judgments. His beliefs in the complexity and resilience of children and the importance of mutuality in relationships led to the establishment of the Institute in his honor.

How does Erikson’s theory differ from Piaget’s theory?

Piaget’s theory is concerned with cognitive development, which is driven by biological maturation and experiences. In contrast, Erikson’s theory is focused on psychosocial development, which is driven by psychosocial conflicts.

What are the stages of child development?

The five stages of child development are newborn, infant, toddler, preschool, and school-age. These stages involve physical, speech, intellectual, and cognitive changes that occur gradually until adolescence. These developmental milestones help track a child’s progress and may indicate developmental disorders or genetic conditions. Experts divide child development into different stages, such as four, five, or six, but the changes that occur at a particular age or age range remain the same. Most developmental disorders are diagnosed by the time a child reaches adolescence.

Newborns react automatically to external stimuli during the first two months of life, with the ability to move their head, see objects, turn towards sounds, and cry. By the third month, they start to smile at people.

How does Erikson’s theory apply to teaching and learning?

Research has shown that educators can improve the academic and social achievement of adolescents, but teachers of early and middle adolescents may still feel marginalized due to differences in race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status. This article discusses the importance of adults in adolescents’ lives and Erikson’s theory, which detailed the process of identity formation during adolescence and the prominent role played by adults.

Erikson’s work points to ways of thinking about teacher-pupil relationships that may help teachers exert a positive influence on adolescents’ future, especially those at greatest risk of failure or dropping out of school.

Piaget’s theories suggest that the evolution of motor and mental schemes helps in the development of cognitive abilities of children. Erik Erikson, who developed a true lifespan model, stresses the individualized social development of each individual and elaborates on the developmental stages that all humans encounter.

What did Erikson believe about children’s play?

Erik Erikson, a renowned expert in human growth and development, defines play as a therapeutic environment where a child can create model situations and master reality through planning and experimentation. Play therapy, a therapeutic approach, focuses on children’s language, with toys serving as their words. In play therapy, children have the freedom to choose from an array of toys and determine their usage. If a child uses a toy in a destructive manner, the play therapist uses limit-setting to help them learn more effective ways to express themselves and develop self-control.

The relationship between a child and their play therapist is crucial to the therapeutic process and outcome. Child-centered play therapists follow Virginia Axline’s eight guiding principles in their interactions with clients.