V. Ramirez PSY352

8/12/2019 V. Ramirez PSY352

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Running head: SIGNATURE ASSIGNMENT PSY 352

Signature Assignment:

Erik Eriksons Ps!"hoso"ia# Theor!

$i"toria Ramire%

&resno Pa"i'i" Uni(ersit!


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)ur #i'e is a *ourne! and throughout the *ourne! +e en"ounter "on'#i"ts, 'ind reso#utions

and sur-ass mi#estones. /e rea"h these mi#estones at di''erent times in our #i'e and as +e

o(er"ome these mi#estones +e de(e#o- -h!si"a##!, "ogniti(e#!, emotiona##! and so"ia##!. /or#d

reno+ned -s!"hoana#!st, Erik Erikson, 0rought this idea into greater -ers-e"ti(e +ith his

-s!"hoso"ia# de(e#o-ment theor!. Eriksons theor! em-hasi%es on the #i'e "!"#e, 'rom 0irth to

death, and the stages o' de(e#o-ment +e en"ounter throughout this ama%ing *ourne! +e "a## #i'e.

Erikson used Sigmund &reuds -s!"hose1ua# theor! on de(e#o-ment as a starting -oint to

his o+n theor! 0ut Eriksons theor! di''ers in a 'e+ ma*or +a!s. Eriksons -s!"hoso"ia# theor!

"an 0e re#ated to &reuds -s!"hose1ua# theor! main#! 0e"ause 0oth theories are in -redetermined

order or "onsist o' stages. ut un#ike &reud +ho 0e#ie(ed de(e#o-ment o""urred on#! in the 'irst

'i(e !ears o' #i'e Eriksons theor! em-hasi%es on de(e#o-ment throughout ones #i'e, +hi"h he

"a##ed 4#i'e s-an. A#so un#ike &reud, Erikson +as most#! interested in ho+ "hi#dren so"ia#i%e

and ho+ this a''e"ts their sense o' se#'. I agree +ith Eriksons theor! in terms o' the "ontinuan"e

o' de(e#o-ment 0e!ond the 'irst 'e+ !ears o' #i'e. I dont think that +e e(er sto- de(e#o-ing as

human 0eings and Erikson "reated a theor! that in"or-orated that idea, as +e## as, e1-anded on

the de(e#o-ment in s-e"i'i" stages or times throughout ones #i'e.

)ne o' the main e#ements o' Eriksons -s!"hoso"ia# theor! is the de(e#o-ment o' ego

identit!. Ego identit! "an 0e de'ined as: the "ons"ious sense o' se#' that +e de(e#o- through

so"ia# intera"tion. A""ording to Erikson, our ego identit! is "onstant#! "hanging due to ne+

e1-erien"es and in'ormation +e a"6uire in our dai#! intera"tions +ith others. In addition to ego

identit!, Erikson a#so 0e#ie(ed that a sense o' se#' -ro'i"ien"! moti(ates 0eha(iors and a"tions


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and that is +h! his theor! em-hasi%es the im-ortan"e o' 0e"oming -ro'i"ient in di''erent areas in

#i'e.

Eriksons theor! o' -s!"hoso"ia# de(e#o-ment in"#udes eight mi#estones or stages in

+hi"h the theor! "#aims +e en"ounter at "ertain times in our #i(es. Ea"h o' the stages has a

-ositi(e or negati(e out"ome and a""ording to Erikson, 'ai#ure to su""ess'u##! "om-#ete a stage

"an resu#t in a redu"ed a0i#it! to "om-#ete 'urther stages and there'ore "reating insta0i#it! in

ones de(e#o-ment and an unhea#th! sense o' se#'.

The 'irst stage 0egins at 0irth and "ontinues 'or the 'irst !ear o' #i'e. Eriksons theor!

"a##s this -eriod the trust (s. mistrust stage and des"ri0es this stage as the time in ones #i'e +hen

trust is either esta0#ished or not esta0#ished 0ased on the "onsisten"! o' the "aregi(er7s8 79e''ner,

2;8. I' a "hi#ds needs are 0eing met the -ro0a0i#it! o' them de(e#o-ing trust is higher. ut on

the other hand i' a "hi#d is a0andoned or in an unsta0#e en(ironment the "han"es o' them

de(e#o-ing trust is mu"h #o+er. A""ording to Eri"ksons theor!, i' trust is de(e#o-ed su""ess'u##!,

the "hi#d gains "on'iden"e and se"urit! in the +or#d around them and is a0#e to 'ee# se"ure e(en

+hen threatened. Unsu""ess'u# "om-#etion o' this stage "an resu#t in an ina0i#it! to trust,

heightened inse"urities, and an o(era## 'ee#ing o' mistrust in the +or#d around them.

I -ersona##! +ork "#ose#! +ith "hi#dren +ho 'it the des"ri-tion a0o(e. The "hi#dren I

+ork +ith are "hi#dren in the 'oster "are s!stem and most o' them "ome 'rom an unsta0#e

en(ironment and most o' the time these "hi#dren e1hi0it heightened inse"urities, o(er the to-

an1iet! and an o(era##, no trust 'or an!one t!-e attitude. /hen +orking +ith these "hi#dren the

'irst ste- in he#-ing them, is "reating a sa'e and se"ure en(ironment as in Eriksons 'irst stage.


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esteem and engages in 0eha(iors that dis-#a! their

inse"urities. /hen +orking +ith "hi#dren #ike this, +ho #a"k se#'>esteem or sho+ no initiati(e in

an!thing the! do I "an re'er to Eriksons se"ond, third and@or 'ourth stage. These "hi#dren need

en"ouragement and rein'or"ements 'or them to 'ee# a sense o' -ride in their o+n

a""om-#ishments. The! need to kno+ that the! are in "harge o' their o+n su""esses 0ut sti##

re6uire su--ort and guidan"e. 9e#-ing these "hi#dren 'ee# ade6uate in their o+n a0i#ities and

erasing that 'ee#ing o' in'eriorit! is signi'i"ant in "reating a -ositi(e out#ook 'or "hi#dren +ith a

not>so -ositi(e -ast.

Eriksons stages are an es-e"ia##! (a#ua0#e too# 'or 'ami#ies +orking +ith 'oster and

ado-ted "hi#dren. These "hi#dren o'ten times "ome 'rom a (er! unsta0#e en(ironment and

're6uent#! dis-#a! de(e#o-menta# de#a!s and -ersona#it! issues. &ami#ies "an use Eriksons

stages 7-rimari#! the 'irst 'our8 to he#- these "hi#dren hea# 'rom their traumati" start in #i'e.

4Eriksons 'irst 'our stagesa--#ied to !outh 'rom the time o' -#a"ement to the time the! get

read! 'or inde-enden"e"an tea"h -arents ho+ to he#- o#der "hi#dren hea# +hi#e the! sti## #i(e at

home 7et"her, 2B8.

The 'i'th stage o' Eriksons theor! is the identit! (s. ro#e "on'usion and this stage o""urs

during the ado#es"ent !ears. =uring these !ears indi(idua#s e1-erien"e the transition 'rom

"hi#dhood to adu#thood 79e''ner, 2;8. =uring this time "hi#dren 0e"ome more inde-endent and

start to #ook to+ards their o+n 'utures in terms o' "areers, 'ami#! and so 'orth. The si1th stage is


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re'erred to as intima"! and iso#ation and this stage takes -#a"e during !oung adu#thood. =uring

this -eriod adu#ts are "ontem-#ating re#ationshi-s 79e''ner, 2;8.

/hen +orking +ith trou0#ed teenagers, "aregi(ers "an re'#e"t on Eriksons stages to 'ind

out +here the "hi#ds inse"urities are "oming 'rom. /hen o#der "hi#dren e1hi0it "on'usion in

kno+ing +ho the! are and +hat the! +ant to do in #i'e, "aregi(er7s8 or tea"hers "an -onder on

the -re(ious stages to see +h! these "hi#dren are #a"king inse"urities. &or e1am-#e, a "aregi(er

"an ask themse#(es: is the "hi#d #a"king trustD =o the! 'ee# inade6uate in their a0i#itiesD Are the!

e1hi0iting initiati(eD I' the "hi#d is #a"king trust, the "aregi(er "an re'er to stage one. I' the "hi#d

is dis-#a!ing inade6ua"! in their o+n +ork, the "aregi(er "an re'er to stage t+o, three and@or

'our. This -ro"ess +i## he#- the "aregi(er 'ind the "hi#ds 'ai#ed stage and the! +i## 0e a0#e to he#-

them su""ess'u##! "om-#ete it 0! -ro(iding the missing e#ements.

The eighth stage o""urs during midd#e adu#thood and is "a##ed, generati(it! (s.

stagnation. =uring this time -eriod adu#ts ha(e esta0#ished their "areers and ha(e 0e"ome a

-rodu"ti(e -art o' so"iet! 79e''ner, 2;8. I' one 'ai#s in this area the! are #e't 'ee#ing stagnant

and un-rodu"ti(e. The #ast stage o' Eriksons theor! is ego identit! (s. des-air and this is the #ast

-hase o' our *ourne! 0e'ore death. In this stage, re'#e"tion on #i'e takes -#a"e and i' one is

satis'ied +ith the *ourne! the! +i## de(e#o- integrit! 0ut i' one is unsatis'ied, the! ma! de(e#o-

des-air and ho-e#essness 79e''ner, 2;8.

I 0e#ie(e that Eriksons theor! is "om-#e1 !et understanda0#e. I think he de(e#o-ed his

stages using his great understanding and e1-ertise in the 'ie#d o' human de(e#o-ment. I 'ound

(arious e1-erts that 0e#ie(e that his theor! ho#ds a signi'i"ant -#a"e in the stud! o' "hi#d

de(e#o-ment.


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Eriksons stages are used 0! -ro'essiona#s and o''ered as a guide 'or "aregi(er7s8 to he#-

aid in -arenting:

4Using Erik Eriksons stages o' de(e#o-ment as a mode# 'or the stages o' thinking and

#earning 'or "hi#dren, !ou +i## noti"e in ea"h stage there are o--ortunities 'or -ositi(e ego

de(e#o-ment as +e## as de'i"its in oneFs "hara"ter, not on#! 0e'ore a "hi#d rea"hes his 2Fs, 0utthroughout #i'e79arder, 2;;8.

Eriksons stages are a#so used in the -s!"ho#og! 'ie#d 0! -s!"ho#ogist to he#- -atients

understand and re"o(er 'rom menta# i##nesses:

4Eriksons 'irst stage o' human de(e#o-ment, trust (ersus mistrust, addresses theindi(idua#s in'anti#e e1-erien"es +ith the +or#d other than himse#'. Is the +or#d re#ia0#e and are

o0*e"t re#ations "onsistent and a(ai#a0#eD &or the -erson +ith a -s!"hiatri" disa0i#it!, the 'irstre"o(er! stage, trust (ersus dou0t, o""urs at the onset o' the disa0i#it! and in(o#(es a""e-tan"e o'

the e(ent o' menta# i##ness, as +e## as trust in the 'undamenta# "on"e-t o' re"o(er! 7$oge#>

S"i0i#ia, M"Nu#t!, a1ter, Mi##er =ine, 2B8.

I 0e#ie(e that Erikson "reated a sound theor! and his eight stages "an 0e used as a mode#

or guide 'or "aregi(ers, tea"hers and other -eo-#e +orking "#ose#! +ith "hi#dren es-e"ia##! +hen

+orking +ith "hi#dren +ith de(e#o-menta# de#a!s or -ersona#it! -ro0#ems.


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Re'eren"es

et"her, ?. 72B8. Retra"e de(e#o-menta# stages to he#- o#der "hi#dren hea#Adopt Talk,

Retrie(ed 'rom htt-:@@+++.na"a".org@ado-ta#k@retra"ingde(e#o-menta#stages.htm#

9arder, A. 72;;8. Understanding Yourself.Retrie(ed 'rom

htt-:@@+++.su--ort

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V. Ramirez PSY352