Developmental Stages Flashcards
Freud’s Psychosexual Developmental Theory
-Freud believed that personality developed through a series of childhood stages in which
the pleasure-seeking energies of the id become focused on certain erogenous areas.
-This psychosexual energy was described as the driving force behind behavior
- Psyche includes: Id (a human’s basic, instinctual drives); ego (attempts to mediate
between id and reality); and superego (reflects the internalization of cultural rules usually
learned from parents).
Oral Stage of Psychosexual Development
(Birth-1 year or Stage 1) An infant’s primary interaction with the world is through the
mouth. The mouth is vital for eating, and the infant derives pleasure from oral
stimulation through gratifying activities, such as tasting and sucking
Anal Stage of Psychosexual Development
(1-3 years, or Stage 2) Freud believed that the primary focus of the libido was on
controlling bladder and bowel movements. Toilet training is a primary issue with children
and parents. Too much pressure can result in an excessive need for order or cleanliness
later in life, while too little pressure from parents can lead to messy or destructive
behavior later in life.
Phallic Stage of Psychosexual Development
(3-6 years, or stage 3) Freud suggested that the primary focus of the id’s energy is on the genitals. At this stage, children become aware of their gender identity.
Latent Stage of Psychosexual Development
(6-Puberty, or stage 4) Sexual feelings are dormant. Children develop social skills, values, and relationships with peers and adults outside of the family
Genital Stage of Psychosexual Development
(Puberty-Adult, or stage 5) The onset of puberty causes the libido to become
active once again. During this stage, people develop a strong interest in sex. If development has been successful up to this point, the individual will continue to develop
into a well-balanced person.
Piaget’s Developmental Theory
-Based on the premise that people actively construct higher levels of knowledge.
- Motivation for cognitive development occurs when there is a state of “disequilibrium”
brought on by a discrepancy between the person’s current understanding of the world and reality.
- Equilibrium is then achieved through a combination of assimilation (incorporation of new
information into existing schemas) and accommodation (modification of existing
schemas), which both lead to adaptation.
Piaget’s Sensorimotor Stage of Development
(Birth to 2 years, or stage 1) Infants and young children learn primarily through
sensory input and action. There are 3 achievements during this stage: object permanence, causality and symbolic thought
Piaget’s Preoperational Stage of Development
(2 to 7 years, or stage 2) A key characteristic of this stage is the symbolic
function, which allows the child to learn through the use of mental images, language, and other
symbols that represent objects that aren’t present. Children during this stage engage in
symbolic play and can solve problems mentally
Piaget’s Concrete Operational Stage of Development
(7 to 11 years, or stage 3) Children are capable of performing mental
operations using logic and abstract thinking. This allows children to classify and problem-solve in more sophisticated ways.
Piaget’s Formal Operational Stage of Development
(11+ years, or stage 4) During this stage, the adolescent or young adult is
able to think abstractly, hypothetically, and in a relativistic way. Adolescents can develop
competing hypotheses about a problem and strategies for testing the hypotheses. There is an
increase in “thinking about thinking” and some return to egocentrism during this stage.
Erikson’s Developmental Theory
-Based on Freud’s emphasis on unconscious motivation.
-Greater emphasis on the ego.
-Assumes that people are basically rational and that behavior is largely due to ego
functioning.
-Each of the 8 stages involves a psychosocial task to be mastered. If not mastered, the
person still continues to develop, but the ego is damaged and subsequent stages will be affected.
Trust vs. Mistrust (Erikson)
(0-18 months, or stage 1) Task is to achieve a balance between trust and mistrust. Basic trust develops in the context of the relationship between the infant and the primary caregiver and forms the foundation for all other stages of
development. Failure to master the task can result in pervasive mistrust of others or dependent, unthinking, rigid adulation of others.
Autonomy vs. Shame and doubt (Erikson)
(18 months to 3 years, or stage 2) Task is to achieve a sense of independence over her own body in the context of relationships with primary caregivers. If a child experiences autonomy (in walking, exploring,
etc.), she will gain confidence and pride, which then become ego strengths. If the child is over controlled or prohibited from exploring or becoming autonomous, she is likely to feel doubtful of her own abilities and excessive shame.
Initiative vs. Guilt (Erikson)
(3-6 years, or stage 3) Task is to set goals
and carry out plans without infringing on the rights of others. Exerting too much control (or taking action that does infringe on the rights of others) results in disapproval from adults and
subsequent feelings of guilt. Those feelings of guilt prohibit the child (or adult) from effectively making plans or setting goals in the future
Industry vs. Inferiority (Erikson)
(6-12 years, or stage 4) Task is to
develop a sense of competence by beginning school and learning to do things on their own which instills a sense of pride and confidence. A child’s peer group also begins to be of greater
significance in this stage and contributes to a child’s self-esteem. If adults do not support the child in their initiative, a sense of inferiority is likely to develop where the child doubts their own
abilities, making it more difficult to reach their potential.
Identity vs. Role Confusion (Erikson)
(12-18 years, or stage 5) Task is to learn the roles that they will occupy as an adult while developing a sense of personal identity. Peer relationships help them to explore
various identities. Success in this stage leads to fidelity where the adolescent feels comfortable with others who have varying values, while remaining true to their own identity. If the adolescent fails to develop a sense of identity, then they may feel role confusion or a weakened sense of self.
Intimacy vs. Isolation (Erikson)
(18-40 years, or stage 6) The task is to begin forming intimate relationships with other people. An individual develops comfortable relationships with a sense of commitment and care. Failure to develop intimacy can lead to isolation, loneliness, and a feeling of exclusion.
Generativity vs. Stagnation (Erikson)
(40-65 years, or stage 7) Task is to
participate in activities that give the individual a sense of purpose, such as a career, raising children, and creating positive changes that benefit others. If an adult does not feel this sense of
purpose, they may then feel little connection to others and a sense of uselessness or rejection.
Ego Integrity vs. Despair (Erikson)
(65-death, or stage 8) Task is to look back on life and feel a sense of fulfillment and accomplishment. This wisdom
allows them to face the end of life and accept successes and failures, aging, and loss. Those who see their lives as unproductive or with many regrets may develop a sense of despair and
guilt that can lead to depression and hopelessness.
Mahler Stages of Development
The Object Relations concept refers to the way a child’s ego becomes
organized over the first 3.5 years of life, when the child struggles between the self and others. The theory focuses on the reciprocal relationship between a parent and their infant and its effect on the infant’s development of sense of self that occurs in three stages. Individuals are born with the drive to develop a sense of self and others along with the
motivation to build interpersonal relationships.
Autistic Stage (Mahler)
(Newborn - 1 month, or Stage 1): Infant is focused purely on themselves; unresponsive to
external stimuli.
Symbiotic Stage (Mahler)
(1-5 months, or Stage 2): Infant begins to perceive the “need-satisfying object.” During
this stage, the parent’s ego functions for the infant. Begins to understand that the caregiver is a separate being.
Separation-Individuation Stage (Mahler)
(5-24 months+) During separation, the infant begins to develop an understanding of the boundaries of self, and they start to see their caretaker as a
separate individual. During individuation, the child begins to develop a sense of self. Within separation-individuation, there are four sub-stages.
