Social development + Erik Erikson Flashcards
What is social behaviour?
Any action that is influenced, directly or indirectly, by the actual, imagined or implied presence of others.
What are some early social behaviours?
Newborn infants both smile and cry
- caregivers respond to these behaviours as if they were social
What does Erikson’s theory of psychological development describe?
impact of certain social and cultural experiences on our social, emotional and personality development throughout lifespan.
How did Erikson view psychological development?
progression through eight sequential stages. Deals with a crisis at each stage.
What is a psychological crisis? (Erikson)
Personal conflict faced in adjusting to society. Struggle between two opposing tendencies.
Stage 1
Birth to 18 months. trust v mistrust
Stage 2
18mnths-3years autonomy vs shame and doubt
Stage 3
3-5 years. initiative vs guilt
Stage 4
5-12 years. industry vs inferiority.
Stage 5
12-18 years. identity vs role confusion
Stage 6
18-25 years. intimacy vs isolation.
Stage 7
25-65 years, generativity vs stagnation.
Stage 8
65+ years, integrity vs despair.
What is an age-based stage?
People go through each stage due to individual’s unique life experiences. Stages can overlap.
Why were age-based stages important?
necessary to experience each crisis (but not always resolve) before proceeding to next stage.
Appraisal of Erikson’s theory
- Lack of experimental evidence
- overlooks female development in general
- belief identify is found in adolescence
- difficult to generalise
Trust vs mistrust
- inconsistency of responding to the infant’s needs (Erikson)
- Trust - secure attachment (Ainsworth)
- Mistrust - insecure attachment
- Mistrust can cause anxiety and more later in life
Autonomy vs shame and doubt
² Autonomy - being more independent, being able to do things
² Shame - too dependent on caregivers, lack of self confidence
○ Shamed by someone on the outside, by a parent or someone else
Learning what they can do, what is safe to do
Initiative vs guilt
² Initiative - Child has developed a sense of consequence and choices. Initiative to try new things, new skills. E.g a ball can roll because it is round. Encouraged by parents helps them explore
○ Cognitive ability has increased, thought behind actions
○ More planning and thought
² Guilt - if held back by parents, can develop guilt about their skills and what they can do
○ From within
Mental processes and how they see themselves and what they can do
Industry vs inferiority
- Children who are praised for their skills become more productive
- Inferiority - those who are not validated for their actions become less productive
Influenced by peers and significant adults
Identity vs role-confusion
- Child learns their roles, re-examines their identity
- Failure to do so will end in role-confusion
Critisised often, many adults also are finding their identity. However, Erikson did identify overlap.
