Introduction
The psychological theory of development advanced by Erik Erikson is one of the best-known theories of personality. Erickson believes that personality develops through a series of eight stages showing development. His theory shows impacts of social experiences across the whole lifespan of an individual. The main elements behind his theory are the identity of an individual’s ego. Similar to Sigmund Freud, but unlike Piaget, Erickson believe that development of personality develops in a series of stages that are predetermined. At each stage, the theory describes the conflicts that shape the turning points of lifespan. This paper will discuss Erickson’s theories of psychological development and how they apply to the developing of a series of commercials for family oriented theme park. The eight stages of development suggested by Erickson are important for how the commercials will target family members at various stages of life.
Eight stages of Erikson’s theory and An Ethical Perspective by Joan Stevenson-Hinde
Eight Stages of Erikson’s Theory:
1. Trust vs. Mistrust: Children Develop a Sense of Trust, when caregivers provide reliability care and affection.
2. Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt: Toilet Training: Children start learning control over t physical skills. can lead to a sense of purpose, children who use to much control will feel shame/doubt if failure happens.
3. Initiative vs. Guilt: Children stat learning and feeling control and power over their environment. Can lead to feelings of power, purpose. Too much power can lead to disapproval from the caregiver, resulting in sense of guilt.
4. Industry vs. Inferiority: children need to cope with new social and academic demands. Success leads to a sense of competence, while failure results in feelings of inferiority.
5. Identity vs. Role Confusion: Teens need to develop a sense of self and personal identity. Success leads to an ability to stay true to yourself, while failure leads to role confusion and a weak sense of self.
6. Intimacy vs. Isolation: Young adults need to form intimate, loving relationships with other people. Success leads to strong relationships, while failure results in lo Adults need to create or nurture things that will outlast them, often by having children or creating a positive change that benefits other people. Success leads to feelings of usefulness and accomplishment, while failure results in shallow involvement in the world.
7. Generatively vs. Stagnation: Adults need to create things that will be made or outlast them. Children or other positive things usually are completed here. Some Success leads to feelings of accomplishment and usefulness, others feel shallow, less involved in the world.
8. Ego Integrity vs. Despair: Adults look back on life and have sense of fulfillment, while others feel failure and regret.
Three Bullet Point Questions:
1. For each study, identify the stages of Erickson’s theory that are examined.
The article “An Ethological Perspective” by John Stevenson-Hinde does support Erickson’s Theory of development. This article focuses on the first stage, Trust vs. Mistrust. Primarily Joan uses a Behavior attachment system in which a child develops trust not only with a caregiver, but also as the child is exposed to strangers, and learns to trust the caregiver and stranger.
2. Determine if the study strengthens or weakens Erickson’s theory and your ideas based on that theory. Explain your reasons.
In this study, the article goes in depth in how a child learns, adapts and uses social taught guidelines and speech to express and develop a behavior system. In addition, how the child follows basic taught instructions and instinctual needs, like listening to a certain tone of voice. For example, a child is more likely to develop an attachment to a person that uses a gentle tone of voice, instead of a threatening tone. This carries into adulthood as well. This trust vs. mistrust system is enforced as a child grows and develops and becomes more explorative of their environment, and as the child learns the social responsibilities around them. Most importantly, its key to understand that the behavior system established during young childhood will set up how the child functions into adulthood. Any kind of problems during this phase of development, can lead to difficulty in how the child finds confront in others as an adult.
3. State if you agree or disagree with the conclusions of the study itself. Why or why not?
In this study, I agree with the findings of the article. Trust is a vital component of any human development, and can lead to serious problems if this is not established from a trusted caregiver during key developmental years. Without a stable caregiver to nature proper development in the child’s brain, the child will have difficulty establishing healthy relationships in the future, and may lead to difficulties in later stages of adult life. Aggressive behavior, sexual escape, and drug use can stem from a person who was unable to establish the necessary attachment behavior system, via a caregiver or someone who could provide this stability.
Conclusion
After an analysis of Erickson’s theory, it is evident from Stevenson-Hinde article that Erickson’s theory does not hold. The article by Stevenson-Hinde concludes that through behavior attachment system in which a child develops trust not only with the caregiver, but also as the child gets in contact to strangers, and learns to trust the caregiver and stranger. From the analysis of Erickson’s theory using Stevenson-Hinde’s article, it is evident that trust is a very critical component of human development and can lead to serious problems if not established from a trusted caregiver during key development years. Absence of a stable caregiver to nature proper development in the brain of a child will result in to difficulties in later stages of life. As such, advertising firms can use the Erickson’s stages of development in developing commercial targeting various developmental stages.
References:
Youth: Fidelity and Diversity Erikson, Erik H Daedalus; Summer 1988; 117, 3;
Stevensons-Hinde, Joan. An ethological Perspective. January 1994. Referenced from: http://ehis.ebscohost.com.proxy.cecybrary.com/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=13d6a264-0b82-4fb0-9066-2d9454dc7acb%40sessionmgr198&vid=6&hid=107
