Developmental psychology is a branch in psychology which relates to the physical, social, emotional, psychological and cognitive changes throughout a person’s life span, from conception until death. Throughout the history of developmental psychology, there are several theories which have evolved that seek to explain the various developmental stages in an individual. In the area of child development, two major theories are those advanced by Sigmund Freud and Erik Ericson. These two theories will be discussed and differentiated in greater detail in this essay.
Freud’s theory on the developmental stages of an individual is described according to the psychosexual development. According to Freud, the different stages that a person goes through are the oral, anal, phallic, latency and genital. The oral stage is the infancy stage which is from age zero to one. The anal stage is the toddler or early childhood stage which is from age one to three. The phallic stage covers ages three to six. Middle childhood which is between seven to eleven years old is the latency stage. The last stage is the genital stage which is from adolescent to late adulthood. Freud’s theory of psychosexual development focuses on the libido as a driving force in a person’s behavior. At the oral stage the mouth is the erogenous zone and is the main source of interaction for the infant. If this stage is not completed, problems such as smoking, drinking, nail biting or eating disorders may occur in the later stage of life. In the anal stage the erogenous zone is the bowel and bladder control. This is the toilet-training stage which can be translated as having a sense of control and independence. Future problems that may occur as a result of an inappropriate development of this stage are having a stringent, orderly, rigid or obsessive personality or its opposite, which is a messy, wasteful and destructive personality. The next stage is the phallic stage where the erogenous zone is the genitals. In this stage, the differences between a male and a female are discovered by the child. The latent period is the next stage wherein the sexual feelings are inactive. This is the stage where the sexual energy is diverted into the other phases of a person’s life such as his social relationships, his quest for knowledge and the development of his hobbies. The genital stage is the last stage. This stage is characterized by maturing sexual interests. In contrast with the other stages, in this period, the individual no longer only thinks of himself; but rather, he becomes more interested in the welfare of other people. Interest in the opposite sex is highlighted in this stage.
Another famous theory in developmental psychology is Erik Erikson’s psychosocial development theory. Erikson’s theory is differentiated from Freud’s theory in that it focuses on the development of the ego identity. Furthermore, it emphasizes the impact of social interactions during the lifespan of an individual. According to Erikson, a person’s ego identity changes depending on the experiences he acquires. Erikson’s theory, like Freud’s outlines various stages in an individual’s lifespan. He identified eight stages describing the development process from birth through death. The first stage is the trust versus mistrust stage which is from infancy to age one. The main emphasis of this stage is the relationship between the mother and the child. The next stage is the autonomy versus shame and doubt, which is parallel to Freud’s anal stage. Like Freud, Erikson believes that this is the phase where the child becomes independent and gains the feeling of control. Those who are unsuccessful in this stage are insecure about themselves. The third stage is the initiative versus guilt stage. The age range for this phase is between three to five years old. In this stage, children try to gain power and control over their playmates and people around them. The significant relationship in this stage is the basic family. Industry versus inferiority is the fourth stage. At this stage, new knowledge and skills are acquired. The school and the neighborhood become influential in the development of the child. Problems that may occur due to inadequacies in this stage are inferiority and incompetence. The fifth stage is the identity versus role confusion. In this stage, friends play a major role in the development. It is also in this stage where individuals try to determine their goals in life. The sixth stage is the intimacy versus isolation stage. Seeking meaningful relationships with a spouse and friends are characteristic of this stage. If an individual fails in this aspect, then he will feel isolated. Generativity versus self is the seventh stage. The workplace, community and family are the important relationships at this stage. Contribution to society becomes relevant at this phase. Failure to complete this stage may result in stagnation and self-absorption. The last stage is the integrity versus despair. This occurs at the later stage of life. Despair at this stage may be due to the fear of death while integrity comes from the feeling of fulfillment and a meaningful life.
Through the theories espoused by Freud and Erikson, the development of an individual from infancy to adulthood is better understood. Although their theories have similarities and differences, both contributed to the subject of developmental psychology. Freud’s and Erikson’s theories have also paved the way for further studies and research in the area of developmental psychology.
References
Cherry, K. (2012). Erikson's theory of psychosocial development. Retrieved from psychology.about.com: http://psychology.about.com/od/psychosocialtheories/a/psychosocial.htm
Cherry, K. (n.d.). Freud's stages of psychosexual development. Retrieved from psychology.about.com: http://psychology.about.com/od/theoriesofpersonality/ss/psychosexualdev.htm
CliffsNotes.com. (n.d.). Developmental psychology defined. Retrieved from cliffsnotes.com: http://www.cliffsnotes.com/study_guide/Developmental-Psychology-Defined.topicArticleId-25438,articleId-25378.html
CliffsNotes.com. (n.d.). Issues in developmental psychology. Retrieved from cliffsnotes.com: http://www.cliffsnotes.com/study_guide/Issues-in-Developmental-Psychology.topicArticleId-26831,articleId-26750.html
Harder, A. F. (2012). The developmental stages of Erik Erikson. Retrieved from support4change.com: http://www.support4change.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=47&Itemid=108
