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Erikson's Developmental Stage Theory

 

Explanations > Learning Theory > Erikson's Developmental Stage Theory

 

Eric Erikson investigated and developed a stage theory about how children grow and develop psychosocial skills.

 

Level Name Characteristics
Stage 1 Trust vs. mistrust

(infant)

A child will only learn trust if its mother meets the child's deep need for attention and affection.
Stage 2

 

Autonomy vs. shame and doubt

(around age 3)

If the exploring child receives encouragement in a search for autonomy, the child will learn trust, otherwise they learn shame and doubt.
Stage 3 Initiative vs. guilt

(around age 4)

If the questioning child is encouraged in their ideas and games, the child will gain confidence or otherwise feel guilty about initiating things.
Stage 4 Industry vs. authority

(at school)

If encouraged and praised by teachers, the child will increase efforts to learn. If always criticized, the child will learn to feel inferior.
Stage 5 Identity vs. role confusion

(from age 12)

If the child's identity has been reinforce up to puberty, the chiild will handle it well. If not, there is a frightening identity crisis.
Stage 6 Intimacy vs. isolation

(around middle age)

Identity crises may occur later in life if people cannot or do no relate to others.

 

In order to learn, Erikson talked about giving children a 'psychosocial moratorium', where they can take risks and experiment in safety without the threat of punishment. This is a key responsibility of parents.

So what?

When working with children, take especial care to build trust and self-esteem. With dysfunctional adults (as most of us are), recognize the roots of their problems and help where you can. This means yourself too.

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Site Menu

| Home | Top | Quick Links | Settings |

Main sections: | Disciplines | Techniques | Principles | Explanations | Theories |

Other sections: | Blog! | Quotes | Guest articles | Analysis | Books | Help |

More pages: | Contact | Caveat | About | Students | Webmasters | Awards | Guestbook | Feedback | Sitemap | Changes |

Settings: | Computer layout | Mobile layout | Small font | Medium font | Large font | Translate |

 

 

Please help and share:

 

Quick links

Disciplines

* Argument
* Brand management
* Change Management
* Coaching
* Communication
* Counseling
* Game Design
* Human Resources
* Job-finding
* Leadership
* Marketing
* Politics
* Propaganda
* Rhetoric
* Negotiation
* Psychoanalysis
* Sales
* Sociology
* Storytelling
* Teaching
* Warfare
* Workplace design

Techniques

* Assertiveness
* Body language
* Change techniques
* Closing techniques
* Conversation
* Confidence tricks
* Conversion
* Creative techniques
* General techniques
* Happiness
* Hypnotism
* Interrogation
* Language
* Listening
* Negotiation tactics
* Objection handling
* Propaganda
* Problem-solving
* Public speaking
* Questioning
* Using repetition
* Resisting persuasion
* Self-development
* Sequential requests
* Storytelling
* Stress Management
* Tipping
* Using humor
* Willpower

Principles

+ Principles

Explanations

* Behaviors
* Beliefs
* Brain stuff
* Conditioning
* Coping Mechanisms
* Critical Theory
* Culture
* Decisions
* Emotions
* Evolution
* Gender
* Games
* Groups
* Habit
* Identity
* Learning
* Meaning
* Memory
* Motivation
* Models
* Needs
* Personality
* Power
* Preferences
* Research
* Relationships
* SIFT Model
* Social Research
* Stress
* Trust
* Values

Theories

* Alphabetic list
* Theory types

And

About
Guest Articles
Blog!
Books
Changes
Contact
Guestbook
Quotes
Students
Webmasters

 

| Home | Top | Menu | Quick Links |

© Changing Works 2002-
Massive Content — Maximum Speed