Reporter: FREDDIERIC CRUZ PROF. ED.

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II-2 Music Education

THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES ON DEVELOPMENT - PSYCHOANALYSIS

To understand the theoretical perspectives on development, we must first understand
that theories serves two functions. First, they help explain the knowledge about how children
develop, and second they encourage further researches about behavior that can be tested and
evaluated. While they take varied positions on the issue or concept of development, they are
seen as being complimentary to each other.
* Sigmund Freud, an Austrian Psychologist who is the author of one the most famous and
controversial study on human behavior has conduct this study of theory on psychosexual stage
of development. But before this, it is important to understand first that there are three basic
element of personality. According to Sigmund Id is the primitive side of man, influences by
biological, animalistic instincts. Those instincts are sex and aggression. The id operates under the
pleasure principle because the id shows no rules, is greedy, demanding and unable to delay
gratification.
* Ego is the second component of personality, which can identify and consider the realistic
consequences of ones actions. The ego operates the reality principle, which states that ego
seeks to maximize gratification but within the constraints of reality.
* Superego is the repository of ones abstract morals and values, religion, socialization, being
artistic and others. There are two aspects of superego: the ego ideal and the conscience. These
are the dos and donts of moral personality.
The psychosexual development stage:
Freud explains that there are five stages of psychosexual development of an individual on which
various personalities of an individual occur respectively.
1.Oral Stage (0-18 months). This stage is characterized by receiving gratification
through the mouth: sucking, crying and exploring objects with the mouth. It is
characterized by personality traits of passive dependency and aggressiveness. This stage
is divided into two phases; the oral-receptive and the oral aggressive phases. This stage
is purely Id because the individual is selfish, demanding and delay gratification.
2. Anal Stage (18 months to about 3

to 4 years). In this stage developed the toilet

training. A major developmental milestone in this stage is mastery over ones
elimination functions. The two phases of this stage are the anal-retentive phases. First is
related to tension related to expelling waste; second is related to the pleasurable
stimulation from retaining faces. In this stage the ego develops. And this is the time that
the parents make demands on the child. If the child satisfies the parents demands, then
the child receives praise and approval. If not, then the child experiences parental
disapproval.
3. Phallic Stage (about 3

to 6 years or Oedipal Period). The child demonstrates

instinctual attraction from the opposite sex parent. This result in fear of the same sex
Parent. The attraction and fear brings severe conflict called Oedipus complex. This is the
son-mother relationship. The Electra complex represents the daughter-father relationship.
It is the stage that libido occurs. The child becomes interested in his body and recognizes
his own sexuality. In this stage, the superego develops, also the Castration Anxiety and
Electra complex.
- Castration anxiety is the conscious or unconscious fear of losing all part of the
sex organs, or the function of such.
4. Latency Stage (6 year to puberty). Sexual and aggressive urges continue to operate in
this stage, but he tends to channel them into age appropriate interests and activities such
as academics, sports, and hobbies.
5. Genital Stage (puberty to death). The childs basic interest and sources of erotic
satisfaction become centered in heterosexual behavior. The body is physiologically
mature and if no major fixations have occurred at an earlier stage of development, the
individual may be able to lead a normal heterosexual life.

A fixation occurs when there is arrested development or inability to pass the next stage.
E.g. oral fixation is characterized by thumb sucking, nail biting, greediness, and fixation,
by excessive conformity and self-control and compulsiveness. The phallic character is
reckless in behavior and defends his sexual prowess without feelings of love.

Erik Erikson expanded Freuds theories to relations include social and cultural factors as
influences on the childs development as well as to extend the theory into a lifespan
perspective.

PSYCHOSOCIAL STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT

1. Infancy (from birth to 1 year). It is characterized by the oral-sensory mode of
incorporation, the psychosocial crisis of basis: TRUST vs. MISTRUST, as the basic
strength of hope, and core pathology of withdrawal. Infancy covers the first year of life, a
time equivalent to Freuds oral stage.
Hope: Trust in primary caregiver and in ones own ability to make things happen.
2. Early Childhood (from 1 to 2 years). It is parallel to Freuds anal stage. Anal, urethral
muscular psychosexual modes are in ascendance and the conflict of AUTONOMY vs.
SHAME & DOUBT produces the basic strength called will or its antithesis, compulsion.
Will: New physical skill lead to demand for more choices, most often seen as saying no
to caregivers; child learns self-care skills such as toileting.
3. Play Age or Early Childhood (from 3 to 5 years). A time corresponding to the Phallic or
Oedipal period, the child experiences genital-loco motor psychosexual development and
undergoes the crisis of INITIATIVE vs. GUILT. Either the basic strength of purpose or
the pathology of inhibition may emerge.
Purpose: Ability to organize activities around some goals; more assertiveness and
aggressiveness (Oedipus or Electra conflict with parent of same sex may lead to guilt).
4. School Age or Middle to Late Childhood (from 6 to 11 years). The child experiences
the crisis of INDUSTRY vs. INFERIORITY, from which arises the basic strength of
competence or the core pathology of inertia. The school-age child expands relations
between the family to include peers and teachers who serve as models.
Competence: cultural skills and norms, including school skills and tool use (failure to
master these lead to sense of inferiority).
5. Adolescence (from 7 to 18 years). A crucial stage because ones clear and consistent
image of self-ego IDENTITY should emerge from this period. However IDENTITY
or ROLE DIFFUSION may dominate the psychosocial crisis, thereby postponing
identity. Fidelity is the basic strength of adolescence, role repudiation its core pathology.
Fidelity: Adaptation of sense of self to pubertal changes, consideration of future choices,
achievement of a more mature sexual identity, and search for new values.
6. Young Adulthood (from 19 to 30 years). Characterized by genitality, a psychosexual
mode than can exist in the absence of intimacy. Ideally, however, INTIMACY should
win out in its conflict with ISOLATION and produce the basic strength of love. If the
psychosocial crisis is not completely resolved, the core pathology of exclusivity results.
Love: Person develops intimate relationships beyond adolescent love.
7. Adulthood (from 31 years to old age). A time not only of procreation but also of
productive work and social commitment. The dominant crisis is GENERATIVITY vs.
STAGNATION, while care is the basic strength and rejection, possible core pathology.
Care: People rear children, focus on occupational achievement or creativity, and train the
next generation; turn outward from the self toward others.
8. Old Age (until death). The crisis of INTEGRITY vs. DESPAIR, wisdom, as the basic
strength, as opposed to disdain, the core pathology marks this final stage.
Wisdom: Person conducts a life review integrates earlier stages and comes to terms with
basic identity; develops self-acceptance.

This psychosocial theory is based on the most important tasks both personal and social
that the individual must accomplish at a particular stage.
Eriksons concept of humanity is generally optimistic and idealistic. People can
overcome early pathologies, but crisis, anxiety and conflict are a normal and necessary part of
living.