Erikson’s Psycho-Social

Theory of Development
Introduction
• Psychosocial (Psycho related to the mind, brain, personality and Social which means
the external relationships and environmental). Biopsychosocial, in which “bio” refers
to life as in biological.
• The theory is a basis for broad or complex discussion and analysis of personality and
behavior, and also facilitating personal development of self and others. It can help
the teacher in becoming more knowledgeable and at the same time understanding
of the various environment factors that affect his own and his student’s personality
and behavior.
• Syntonic- for the first listed “positive” disposition in each crisis.
• Dystonic- for the second listed “negative” disposition.
• If the stage is managed well, we carry away a certain virtue or psychosocial strength
which will help us through the rest of the stages of our lives.
• Malignancy- it involves too little of the positive and too much of the negative aspects
of the tasks, such as a person who can’t trust others.
• Maladaptation- is not quite as bad and involves too much of positive and too little of
the negative such as a person who trusts too much.
• Mutuality- reflects the effects of generation on each other, especially among
families, and particular between parents and children and grandchildren.
• Generativity- actually a named disposition with one of the crisis stage (generativity
vs. stagnation, stage seven), reflects the significant relationship between adults and
the best interest of children. One’s own children, and in a way everyone else’s
children, the next generation, and all the following generation.
STAGE 1. Trust vs. Mistrust
Psychosocial Crisis
• The first stage is infancy, is approximately the first year or year and a half of life. The
goal is to develop trust without completely eliminating the capacity for mistrust. If
the primary caregivers, like the parents can give the baby a sense of familiarity,
consistency, and continuity, then the baby will develop the feeling that the world is a
safe place to be, that people are reliable and loving.
Maladaptation/Malignancy
• Sensory Maladjustment: Overly trusting, even gullible, this person can not believe
anyone would mean them harm, and will use all the defenses at their command to
find an explanation or excuse for the person who did him wrong.
Withdrawal
• Characterize by depression, paranoia, and possibly psychosis.
Virtue
• If the proper balance is achieved, the child will the develop the virtue of hope.
Stage 2. Shame and Doubt
• Begins to make choices and express will. If encourage he/she develop a sense of
autonomy and independence. In this stage Erickson believes that the child may
develops at sense of doubt and shame manifested in feeling of worthless and
incompetence. We should keep in mind that even something as innocent as laughing
at the toddlers efforts can lead the child to feel deeply ashamed and to doubt his or
her abilities.
Maladaptation/Malignancy
• Impulsiveness- a sort of shameless willfulness that leads you, in a later childhood
and even adulthood, to jump in to things without proper consideration of your
abilities.
• Compulsiveness- feel as their entire being rides on everything they do, and so
everything must be done perfectly.
Virtue
• If you get the proper, positive balance of autonomy and shamed and doubt, you will
develop the virtue of willpower or determination.
Stage 3. Initiative vs. Guilt
Psychosocial Crisis:
• Child begins to explore his social and physical world discovering what he can
accomplished. Erickson refers to this as a time for developing a sense of initiative or
a positive attitude of personal accomplishment. At this time, the child gradually
becomes aware of various social roles presented by his environment. In Erickson’s
view, the basic influenced during this period is the child’s families who can help him
learn to be responsible for his behavior and actions.
Maladaptation/Malignancy
• Ruthless- to be heartless or unfeeling or be “without mercy”
• Inhibition- the inhibited person will not try things because nothing ventured,
“nothing lost, nothing lost” and particularly, nothing to feel guilty about.
Virtue
• A good balance leads to the psychosocial strengths of purpose.
Stage 4. Industry vs. Inferiority
Psychosocial Crisis:
• The child’s world broadens technical skills are learned and feelings of competence,
enlarged. Children enter new world of the neighborhood and the school. In
Erickson’s view, when children come to believe that they cannot achieve according to
their school, family, or peers, their sense of mastery will give way to personal
inferiority. Thus, they become incapable of facing the transitory adolescent years
which lie directly ahead. Parents must encourage, teachers must care, peers must
accept.
Maladaptation/Malignancy
• Narrow virtuosity- we see this in children who aren’t allowed to “be children” the
ones that parents or teachers push into one area of competence, without allowing
the development of broader interest.
• Inertia- this includes all of us who suffer from the “inferiority complexes” Alfred
Adler Talked about.
Virtue
A happier thing is to develop the right balance of industry and inferiority – that is,
mostly industry with just a touch of inferiority to keep us sensible humble. Then we
have the virtue called competency.

Stage 5. Identity vs. Role Confusion

Psychosocial Crisis
• According to Erickson, is characterized by identity-formation crisis. The question
“Who am I and what can I do when I become an adult?” confronts the adolescence.
His struggle is based not only on societal demands as an emerging adult, but also on
the pubescent age. Since an adolescence spend more time with his friend, the peer
group now become an essential source of general rules of behavior.
Maladaptation/Malignancy
• Fanaticism- believes that his way is the only way.
• Repudiation- they reject they membership in the world of others and, even more,
they reject their need for an identity.
Virtue
• if you successfully negotiate this stage, you will have the virtue Erickson called
fidelity

Stage 6. Intimacy vs. Isolation

• In this stage the individual develop a warm and intimate relationship with another
person. If such sense of intimacy is not acquired during this time of life, a sense of
isolation develop instead. Such attitude is reflected in the ability to trust others in a
close and intimate manner.
Maladaptation/Malignancy
• Promiscuity- referring particularly to the tendency to become intimate too freely, too
easily, and without any depth to you intimacy.
• Exclusion- which refers to the tendency to isolate oneself from love, friendship, and
community, and develop a certain hatefulness aim compensation.
Virtue
• If you successfully negotiate this stage, you will instead carry with you for the rest of
your life the virtue Erickson calls love.
Stage 7. Generativity vs. Stagnation
• The middle years of stage comprise the productive years of adulthood. In this stage,
the individuals productivities gauged by his contributions to his family and to society.
According to Erickson, the person who fails develop this sense of Generativity
becomes preoccupied instead with his personal needs and interests or both with a
sense of self absorption.
Maladaptation/Malignancy
• Overextension- illustrates the problem. Some people try to be so generative that day
no longer allow time for themselves, for rest and relaxation.
• Rejectivity- too little generativity and too much stagnation and you are no longer
participating in or contributing to society.
Virtue
• But you are successfully at this stage, you will have capacity for caring that will serve
you through the rest of your life.
Stage 8. Ego integrity vs. Despair
• In this stage a person comes to terms with the temporal limits of his life. It his the
fulfillment and culmination. In Erickson’s view it is the achievement of a sense of
integrity resulting from identification with mankind. If a person, however, develops
an attitude of regret and fear of the end of life, then a sense of despair emerges
instead.
Maladaptation/Malignancy
• Presumption- this is what happen when a person “presumes” ego integrity without
actually facing the difficulties of old age.
• Disdain- by which Erickson’s means a contempt of life, one’s own or anyone’s
Virtue
• Someone who approaches death without fear has the strength Erickson’s calls
wisdom
Kohlberg’s theory of
Moral Development
Three levels of Moral Reasoning
Stage1. Stage 2.
Preconventional Punishment/Obedience Mutual Benefit

Stage 3. Stage 4.
Conventional Social Approval Law and Order

Post- Stage 5. Stage 6.

conventional Social Contact Universal Principles
Preconventional Level
• Moral reasoning is based on the consequences/result of the act
no on the whether the act itself is good or bad.
Stage 1. Punishment/obedience
• One is motivated by fear of punishment. He will act in order to
avoid punishment.
• Example, I will keep quiet so that teacher won’t get mad at me.
Stage 2. Mutual Benefit
• One is motivated to act by the benefit that one may obtain later.
• Example, You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours.
Conventional Level
• Moral reasoning is based on the conventions or norms of society.
This may include approval of others, law and order.
Stage 3. Social Approval
• One is motivated by what others expect in behavior good boy/good
girl. The person acts because he/she valued how he/she will appear
to others. He/she gives importance on what people will think or say.
• Example, I will buy that dress so that my friend will like me.
Stage 4. Law and Order
• One is motivated to act in order to uphold law and order. The person
will follow law because it is law.
• Example, You should not cut the class because it’s against school
rules.
Post-conventional Level
• Moral reasoning is based on enduring or consistent principles. It is not just
recognizing the law, but the principles behind law.
Stage 5. Social Contact
• Laws that are wrong can be changed. One will act based on social justice and the
common good.
• Example, It is her own decision, we should just respect that.
Stage 6. Universal Principles
• This is associated with the development of one’s conscience. Having a set of
standards that drives one to posses moral responsibility to make a societal changes
regardless of consequences to oneself.
• Example, If abortion became legal in our country, I will be one of the people who
will be against it because its against god’s law.
THANKYOU!!