Psychology of Child Development

Erikson's Psychosocial Stages of Development

• The stages focus on the psychosocial aspects of personality, emphasizing feelings and attitudes about self and others.
• The successful resolution of a crisis at one stage helps smooth the way for successful resolutions of future crises.

Trust vs. Mistrust (Birth to 1 year)

• Child develops a sense that the world is a safe and reliable place due to sensitive caregiving.
• Failure to establish basic trust leads to mistrust and self-doubt.

Autonomy vs. Shame & Doubt (1 to 3 years)

• Child develops a sense of independence tied to new mental and motor skills.
• Caregivers must strike a balance between independence and control to promote feelings of autonomy.

Initiative vs. Guilt (3 to 5 or 6 years)

• Child experiments with grown-up roles and develops a sense of purpose.
• Failure to resolve this stage leads to guilt over thought and action.

Industry vs. Inferiority (6 to 12 years)

• Child needs to learn important academic skills and compare favorably with peers in school.
• Failure to develop competence leads to feelings of inferiority.

Identity vs. Role Confusion (12 to 20 years)

• Adolescent must make choices about values, vocational goals, and develop a sense of identity.
• Failure to establish a sense of self leads to role confusion.

Intimacy vs. Isolation (Young Adulthood)

• Adult becomes willing to share identity with others and commit to affiliations and partnerships.
• Failure to establish intimacy leads to fear of intimacy and distancing.

Key Features of Erikson's Stages

• Every psychosocial crisis or task involves finding the right balance between positive and negative feelings.
• Unsuccessful resolution at an earlier stage may stall progress and make maladaptive behavior more likely.

Interest in Adult Development

• Increases in life expectancy in the 19th and 20th centuries sparked interest in adult development
• Cultural changes, such as grandparents living apart from nuclear families, led to a greater focus on understanding each age group's special needs and experiences

Developmental Theories

• Classic theories emerged in the early and mid-20th century
• Contemporary theories integrate ideas from multiple disciplines, including genetics, neuroscience, and psychology
• Contemporary theories acknowledge that human development is a complex synthesis of diverse processes at multiple levels of functioning
• These theories are especially useful to helping professionals (Melchert, 2016)

Goals of Developmental Science

• Describe people's behavioral characteristics at different ages
• Identify how people respond to life's experiences at different ages
• Formulate theories to explain typical characteristics and responses
• Understand factors contributing to developmental differences between individuals
• Understand how behavior is influenced by cultural context and changes in culture across generations

Methods of Developmental Science

• Use an array of scientific tools to obtain objective, unbiased information
• Make careful observations and measurements
• Test theoretical explanations empirically

Importance of Developmental Science

• Not a remote or esoteric body of knowledge
• Has much to offer helping professionals in their careers and personal lives

Classic Theories and Core Issues

• Address core issues, such as:
  • Is developmental change qualitative or quantitative?
  • Are some developments restricted to critical periods in the life cycle?
  • Are there continuities across the life span?
  • Do people actively influence their own development?
  • Is nature (heredity) or nurture (environment) more important in causing developmental change?
  • Are there universal developmental trajectories, processes, and changes across cultures and historical periods?

This quiz explores how caregivers' responsiveness affects a child's autonomy and initiative. It covers the impact of attitudes towards self and others on psychosocial development.