Psychosocial Theory: Exploring the Eight Stages of Life

Introduction:

As human beings, we endure various stages of the life through the ages. The psychosocial theory was developed by establishing the personality trait and social skills over generations till death. Therefore, the approach seems exciting and appropriate regarding how we react to the amendments in and outside ourselves.

What Is a Psychosocial Theory?

The psychosocial theory is a theory for eight stages of psychosocial development postulated by Erickson. The view depicts a person's personality development and social skills right from infancy. It elicits presenting how one meets with desire yet the demands of society. Erickson pinpointed the ‘Psychosocial crisis’ and demonstrated its positive and negative effects on traits.

What Is the History of Psychosocial Theory?

Erik H Erikson, notable for his theory on social development, was a developmental psychologist and psychoanalyst. He is well-known for contriving the phrase identity crisis.

• As early as childhood, his interest in identity and its development matured. And so he published a good deal of books on his views and research, inclusive of 'the life cycle completed' and 'Childhood and Society.'

• The psychosocial theory was proposed in his book 'Childhood and Society' in 1950.

• He superimposed and modified the psychosexual theory of Sigmund Freud, considering both the psychosocial and psychosexual factors contribute to personality development.

What Are the Stages of Psychosocial Development?

The psychosocial theory postulates that society responds to one’s needs or developmental tasks in various aspects of life, and by doing so, the community ensures growth and survival. The theory comprises eight stages; each stage holds a span with a psychological crisis meant to be resolved before moving on to the next.

Stage 1:

Infancy: Approximate age - 0 to 1 year.

Trust vs. Mistrust: This stage is the first and essential stage of personality development. In this foremost year, infants are just born, yet undefined about the world. So, they blindly build on parents and caregivers for food, warmth, love, compassion, and care. And thus, the child’s trust relies on the caretakers' quality and care.

• Positive Outcome - In addition, to secure attachment, the child develops feelings of support.

• Negative Outcome - Mistrust resulting in fear and concern.

Stage 2:

Toddler: Approximate age - 1 to 2 years.

Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt: Erickson viewed the second stage as the phase of learning self-allied and personal skills. Hence, they gain advancement in their self-control and self-confidence. The toddlers learn to talk, walk, feed, use toilets, and aid certain things for themselves.

• Positive Outcome - Self-sufficiency, but only if parents encourage and pay reassurance for their exploration. The child would brush up on self-esteem and self-control.

• Negative Outcome - Self-doubts, shame, and lack of independence when the parents are over guarding and discouraging their independence moves.

Stage 3:

Early Childhood: Approximate age - 2 to 6 years.

Initiative vs. Guilt: This is one of the crucial periods as the children hold spanking new powers and skills, conquering the world. The motor skills seem developed, yet aiding with social interactions. Here, the child has a hard time balancing between keenness, fantasies, and responsibilities.

• Positive Outcome - With consistency and encouragement, one will discover new ways to accomplish their actions.

• Negative Outcome - Contrary to the positive result, the child develops a sense of guilt and perceives that independence is incorrect.

Stage 4:

Elementary and Middle School Years: Approximate age- 6 to 12 years.

Industry vs. Inferiority: The schooling stage is essential as well. The child endows a significant transition from home to school, from parents to peers. As of here, the children learn to make crafts, use tools, write things, and procure other materials. According to Erickson, the one who carried the previous stages successfully will acquire industrial skills and commence preparing to access the competitive world.

• Positive Outcome - The child develops a sense of competence if she sees pleasure as an intellectual impulse.

• Negative Outcome - Disappointments from teachers and peers would make the child develop an inferiority complex or incompetence.

Stage 5:

Adolescence: Approximate age - 12 to 18 years.

Identity vs. Role Confusion: Adolescence is a complex stage; the adult discovers his identity and answers to Who am I? Erickson believed he would find the crisis after integrating healthy resolutions over previous conflicts. Juvenescence is the span of intense physical and social development through which he acquires an identity. It is the phase where one deals with new opportunities, relationship bias, academic tasks, and career burdens. The adult values the peer and sometimes rejects the view and values of parents and officials.

• Positive Outcome - Awareness of self-identity and self-uniqueness if the adolescent solves the conflicts successfully.

• Negative Outcome - The adult will be confused in deciding choices, which culminates in a lack of ability to identify appropriate self-role.

Stage 6:

Young Adulthood: Approximate age- 19 to 40 years.

Intimacy vs. Isolation: The stage of a love relationship is the sixth stage of the human entity. Erickson's view as the person is developmentally incomplete until he is capable of intimacy. Then, the person requires compromises and sacrifices to sustain a healthy relationship. In addition, an unsuccessful person on identity will fear a relationship and socialization, transpiring to solitariness.

• Positive Outcome - If the person achieved a sense of identity, he would lead successful affiliations and partnerships. He will more likely develop love, sexual relationships, and friendships with the same sex.

• Negative Outcome - One will fear the commitment of relationships leading to isolation.

Stage 7:

Middle Adulthood: Approximate age- 40 to 65 years.

Generativity vs. Stagnation: Erickson refers to this stage as the chapter of parenthood. But, he adds that parenting is not just meant for nurturing their kids but looking after the supporting system of social services intended for the next generation's success. So, one will view outside oneself concerning others.

• Positive Outcome - A sense of contribution to sustaining life.

• Negative Outcome - The person remains self-centered and develops a trait of stagnation.

Stage 8:

Late Adulthood: Approximate age- 65 years till death.

Integrity vs. Despair: Elderliness is life after one’s prime. It is a phase of contemplating one’s life and seeing whether it is filled with pleasure and gratification or failures and disappointments.

• Positive Outcome - The individual attains the peak of adjustment integrity once the psychosocial crisis of the eight stages is resolved. It is the sense of satisfaction in life’s achievements.

• Negative Outcome - On the other hand, the person ends up in despair and fear of death. A sense of disgust and unhappiness is seen with many regrets.

Conclusion:

Psychosocial theory is a psychological theory that was put forth by Erik Erikson. It is a psychological theory that reviews the lifelong development of people through varied stages of life. This theory says that human development happens through a course of psychosocial stages. So, it involves eight stages, each marked by a unique challenge or task developed at that point. People could go through certain psychosocial conflicts and crises at each stage, which should be resolved to access the subsequent one.