Analyzing Erikson's Eight Stages Of Development

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Development occurs across the lifespan. It starts in infancy and continues into late adulthood. There are six stages of lifespan development including: infancy, childhood, adolescence, early adulthood, middle adulthood, and older age. Theorists such as Brofenbrenner, Erikson, Piaget, and Vygotsky have developed different theories related to development across the lifespan. Erikson’s theory of development includes eight stages ranging across the lifespan. These eight stages include trust vs. mistrust, autonomy vs. sense of shame and doubt, initiative vs. guilt, industry vs. inferiority, intimacy vs. isolation, generativity vs. self-absorption and stagnation, and integrity vs. despair. Development is more than just physical growth; it …show more content…
I was able to form close bonds with my grandmother and grandfather and they were very intentional in helping my cognitive development by talking, reading, and interacting with me. This year of living with grandparents significantly impacted my emotional bonds. Grandparents who help raise grandchildren may not be able to give as much to young grandchildren because of age, physical or mental decline, or because of finances (Gerard, Landry-Meyer, & Roe, 2006; Leder, Grinstead, & Torres, 2007). However, my grandparents only full-time cared for my sister and I for a year. I believe that the stability and consistency of two parental figures in my infancy promoted positive developmental and close emotional bonds that have stayed prominent throughout my development. I was able to have a healthy sense of curiosity and make small decisions. One developmental milestone that took time was my ability to speak. I was a quiet child and did not say my first words until about two and a half years of age. Fortunately, this developmental delay has not affected my speech or other areas of …show more content…
This stage runs from ages two to ten years old. During the childhood stage of development children become less reliant on parents and more independent. Children gain self-control and learn to do things independently during this stage. Cognitive skills also improve and moral reasoning starts to develop. Again, Erikson’s theory splits this stage into two in-depth stages. From ages three to six years old children are in the initiative vs. guilt stage. Erikson’s third stage of development overlooks children’s imagination and allows them to further explore their surroundings. Erikson believes that this is the stage where children develop a conscience and conflicts occur as a child’s desire to explore is faced with his or her limits (Tate & Parker, 2007). Erikson’s fourth stage industry vs. inferiority, age’s six to eleven, predicts that children are eager to learn, apply themselves, and work with others. Erikson believes children in this stage will seek praise for accomplishments or will feel inadequate without enough support (Tate & Parker, 2007). In my childhood I lived with my sister, mother, and stepfather. School helped improve my cognitive development, and my parents promoted healthy curiosity, which led to my gaining more independence in this stage. I was able to achieve milestones with relative ease and support my family. A key developmental factor during this stage included giving my life to the Lord at nine
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