Application of Eric Erickson Developmental Stage Essay Example

Introduction

Erik Erikson developed a theory, "Erikson's theory of psychosocial development" which was similar to that of Sigmund Freud explaining why he believed that personality development took place in some stages. Within the theory, he describes his view and demonstrates the impact which a whole lifespan is bound to be exposed to because of social experiences (Newman, 2017). The theory deals with how social interactions and emotional relationships altered and determined the growth and development of human beings. Siyanda exhibits some close relations with the approach. Some of the most critical stages of Sisanda were affected by some factors which reshaped her whole life.

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Sisanda went through some conflicts and challenges during her early age. After overcoming the problems, she emerged from the conflict with psychosocial strengths which enabled her to attain a positive and motivated attitude. According to Erikson people face some challenges while growing up. The extent of damage it inflicts within our environment and life determines whether the incident or conflict will alter our life temporarily or entirely. He goes further to explain that during such periods the potentials for personal growth or failure act as the main determinants of an individual's upcoming future (Newman, 2017). As a young girl, Sisanda lost her father and was forced to watch her mother work tediously to provide for her. This was a very nasty state for not having both parents. She was able to deal effectively with the challenges and develop essential skills that are vital in developing a strong sense of self. In his theory, Erikson states that every individual is bound to stumble on a competent area in life. The mode of handling such situations determines how the individuals will cope with the situation and after it has occurred. By managing her stage well, Sisanda developed a high sense of mastery often described as ego strength and quality. This was achieved through a period of time that made Sisanda a very strong girl

Psychosocial development stages

According to the theory, the first stage occurs within one year after birth. During the phase, a child is purely dependent on the caregivers for all that she requires to survive including love, warmth, safety, and food as well as nurturing. Failure to provide such conditions forces the child to feel that he or she cannot trust or depend on the caregivers in his life. Sisanda's father passed away while she was 1-year old which a great mind blow to her life was. When her father passed away, her mother could not provide the required conditions given her current situation (Rosenthal et al., 1981). Thus forcing to Sisanda's failure to develop trust on those around her entirely. That being a normal thing to a child who passes through same process. The loss of trust often results in fear and a belief that the world in unpredictable and inconsistent. In most cases such situations cause most children to acquire hope which according to Erikson's theory is the openness to living with the wariness that a challenge of danger may be present.

Autonomy versus shame

During this stage, children are starting to gain a little independence and allowed to associate with others. They start doing necessary actions by themselves and making decisions considering their preferences in life. When Sisanda's father passed away, the obligation to take care of the family was passed to her mother who became the breadwinner of the family. To do this, she had to look for a job, and eventually, she became a nanny. While searching for jobs, she would leave Sisanda with her grandmother who was also taking care of two other children. During her stay at her grandmother's house, she would often be teased by her cousins for not making it to the bathroom in time (Newman, 2017). Sisanda lacked training which according to Erikson is vital for a child. As a result, her confidence and security deteriorate leaving her with an endless sense of inadequacy and self-doubt.

Initiative versus guilt

According to the theory the stage often occurs during the preschool years. During this period a child is expected to develop and assert their power and control over their environment through directing social interactions and play. "When Sisanda started high school she struggled to make friends at first. She tried to work hard academically" during the preschool periods Sisanda avoided social interactions with friends and those around her. Her primary concern was academics in that she knew her mother could not help her with her homework. Because of her life experiences, she failed to establish an ideal balance between willingness and individual initiative to cooperate and work with others hence lacking the ego quality of purpose as stated by Erikson's theory (Rosenthal et al., 1981).

Industry versus inferiority

After joining high school, most teenagers are expected to develop a sense of pride in the abilities and accomplishments they have achieved. Often time's guardians and teachers play a significant role within this stage by recommending and encouraging the children. Sisanda has established a great balance within her fourth stage allowing her to gain competence and belief in her abilities in addressing tasks presented to her (Rosenthal et al., 1981).

Identity versus confusion

According to Erikson's theory, the fifth stage is the most turbulent stage among the eight steps. The period plays a significant role in enabling the child to develop a sense of personal identification allowing her to influence her development and behavior for the rest of her life. During this stage, one is also faced with the challenge of identifying their ideas, beliefs, and values that allow her to guide and shape her behavior. During her teenage life, Sisanda continues to exhibit little engagement socially. "She is part of a small social circle at school but does not engage socially or attend any of the

School's social functions. Sisanda finds it difficult to describe herself as a person," Her circumstances have altered her ego identity adversely. As a result, she seems indecisive and inquisitive concerning significant decisions in her life (Newman, 2017). She fails to socialize or associate herself with school activities. These shows a lack of sense of self which is often determined by our interactions and experiences.

Challenges

"Sisada's father tragically died in a mining accident when she was 1-years-old" and since then "she was raised by her mother. Her mother, Boniswa, is a domestic worker/nanny..." through the death of her father. Sisanda's mother had to overwork to feed the family. Her mother worked as a nanny and due to lack support she had to work for many hours to provide for the whole family. "Boniswa struggled a lot since her husband's passing and often found herself staring out the window" which was often painful for Sisanda to watch. She also failed to hold a steady job due to her dull appearance and often broke down while working on the realization that her husband had passed away. She was able to deal effectively with the challenges and develop essential skills that are vital in developing a strong sense of self. In his theory, Erikson states that every individual is bound to stumble on a competent area in life. She grew up with her grandmother away from the love of her mother and father as her mother struggled to work and feed the family, "she would leave Sisanda to stay with her grandmother." She also faced difficulty training herself how to perform simple tasks such as making it to the bathroom in time (Newman, 2017). "Would often be teased by her cousins for wetting her pants" she was faced by a lot of teasing statements and actions by her cousins which affected her socializing and interaction capabilities.

Projected psychosocial development

According to the theory, it can be proven that Sisanda is bound to face difficulties in stage five between intimacy and isolation. She lacks interest in exploring her relationships and instead prefers isolation which results in depression and loneliness. During her seventh stage of generativist and stagnations, Sisanda is bound to be successful and create a great balance between focusing on her family and career judging from her current situation, and this will enable her to peacefully manage her eighth stage which involves reflecting on life and determine whether she is satisfied or not.

References

Newman, B. M., & Newman, P. R. (2017). Development through life: A psychosocial approach. Cengage Learning.

Rosenthal, D. A., Gurney, R. M., & Moore, S. M. (1981). From trust on intimacy: A new inventory for examining Erikson's stages of psychosocial development. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 10(6), 525-537.