Human Development Research Assignment: Trust and Mistrust (Coursework Sample)

Erickson’s Stages
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Introduction
Psychological development comprises of eight stages which spans from infancy all the way to adulthood. Whenever an individual is going through any of the stages, he or she experiences some psychosocial changes which have either a positive or a negative implication on personality growth (Erick Erickson, 1963). The first five stages are passed through between infancy and the age of eighteen and the other three are experienced in adulthood.
Erickson’s Stages
Trust and Mistrust
At this stage, an infant suffers uncertainty concerning the world it is in. As a way of feelings of uncertainty, the infant relies on the parent or guardian for stability and care. If care received by the infant is satisfactory, the infant develops trust and a feeling of security. Successful transition in this stage leads to the development of hope and failure of successful transition leads to development of fear. The best thing about this stage is that you fully rely on someone can survive without any efforts. Care is taken for you while in this stage. The bad thing about the stage is that you must remain within the constraints of the parent.
Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt
In this stage, the child learns to be independent by walking away from the mother, playing with toys and learns on the art of making choices. At this stage the child discovers the abilities he or she has such as playing with toys and wearing clothes. At this stage the parent should ensure a balance between what they do for the child and what they leave for his/ her own doing. It’s advisable to ensure that a parent do not criticize a child when he fails while trying to do something. Successful transition helps in the development of the virtue of will (Gross, 1992).The beauty of this stage is that one can do things that are interesting to you. The worst thing about this stage is denial of permission to do what you want to do.
Initiative vs. Guilt
In this stage, the child interacts with other children leading to the exploration of interpersonal skills by initiating activities like games. The child is full of vigor which may be seen as aggressiveness by the parent (Bee, 1992). If the child is stopped from interacting with peers where he can initiate games and other activities, the child develops guilt and lack of self-initiative. This feeling of guilt can make a child less creative. At this stage the child has a million questions and has thirst for knowledge and the parent should ensure proper answers to such questions. A balance between initiative and guilt leads to the development of the virtue of purpose. In this stage it feels good to be recognized as a knowledgeable person by the society but the worst happens when you are disapproved in front of people.
Industry (competence) vs. Inferiority
At this stage the child feels that he/ she needs to be recognized and they keep doing things to gain approval by doing things they have learnt. It’s at this stage when the child starts to develop a sense of pride in the accomplishment he or she have achieved. If the child’s initiative is strengthened, they develop a feeling of being industrious and confident but when the initiatives are restricted the child starts feeling inferior and doubts their abilities. Successful transition leads to competence. At this stage one feels good at his/ her successes and also mourns at faiures.
Identity vs. Role Confusion
This stage is normally experienced at the adolescent age where the adolescents start to look for a sense personal identity. They explore personal values, personal goals and beliefs. Success in this stage leads to fidelity which makes one be able to make commitments and accept others. The best thing about this stage is the independence one has on choosing friends. The bad thing about the stage is the predicaments that one faces whe...