The Differences Between Erikson and Freud
There are three ways in which Erikson’s stages of development are different from Freud’s stages of development. First Erikson placed substantially less importance on the individual’s sexual drive as a factor in normal development. Instead Erikson focused his stages on the development and emergence of a sense of identity. Also, unlike Freud, Erikson proposed that a person’s sense of identity was not completely developed during adolescents but instead continued to develop and evolve throughout a person’s life. Finally, Erikson downplayed the importance of maturation in cognitive development and instead focused on the importance of cultural demands placed on children during specific age transitions in their life. (Bee and Boyd, 2004, 257). For example potty training at an early age was culturally demanded especially in industrialized countries where children need to go to day care or pre-schools where it is easier to have all the children use the toilet as opposed to having to change diapers. While Erikson would take the position that toilet training at an early age was culturally influenced, Freud would say that potty training was a natural progression in skills due to maturation and the need to meet the needs of an anal psychosexual tension.
Erikson’s Eight Stages of Life Development
Erikson’s theory on development focuses on a crisis that occurs at each stage of development. This crisis needs to be resolved before further development can occur. The first stage occurs in infancy between birth and the age of 1. Here the crisis is trust vs. mistrust. If the basic needs of the infant are met then they learn to trust, and will be more trusting as they develop. However if they are neglected and their basic needs are not met, especially by their maternal figure, then they will resolve this crisis in the negative and be mistrustful throughout their development, or until they are able to resolve this crisis in the positive. I found through various babysitting experiences when I was a teenager, that children whose parents were supportive and provided their children with a balance of discipline and affection were the easiest to care for. They were better behaved when the parents left, and they did not act out when the parents returned. This shows that children in caring and supportive home environments had learned to trust, and as a result felt comfortable and secure even when their parents were not around.
The second stage of development occurs in early childhood between the ages of two and three. Here the crisis is autonomy vs. shame and doubt. (Bee and Boyd, 2004, 257). The major influential people in their life are the parental figures. This crisis involves the development of self-reliance skills like toileting, feeding one’s self, dressing, and hygiene. If the crisis is resolved in the negative, and these basic skills are not attained to the satisfaction of the child, then they will be ashamed they have not mastered these skills and have longing pains of guilt. My son is autistic and so mastering these basic skills took longer than most children. Although I did notice that as each of these skills were mastered, washing hands, dressing, feeding himself, and finally toileting, he seemed to gain more confidence and was willing to at least try to master other skills by himself.
The third stage occurs during the play age years, or between the ages of four and five. Here the crisis is initiative vs. guilt (Bee and Boyd, 2004, 257). The influential people at this stage are the child’s family. During this stage the child strives for more independence, and they are more focused on specific goals. Again I would like to point out a babysitting experience. I noticed that children in preschool that I cared for really wanted to do things for themselves at this age like tying their own shoes, pour their own milk, etcâÂ?¦They also seemed to focus all of their attention on an activity until they mastered it. When one little girl that I was babysitting was learning to write her alphabets, she would trace the letters over and over and then try to write them herself until she was able to successfully complete the sequence.
The fourth stage occurs during the school years, or between the ages of six and twelve. The crisis here is industry vs. inferiority. (Bee and Boyd, 2004, 257). Success in attaining knowledge and educational skills and development are the goals to reach at this stage. Failure, or slow progress, can cause this stage to resolve in the negative and lead to feelings of inferiority. I remember how devastated I was during my early elementary years if I wasn’t able to understand a concept being presented in class. I had especial trouble with handwriting. The problem stemmed form the fact that I was left handed but was forced to write right handed so it took me longer to gain proficiency in writing neatly with my right hand. After reaching a high proficiency with my right hand my self-confidence improved.
The fifth stage of development is in adolescence, between the ages of 13 and 18. It is during this stage that identity or identity confusion is contemplated. (Bee and Boyd, 2004, 257). Peers play a vital role in the child’s development from child to young adult. It is normal for a trial of various identities during this period. Resolution in the positive results in a firm definition of the self. Trying to find one’s identity during adolescents is a challenge. I know that I went through various identities including Goth, Bohemian, Brain, and All-American girl. My hair and clothing styles changed every year until I finally found a mature style that I felt the most comfortable with.
Stage six begins as the adolescent arrives in young adulthood. Here sexual development leads to a crisis of intimacy vs. isolation. (Bee and Boyd, 2004, 257). Here the person must decide between forming intimate relationships with others, or to spend their life isolated from other relationships. The influential people in this stage of development are friends, lovers, and colleagues. As I entered stage six, I chose to resolve the conflict towards the development of intimacy. I got married and started a family. However, after several years I was divorced and was faced with the conflict of deciding to try and find another intimate relationship or to become isolated. For a while isolation seemed the best choice, but within a year I reversed this resolution and stove for intimacy again. This makes me realize that the conflict experienced during the developmental stage is not limited to one event, but is applied to many events that must be resolved either towards a positive resolution, or towards the negative resolution.
Once adulthood in well underway a choice between generativity or stagnation must be made. This stage lasts from the age of 26 to the age of 40. (Bee and Boyd, 2004, 257). The person must decide on striving for success in their business or personal life or to take what’s given to them. Here again I decided to strive for success. I enrolled in college and started to concentrate on developing my writing career.
The final stage occurs during old age. Here integrity vs. despair is contemplated. (Bee and Boyd, 2004, 257). This stage may be one of the more difficult to resolve in the positive. Towards the end of life, after careers have faded to retirement and looks and strength have faded, it is difficult to see things in a positive light. But now with advancements in medical technology and preventative health care measures, people can stay active and productive longer than ever before. This should allow for more people to resolve this crisis in the positive and share and continue to develop their wisdom, as opposed to slipping into despair. I have noticed how each of my grandparents has chosen to resolve this issue. My grandmother remained active and independent until she passed away, while my grandfather as tried to isolate himself and has become combative.
Reference
Bee, Helen and Boyd, Denise. (2004). The Developing Child. (10th ed.). Boston: Pearson.
