Erik Erikson (Developmental Psychologist/Theorist) - Assignment Example

According to Erikson, his psychological principle necessarily plays a role in shaping the development of human beings genetically, thus suggesting that it is observed in all people. Erikson used the word “epigenesis” for his theory that speaks of the relevance of the concept to genetics and evolution. Erikson laid this explanation for the use of this word, “.epi can mean 'above' in space as well as 'before' in time, and in connection with genesis can well represent the space-time nature of all development.

” (Erikson, 1994). In Erikson’s theory, Epigenetic does not represent genetic make-up for an individual and the influence of such a genetic make-up upon the development of the individual, this being not cardinal to the ideas proposed by Erikson. Erikson’s theory revolves around the way human behavior and personality is influenced and gets modified after birth in general and particularly during the childhood. In the debate of nature vs nurture, the primary focus of Erikson was on nurture and experience.

The model of psychological development proposed by Erikson is a highly regarded and one of the most significant concepts in the study of psychology. People grow psychologically as a result of their life experiences. Erikson’s theory helps understand why this happens. Erikson’s theory is equally helpful for the study of development of children and adults psychosocially. The model proposed by Erikson is elegant and simple, and yet maintains its sophistication. Erikson’s theory not only lays the foundation of a complex and broad analysis of human behavior and personality, but also of facilitation in the development of self as well as of others.

The major elements of Erikson’s theory are enclosed in these eight psychosocial stages of crisis; trust vs mistrust, autonomy vs shame and doubt, initiative vs guilt, industry vs inferiority, identity vs role confusion, intimacy vs isolation, generativity vs stagnation, and integrity vs despair (Chapman, 2013). The first six of Erikson’s psychosocial crisis stages correspond to the oral, anal, phallic, latency, puberty and genitality, and genitality respectively. Successful handling of the issues encountered in each of the eight stages on the part of the individual leads to these positive outcomes; hope and drive, willpower and self-control, purpose and direction, competence and method, fidelity and devotion, love and affiliation, care and production, and wisdom and renunciation.

Negative handling of the very issues leads to these negative outcomes for the eight stages in the order before; sensory distortion and withdrawal, impulsivity and compulsion, ruthlessness and inhibition, narrow virtuosity and inertia, fanaticism and repudiation, promiscuity and exclusivity, overextension and rejectivity, and presumption and disdain. Erikson derives his importance as a psychologist and theorist from the fact that his psychosocial theory helps understanding the development of children and adults alike.

While every concept is prone to criticism, Erikson’s psychosocial theory is special in that it is generally considered fundamentally significant by a vast majority of psychologists and theorists. Being both a humanitarian and a psychoanalyst, Erikson’s theory’