Hockenbury Discovering Psychology 5th txtbk

400 CHAPTER 9 Lifespan DevelopmentTable 9.4Erik Erikson’s Psychosocial Stages of DevelopmentLife Stage Psychosocial Conflict Positive Resolution Negative ResolutionInfancy (birth to 18 months) Trust vs. mistrust Reliance on consistent and warm care- Physical and psychological neglect bygivers produces a sense of predictability caregivers leads to fear, anxiety, andand trust in the environment.mistrust of the environment.Toddlerhood Autonomy vs. doubt Caregivers encourage independence and Overly restrictive caregiving leads to(18 months to 3 years) self-sufficiency, promoting positive self-doubt in abilities and lowself-esteem.self-esteem.Early childhood (3 to 6 years) Initiative vs. guilt The child learns to initiate activities and Parental overcontrol stifles the child’sdevelops a sense of social responsibility spontaneity, sense of purpose, andconcerning the rights of others; pro- social learning; promotes guilt andmotes self-confidence.fear of punishment.Middle and late childhood Industry vs. inferiority Through experiences with parents and Negative experiences with parents or(6 to 12 years) “keeping up” with peers, the child failure to “keep up” with peers leadsdevelops a sense of pride and compe- to pervasive feelings of inferiority andtence in schoolwork and home and inadequacy.social activities.Adolescence Identity vs. role confusion Through experimentation with different An apathetic adolescent or one whoroles, the adolescent develops an inte- experiences pressures and demandsgrated and stable self-definition; forms from others may feel confusion aboutcommitments to future adult roles. his or her identity and role in society.Young adulthood Intimacy vs. isolation By establishing lasting and meaningful Because of fear of rejection orrelationships, the young adult develops excessive self-preoccupation, thea sense of connectedness and intimacy young adult is unable to form close,with others.meaningful relationships andbecomes psychologically isolated.Middle adulthood Generativity vs. stagnation Through child rearing, caring for others, Self-indulgence, self-absorption, and aproductive work, and community in- preoccupation with one’s own needsvolvement, the adult expresses unselfish lead to a sense of stagnation, boreconcernfor the welfare of the next dom, and a lack of meaningfulgeneration.accomplishments.Late adulthood Ego integrity vs. despair In reviewing his or her life, the older In looking back on his or her life,adult experiences a strong sense of self- the older adult experiences regret,acceptance and meaningfulness in his or dissatisfaction, and disappointmenther accomplishments.about his or her life andaccomplishments.Source: Adapted from Erikson (1964a).To successfully form an identity, adolescents must not only integrate variousdimensions of their personality into a coherent whole but also define the roles thatthey will adopt within the larger society on becoming an adult (Habermas & Bluck,2000). To accomplish this, adolescents grapple with a wide variety of issues, such asselecting a potential career and formulating religious, moral, and political beliefs.They must also adopt social roles involving interpersonal relationships, sexuality,and long-term commitments such as marriage and parenthood.In Erikson’s (1968) theory, the adolescent’s path to successful identity achievementbegins with role confusion, which is characterized by little sense of commitmenton any of these issues. This period is followed by a moratorium period, duringwhich the adolescent experiments with different roles, values, and beliefs. Gradually,by choosing among the alternatives and making commitments, the adolescentarrives at an integrated identity.Psychological research has generally supported Erikson’s description of theprocess of identity formation (Grotevant, 1987; Marcia, 1991). However, it’simportant to keep in mind that identity continues to evolve over the entire lifespan,not just during the adolescent years (Grotevant, 1992). Adolescents and youngadults seem to achieve a stable sense of identity in some areas earlier than in others.Far fewer adolescents and young adults have attained a stable sense of identity in therealm of religious and political beliefs than in the realm of vocational choice.