Task Erik Erikson’s Theory of Psychosocial Development
1. Download the Week 2 Interactive Assignment Template found under Course Media.
2. Read the information on the Erik Erikson's theory of psychosocial development.
3. Answer the questions in the assignment template. Provide only the level of personal information you are comfortable with; the questions can be answered without an inappropriate amount of personal information. All information is confidential and is read only by the instructor. Task Erik Erikson's Theory of Psychosocial Development.
Questions developed from Erikson’s Psychosocial Stages Past Self
1. Think of an important event in your childhood. What does this event tell you about yourself in terms of Erikson’s stages?
2. Circle what you believe was your resolution at each of the psychosocial stages below and then give a reason for your choice: AGE STAGE WHY? 0 - 1 Trust vs. Mistrust
3. What new insight do you have into your own development
4. What is most important to you in your life right now? What do you value?
5. If you are in Erikson’s “Identity vs. Role Confusion” stage: How are you doing with this struggle?
6. If you are in Erikson’s “Identity vs. Role Confusion” stage: How are you doing with this struggle?
7. How can you be a generative adult? What current behaviors if continued through your adult years might lead you to stagnation?
Answers
Q1- Think of an important event in your childhood. What does this event tell you about yourself in terms of Erikson’s stages?
- When I was 3 years old, my parents divorced. I hence started depending on others and I got into problems and I developed the feeling that I needed to make everyone else happy and in doing so often times stressed myself out. It affected my relationship with my parents and my sister. I think that the closeness I had with my daddy led to jealousy on my mom’s part that combined with her desire to have a thin daughter caused her to pressure me to be thin. As a result, I developed an eating disorder. I think the divorce of my parents affected the way I looked at myself and the world. It wasn’t until later in my life that I realized that I had to rise above the things that had happened to me. I had to overcome the victim mentality and move on with my life in order to be happy and successful in my personal and professional life Task Erik Erikson's Theory of Psychosocial Development.
Q2. Circle what you believe was your resolution at each of the psychosocial stages below and then give a reason for your choice: AGE STAGE WHY?
0 - 1 Trust vs. Mistrust
I was a very happy baby and according to my parents never met a stranger. I would go to anyone and loved to smile and play.
1 - 3 Self-reliance vs. Self- doubt
I often played by myself and would do things for myself as often as I could. My mom loves to tell the story of where I went into my room and crawled into my toy box and played till I fell asleep. I was easy to potty train and had no trouble learning developmentally.
3 - 6 Initiative vs. Guilt
I think that I was a little of both. My parents divorced when I was 3. I remember them fighting a lot and thinking it was my fault. I tried to do things to make it better. Task Erik Erikson's Theory of Psychosocial Development.
6 – 12
What are your fondest future dreams (could be regarding work, love, friendship, community, religion, children, marriage, personal achievement, wealth, material possessions, etc.). In other words, how do you envision your future life?
During this period, I was definitely both. With my daddy and step mom I got to explore things I loved to do like riding horses, pottery, fishing, camping and being outside. With my mom I was involved in church activities and plays. But also with my mom she would lecture me regularly about my weight and would make me feel like I was less than other girls because I was heavier than them. She would show me pictures of herself when she was an overweight kid and ask “is this what you want to look like?” It made me very self- conscious and I developed an eating disorder at the age of 12.
Adolescence Identity vs. Role Confusion
During this time I had a lot of confusion about my body image. I was raped at the age of 13 and it compounded with my eating disorder I had a tendency to be depressed on the inside while portraying that everything was ok on the outside. I was torn between my Daddy’s house and my mom’s house. I developed the idea that I was responsible to make everyone happy so that is what I tried to do. I had a great group of friends but tended to go along with the crowd rather than figure out who I really was or what I was really feeling. I started drinking at the age of 14 as a way to coping. Task Erik Erikson's Theory of Psychosocial Development.
* Young Adulthood
Intimacy vs. Isolation
I had a great group of friends that I am still friends with today. I had a wonderful boyfriend who really helped me to deal with the aspects of my rape and the drinking. I wasn’t close to my mom during this time and when I went to my Daddy’s house we were close but I never told him what was really going on with me. I think I was more isolated from my mom but I was close to my grandparents and my daddy. I got married during this time and gave birth to my two boys. At the end of this phase I got divorced due to domestic violence and my ex signed away his rights to my children. It was a difficult time but I was able to lean on those that I was closest with. I developed a better self-image and was able to rise above a rocky start to life.
Middle Adulthood
Generativity vs. Stagnation
This is the phase I am in now and it’s GREAT! I spent ten years concentrating on myself and my boys and two years ago I met an amazing man and we were married last June. We are working hard to provide a bright future for our children. I also do a lot of charity work to help those in need and to pay forward all the kindness shown to me throughout my life. I am incredibly close to my sons and have an amazing relationship with my Daddy. I have been my mom’s caregiver for the past 5 years while our relationship is not perfect it is improved. And I have been able to connect with some of my uncles and cousins that I hadn’t really had relationships with before. I am also closer to my sister than I have been since we were kids. And I have an active role in my three nephews lives. Task Erik Erikson's Theory of Psychosocial Development.
* Late Adulthood
Integrity vs. Despair
My husband and I have great plans for our future. I am excited to see what the future holds. I look forward to becoming a grandma and seeing my children grow up, get married and be successful.
Q3. What new insight do you have into your own development?
- It is interesting to see how what happens to us shapes our future. There was a period of my life that I allowed the bad things that had happened to me dictate my feelings on the future. It took some time for me to realize that I am the one with the power over my future not past circumstances or events. Once I realized this I was truly able to heal and to move on to a brighter future. Present Self
Q4. What is most important to you in your life right now? What do you value?
- My family is the most important thing in my life. I value my time with them and doing things for them that make us all happy. I also value getting my education because it will set my husband and I up for a better retirement. Task Erik Erikson's Theory of Psychosocial Development.
Q5. If you are in Erikson’s “Identity vs. Role Confusion” stage: How are you doing with this struggle? If you have passed that stage, what stage are you in, and how are you doing? Explain.
- I am currently in the Generativity vs. Stagnation stage of my life and I think I am doing great. I have really come into my own over the past few years and am working toward creating a brighter future for me, my husband, our children and our future grandchildren. Going back to school after 14 years was a big decision but I am happy I chose to do so. It shows my children that it is never too late to do something to improve your life. Future Self
Q6. Task what are your fondest future dreams (could be regarding work, love, friendship, community, religion, children, marriage, personal achievement, wealth, material possessions, etc.). In other words, how do you envision your future life?
- My husband and I have plans to semi retire in 8-10 years. We want to move to the coast and he will work in a refinery while I manage some vacation rentals. We plan to use the vacation rentals as our retirement plan. With them we will have places for our children and family to come and stay while they visit. Once we reach actual retirement age my husband will extend our business to include a fishing guide service. We plan to spend many days fishing, walking on the beach and enjoying the salty air and sunshine.
- How can you be a generative adult? What current behaviors if continued through your adult years might lead you to stagnation? Task Erik Erikson's Theory of Psychosocial Development.
Q7. Generative qualities you have now Stagnant qualities you have now I am very involved in my children’s lives and those of their friends. I encourage them to get a good education and am working on teaching them to become productive members of society. I also try and give back to the community as much as I can by volunteering or donating money or needed items. I like to support our first responders by dropping by and bringing them goodies to let them know they are appreciated. We also will anonymously pick up their lunch or dinner tabs if we see police officers or firefighters eating at the same restaurant as us. I hope that I am teaching my kids the importance of giving back by leading by example.
- The qualities I have that could cause stagnation is that I expect people to treat me as I treat them. When someone doesn’t tend to get my feelings hurt. I also have high expectations of my children and I have to make sure that I don’t push them so hard that they give up and don’t do as well as they can because I expect too much of them. I also have a tendency to avoid difficult people in my life and by doing so I fail to nurture important relationships, such as with my mom or my step daughters Task Erik Erikson's Theory of Psychosocial Development.https://nursingacademicwriter.com/epidemiology-of-influenza/