Social Development

• PSYCHOSOCIAL

  DEVELOPMENT

  Erikson believed that personality development occurs through a combination of the

  effects of psychological processes which take place within individuals (psycho)

  and the experiences of individuals during their lifetimes, particularly their

  interaction with other people (social).
• Psychosocial Development:

  Social development is the continuous, lifelong development of certain skills, attitudes,

  relationships, and behaviours that enable an individual to interact with others and to

  function as a member of society.

  Social development is an area of psychological development that is heavily influenced by the

  external world, hence why social development is experienced differently between

  individuals (Example: School)
• Erikson (1950) developed a theory known as the psychosocial crises
• Psychosocial crises


  Emphasises the interaction between social and psychological influences on development across the lifespan
• Stages of development


  • Eight separate stages
• Resolving psychosocial crises


  1. Face psychological crisis

  2. Balance tensions
• Each crisis can lead to

  Positive or negative impacts on one’s social development
• Each crisis involves a struggle between 2 opposing tendencies
• Psychological crisis


  A tension point arising when there is conflict between an individual’s capabilities and personal desires, and the desire to meet the expectations of society
• Erikson (1950) developed a theory known as the psychosocial crises, includes the following

  infant- trust and mistrust

  toddler- autonomy ( shame vs doubt )

  pre-schooler- initiative vs guilt

  primary schooler- industry vs inferiority

  adolescent- identity vs role confusion

  young adult- intimacy vs isolation

  middle age- generativity vs stagnation

  old age- integrity vs despair
• Criticisms of Erikson’s

  theory

  Lack of experimental evidence

  Mainly based on case studies

  Hard to define terms eg ‘trust’ or ‘generativity’ (abstract terms + subjective)

  The theory primarily focussed on males

  Identity formation likely to continue past adolescence (think about the age one may experience an identity

  crisis)

  Many adults do not experience a ‘mid-life crisis’

  Does not consider influence of when and where people were born/grew up