Out of the study of developmental psychology came many prominent and respected minds, but only few have risen above the rest through their theories. Cherry, author of Everything Psychology Book, recognises Erikson’s significance when she states: “Erik Erikson's theory of psychosocial development is one of the best-known theories of personality in [developmental] psychology.” (2012, ¶ 1) Erikson drew attention to himself when he controversially “departed from Freud’s classic psychoanalytic position by downplaying Freud’s notion of unconscious sexuality.” (Peterson, 2010, p. 51) Erikson wrote: “I shall present human growth from the point of view of [eight potential] conflicts…” (1968, p. 91). To me, I find that Erikson’s belief that dialectical conflicts were the basic mechanism of developments, to be the more accurate theory to my own psychological development (2010, p. 51). The relevance of Erikson’s challenges to my own psychological development will be outlined and analysed through this report in the sections below.
According to Davis and Clifton, Erikson believed that “All of the stages in Erikson's epigenetic theory are implicitly present at birth.” (1995, ¶ 2). Erikson identified this first stage as “basic trust verses mistrust” which occurs from birth to one year (1984; 1995; 2010; 2012). Heffner defines this process as “the ability to trust others based upon the consistency of their caregiver(s).” (2001, ¶ 2) As I was too young to remember the development of my first ‘psychological strength’, “which Erikson described as hope”, my mother tells me it was when I would not have anxiety when she went out of my sight. (2010, p. 51) This is because “she has become an inner certainty as well as an outer predictability”, “which will form a cornerstone for all manifestations of faith later in life.” (1995, ¶ 10; 2010 p. 51).
Cherry explains that, “The second stage of Erikson's theory of psychosocial development takes place during early childhood and is focused on...