My Stages Of Psychosocial Development Essay, Research Paper

I think, over the period involving the first 12 to 18 months of my life, I was able to resolve the first of Erikson?s psychosocial stages adequately. My mother, during this time, supplied me with appropriate provisions of food, warmth, and the comfort of physical closeness. This allowed me to understand and accept that objects and people exist even when I could not see them. This was a major stepping stone where the foundation for trust became important.

In the next period of my life, from about 18 months to 3 years of age, I was able to resolve the second of Erikson?s psychosocial stages adequately. It was around this time that I began to assume important responsibilities for my own self-care like feed myself, using the toilet on my own, and dressing myself. It was during this time also that I began learning many physical skills, including walking and grasping. I learned that I could control my own body and its functions. And that I could make things happen.

Erikson?s third stage of psychosocial development came between the ages of 3 to 6 years of age. I was continuing to become more assertive and to take more initiative. My mother and my teachers at school encouraged this. I am pretty sure that I was allowed, at least on the weekends (Ha Ha), to choose what I wanted to wear and was allowed to wear whatever I had chosen.

In the fourth stage of Erikson?s psychosocial development, between 6 and 12 years of age, I was learning to see the relationship between perseverance and the pleasure of a job well done. I was physically and mentally ready to be productive and to do work on my own. I also had many friends at this time and understood what friendship was. I believe that having good friends and peers helped me to be productive and succeed in both school and after school activities.

I am currently facing Erikson?s ?identity vs. role confusion?, stage 5, from 12 to 18 years of age, I?m trying to gain a sense of my own identity. I am seeing myself as separate from my parents. Due to the outcome and resolution to conflict in earlier stages I

am so far able to make this transition smoothly. Self and Identity- The better which a person develops an understanding of themselves and of the other people around them, the better able they will be able to develop intimate relationships. I consider myself to be a ambivalent but a somewhat secure individual.

An ambivalent person tends to be very possessive of other individuals in a relationship with them. They tend not to be very passionate and trustworthy in terms of commitment. They are known to be self conscious and yet still willing to initiate intimate relationships.

A secure person is comfortable with intimacy and autonomy and often do not have a difficult time in forming intimate relationships. They have high levels of intimacy, passion and are very committed and able to be trusted. Secure people tend to feel that others are trustworthy and dependable. How a person was raised in terms of different parenting styles and methods of child raising affect an individuals abilities to form relationships. For example secure individuals have memories of their parents being warm and affectionate, something I just loss, while ambivalent people tend to remember their father being unfair, bingo!

I would describe myself as someone who is very capable of healthy relationships and good communication skills. I am definitely passionate and believe that all good relations should encompass a high degree of intimacy . I have a hard time trusting people due to my past experiences and my parents separating after 20 years of marriage. I can be trustworthy and is I believe in solid commitments. I am comfortable with intimacy just not with family and try my best to be independent.

Identity achievement comes from many years of exploring different roles and personalities. Individuals can change their attitudes and personalities almost daily. As the person is trying new things he/she is also taking cues form society as to which role or personality they fit best. How and individual perceives these cues will determine how they choose which personality or role is right for them. As we move from secure people to ambivalent we can see varying levels of self consciousness and self worth. These two characteristics are primary in forming intimacy. A persons internal working models are directly affecting that persons ability to perceive reality which is essentially the struggle for identity. So as the characteristics of self and others as well as attachment styles, are approaching security, strength, worth, and importance the better able that person is at creating, maintaining, and enjoying themselves.

In conclusion, I honestly don?t think that I can separate how only three of these stages interact with a later stage. Maybe this was a trick question?! These stages all fit together like building blocks. With one leading directly into the next and building from the previous stage or stages. You need them all to work together, in my opinion, to support each other. I don?t think if I was to have left one stage without an adequate resolution I could have moved on to accomplish the next. Could I? No…I really don?t see how that wouldn?t work!

Bibliography

self written