Background Information about Imani This case study involves a women in her early forties named, Imani. Lately she has been unhappy for several reasons. She does not feel the same joy she once had in her career, her relationship status (after being divorced for the past five years) is not where she wants it to be as she feels uncomfortable dating, and she feels that parenthood had come and gone without starting a family with the man (who she had divorced) she met in her senior year in college felt the time was never right to start a family. Lately, Imani feels that going back to school will fill that something in her life she feels she is missing, but is unsure what she would like to study. She has also been taking care of her aging mother …show more content…
Even though this theory is not a stage theory, it provides a physical structure that relates to stage theories. Explaining Imani's development as a person and possibly why she is in the stagnation portion of Stage 7 of Erikson's Psychosocial Theory of Development is as important as explaining why she falls into that stage in the first place. With the information known about Imani, there is evidence that suggests a strain on her relationship with her mother. This is a development within the microsystem, which one of the systems explained in Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory. According to the theory, the microsystem is where a child develops his or her's relationship with family or any other immediate surroundings (Capella, 2016). As the systems branch out, one of the outer layer systems is the macrosystem. The macrosystem describes the culture in which an individual lives and how that culture affects one's behavior (Capella, 2016). The information given about Imani states that in the culture she finds herself in, one of her age is married, have children, and enjoy their careers. All things Imani does not possess on a sociological level. In turn that has made Imani feel there is something wrong with …show more content…
As they researched the many studies to support their claims, it became apparent to them that key features of women's personalities over the course of middle age change overtime (Sneed, Whitebourne, Schwartz, and Huang, 2012). This would not only support Erikson's theory, but how Imani current development fits into stage 7 of Erikson's theory as well. The studies researched in the Sneed article also conclude that Erikson's theory provides sound evidence of the examination of the well-being (as they described as a sense of happiness and satisfaction) middle adulthood (Sneed, Whitebourne, Schwartz, and Huang, 2012). The research allowed the authors to conduct their own study in which they hoped to prove the importance of psychosocial adjustment well into adulthood and not just adolescence to early adulthood (Sneed, Whitebourne, Schwartz, and Huang, 2012). Their findings, admittedly from a limited sample, found that Erikson's theory the be a valid basis when it pertains to psychosocial adjustment well into adulthood and not just the early half (Sneed, Whitebourne, Schwartz, and
Erikson modeled his life cycle schema after the Shakespearean play “As You Like It”. The play identifies the seven ages that men experience starting with infancy and continuing in to old age.In the play the first age is infancy which lasts until a child is old enough to go to school. The third age is when a man falls in love. Next the man becomes strong and mature like a soldier and then becomes just and wise like a judge. The sixth age is when a man reaches old age and incompetency followed by age seven which is death. Erikson believed that Shakespeare had neglected to include the play stage in his seven ages presented in the play “As You Like It”. “In the late 1940s Eriksons received an invitation to present a paper on the developmental stages of life at the midcentury White House conference on children and youth. The paper they were to contribute for the conference was on growth and crisis of the healthy personality.” (Capps, 2004) It was on the way to this conference that the Eriksons realized that if Shakespeare had left out a stage then they too may have forgotten a stage. Erik Erikson realized that his life cycle model went from intimacy, signifying young adulthood in stage six to old age in stage seven. After this realization the Eriksons added “Generativity Versus Stagnation” as the new seventh
This case is best understood using Developmental theoretical perspective. Erikson’s psychosocial theory that details on how personality develops through stages in life from birth to old age. Erikson’s theory focus on eight distinct stages of development and he stated that at each stage people face some conflict or crisis. The assumption of Erikson’s psychosocial theory is that “Human development occurs in clearly defined,
...aid the values at this stage are set and solid and nothing can change the thought process or the sensitivity with which she now views the world. According Erik Erikson theory every individual may have different experiences in childhood that will mark their journey into adulthood and experiences of social development into adulthood. As such, the process of social development is different for each individual, and it is not necessary that you be able to identify with every stage in life.
Erik Erickson’s eight stages of psychosocial development is argumentatively one of the best theories to explain how human beings should healthily develop from infancy to late adulthood. Every stage of the theory must be successfully completed for optimal human personality growth. Stages that are not successful completed may result in reoccurring problems throughout one’s lifespan. Every stage is broken down by a psychosocial crisis, each with a conflicting matter that must be resolved. If the person fails to resolve this conflict, they will carry the negative trait into every remaining stage of life. Furthermore, if the person successfully resolves the conflict, they will carry the positive trait into every remaining
Erik Erikson developed eight psychosocial stages that occur through life. These stages help parents of younger children understand what the child is thinking and why they are acting the way that they do. For a person to become a well-rounded adult they need to succeed in each level. This essay will discuss the first six stages into young adulthood.
Erik Erikson’s psychoanalytic theory of development is made up of eight stages that span the lifetime. The stages correspond to a specific age and provide a blueprint for what to expect universally from someone in that stage in terms of social development. Erikson believed
Erikson believed that personality development happens over the entire course of a persons life. He believed that personality develops in a series of stages. At each stage, challenges are faced and the outcome depends on how people handles these challenges. Erikson’s theory describes the impact of social experiences across the whole lifespan.
Erik Erikson, Karl Jung and Daniel Levinson are three prominent developmental theorists on human development on the journey of life. Erik Erikson theory surrounding middle adulthood is it a time of balancing everything in the person’s life. It is the time for a person to take stock of their accomplishments, the direction their life is going and the purpose of their life. Erik Erikson theorizes middle adulthood significant task is to transmit values and culture to their children and working to create a stable environment. Family and the work environment are first things listed as priorities in this stage of development. Erikson theory feels generativity is of great importance in this ...
Andy is an only child aged 12 studying at the ‘foundation’ level of a neighbourhood school. He comes from a single parent family where his father is an odd job worker. The father does not have a stable income and is rarely home. He frequently drinks and constantly scolds Andy. Andy’s mother had left the home when he was young due to his father’s constant abuse.
Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory describes the levels at which an individual interacts with the world. Bronfenbrenner divides these levels into five discrete categories: individual, microsystem, mesosystem exosystem, and macrosystem.
Erik Erikson developed the eight stages of life theory. Erikson’s theory focuses on the development from birth to death, social context, and interpersonal relations during each stage of life (McAdams, 2009). In the same manner, each stage of life is comprehendible in three levels, such as the body, ego, and family and culture. The eight stages of life are infancy (trust vs. mistrust), early childhood (autonomy vs. shame and doubt), childhood (initiative vs. guilt), childhood (industry vs. inferiority), adolescence and young adulthood (identity vs. role confusion), young adulthood (intimacy vs. isolation), mature adulthood (generativity vs. stagnation (or self-absorption)), and old age (ego integrity vs. despair).
As human beings age, according to Erik Erikson, they go through developmental stages that help to create and transform their personalities. If needs are met and the ego is gratified, then the individual is able to move on to the next challenge. Onward they march in life and in stage until they find the end level: integrity versus despair. This has been categorized as adults 65 years and older by Erikson. Here, people are to reminisce and judge their lives in terms of merit or disappointment. Erikson himself had a lot to comb through in his later years.
Erikson’s stages of psychosocial development were complex, but simple. It is something everyone will go through and experiences will always be different. The lack of reinforcement to the positive aspects of his stages can lead to quite a disaster. Surprisingly, previous stages are highly influential to the proceeding stage. The lack of reinforcement to the positive aspects of his psychosocial stages can have a very devastating effect on a person. This is because the effects built up rather than taking the place of one another. The effects are quite horrifying, but with the right environment, experiences and beliefs, everything can go well.
Heffner, C. L. (2017). Chapter 3: Section 3: Erikson's Stages of Psychosocial Development. Retrieved September 22, 2017, from
In Bronfenbrenner’s ecological theory, there are five systems that ultimately influence an individual. The first system is the microsystem, which consists of the people who have direct contact to an individual. In my own life, my immediate family consists of my mother and I. I am an only child to my mother and since my mother and my father have been separated since I was a baby, he has not been part of my microsystem. In addition, I am also a student at CCP. I have a network of friends whom I keep in close contact with. The people that I encounter at home, school, and work have direct contact with me and thus, they are part of my microsystem.