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Erikson's stages of development
Strengths and limitations of Piaget's theory
Strengths and limitations of Piaget's theory
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Tale of Two Theories: Erikson and Piaget This paper will take a look at two developmental theories looking for similarities and differences. It will also look at how each theory does or does not incorporate explanations or allowances for populations that have been oppressed. The paper will also look at each stage of both theories looking for similarities and major differences and also their strengths and limitations. The organization of this paper will first look at the major assumptions of Erikson’s theory followed by the major assumptions of Piaget’s. This pattern will continue throughout each section; Strengths and Limitations, Social Oppression / Social Privilege, Theory in Social Work Practice. Major Assumptions Erikson Erikson …show more content…
guilt (3-5 yrs.), adults are seen as examples in regards to how a child should engage in society (Stevens, 1983, p. 47). As children learn that they can do things like adults it is essential that parents reassure their children through positive "support"; if the child does not receive positive support in activities of choice, guilt may form as a result (Table 9.1. Comparison of Freudian and Eriksonian Stages of Development, 2014, p. 1). Children in this stage also begin to ask for what they want, this helps children in their ability to make decisions later on in life. If the child learns to take initiative, a sense of purpose will form in the child (Erikson, 1964, p. …show more content…
Piaget’s theory is consistent and has contributed to how we think about education. The theory supports the child’s need to explore and to practice trial and error in the process of learning (Mooney, 2000, p. 62). Piaget’s theory is weakened by his lack of rigorous scientific research methods and the lack of diversity by using his own children as test subjects. Piaget’s instructions for his tests were complicated and limited the possible outcomes (Lourenco & Machado, 1996, p. 146). Social Oppression / Social Privilege Erikson Erikson's theory does not take into account any difference between those suffering with social oppression and those with privilege. For instance, it does not discuss how ethnicity, sex and social class affects each stage’s possible success or failure; since his theory does not discuss how the factors of social oppression and social privilege affect each stage of development. This theory was based mainly on male development, which is why it fails to include social oppressions/privileges (Fleming, 2004, p. 9-22). Piaget Piaget also lacks any mention of how ethnicity, sex and social class affects each stage’s possible success or failure; since his theory does not discuss how the factors of social oppression and social privilege affect each stage of development. Piaget used his own children as test subjects who had been raised with white
Besides race, the scholar also reveals how childhoods are unequal based on social class. Drawing from the American society, there are several social classes. For each class, there are unique pathways of lives followed and these usually influence both the educational and work outcomes. To ...
Erikson’s theory, developed in 1963, supports the idea that early life experiences impact an individual across their lifespan. This theory considers that the growth of an individual is a result of interaction with the environment, biological maturation and societal influences, therefore, allowing for experiences from early life, to influence an individual throughout their lifespan (White, Hayes, and Livesey, 2009). Erikson’s theory focuses on eight different developmental stages within a lifespan and in order to progress from one stage to another, an individual must overcome a potential crisis of two opposing forces at each stage. There are two types of resolution of each stage, successful and unsuccessful. If an individual is
Autonomy vs. shame and doubt is Erikson's second stage of development occurs between the first and third years in life. During this stage children learn to be independent by mastering tasks such as feeding a dressing themselves. If children do not develop autonomy during this stage they will doubt their ability and develop a sense of shame. I lived in one foster home from the time I was one and a half to the time my parents adopted me at age three. I believe that I developed during this stage just as well if not better than children who are biological or who are adopte...
The third stage is the Concrete Operational stage (7-11 years); this is when children are starting to solve problems mentally and develop concepts and are beginning to get better at understanding and following rules. Piaget’s fourth and final stage is the Formal Operational Stage (11 years and over); this stage is where the child is able to think not only as in the terms of the concrete, but also think in the abstract and is now able to think hypothetically. Piaget’s theory is one where children learn in a different manner to that of adults as they do not have the life experiences and interactions that adults have and use to interpret information. Children learn about their world by watching, listening and doing. Piaget’s constructivist theory has had a major impact on current theories and practices of education. Piaget has helped to create a view where the focus is on the idea of developmentally appropriate education. This denotes to an education with environments, materials and curriculum that are coherent with a student’s cognitive and physical abilities along with their social and emotional
In regards to child development, Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky are both highly regarded and well known for their theories. Some educators view themselves as Piagetian while others view themselves as Vygotskians. They see Piaget and Vygotsky as being vastly different. Then there are others who see similarities between the two and hold both Piaget and Vygotsky as correct in their theories. The purpose of this paper is to examine the similarities and differences between Piaget and Vygotsky and determine what can be gained by better understanding these theories.
Erikson's third stage of development is initiative verses guilt. In this stage the child must begin to find and show responsible behavior (Santrock, 2010). Instead of imitating other people's actions, they begin to initiate their own behavior. If criticized too much, they may feel guilty about everything they do, because constant scolding may cause them to feel that everything they do will be or could be wrong. This makes them too afraid to take the first step without being given specific directions. However, if too much initiative is acquired the person will not only take initiative, but they will go on with their plans and won't care who they step on as long as they reach their goals (Maianu, 2011). If the right balance between initiative and guilt is found, the individual will find the virtue of purpose. They will be able to feel useful and take the first step towards achieving their goal, without just mimicking others. Parent's can play a huge role in helping their child find balance at this stage. They can help the child find purpose by giving the child a limited a...
When your child was a baby and used to cry excessively, do you believe that you knew why your child was crying for at the moment? Yes, I always knew what she was crying for.
During the state that Freud considers the oral stage, Erikson says that babies learn to trust or mistrust someone to care for their needs. Erikson next stage which is paralell to Freud’s anal stage called the autonomy vesus shame and doubt. During this particular time, children either learn to become self sufficent or lack confidence in their own abilities. Next stage is the initiative versus guilt stage. In my opinion, this stage determines the maturity and influence of a person’s parents. With Freuds and Erikson ideas both in mind, the industy vs inferiority stage is similar to the latency. During adolescenes, according to Erikson adolescents try to figure out who they are sexually, politicall and vocationally. The next stages of itimacy versus isolation is a build on from the previous stage. During this time, a person has pretty much accepted who they are and accepted or isolated from others. The next two stages reaches beyond the depth of Freud’s ideas. According to Erikson, generativity versus stagnation develops which occurs during the middle age of adulthood. While in this stage, a person with find a way to be productive or contribute to others or become complacent and stagnate with their lives. The final state in Erikson idea is the integrity versus depair stage. It is in the time that a person
Piaget also believed that children would only learn when they are ready. Children's use of language represents their stage in cognitive development, but he didn’t see language as a ‘central’ to children's development, as cognitive development begins at birth and is required for language development. He also states that children are egocentric – they can’t understand another person’s point of view. Criticisms of Piaget’s work = =
Erik Erikson was a researcher of the Psychodynamic perspective who lived through the years 1902 to 1994. He developed a theory that dealt with the stages of human development and was referred to as a Neo-Freudian. A Neo-Freudian are those “who have revised Sigmund Freud’s theory” (Massey, 1986). His theory argued that “both society and culture challenge and shape us” (Feldman, 2011). Erik Erikson’s theory of psychological development does not specify specific ages, so the age categories can only be guessed upon. It is my personal thought that this was a smart move due to different age milestones for different cultures. The essay titled Erik Erikson: Ages, stages, and stories argues that the stages “are organized into a system of polarities that tempt us to think about psychological dynamics in a form that is more binary than Erikson intended.” Each stage has a ‘resolution’ or goal. Each stage presents a “crisis or conflict that the individual must resolve” (Feldman, 2011, p.16)
Out of the eight stages, the first four play a key role in developing ego identity (Gordon & Browne, 2014). Stage one is trust versus mistrust which occurs between birth and a year (Gordon & Browne, 2014). Erikson describes two levels of trust; the first is that significant adults will be present to meet their needs and the second is that they will believe in their ability to make changes and cope (Gordon & Browne, 2014). The characteristic for stage one is hope (Gordon & Browne, 2014). Stage two is autonomy versus doubt which occurs between 2 years of age to 3 (Gordon & Browne, 2014). In this stage the child learns to manage and control impulses and use motor and mental skills (Gordon & Browne, 2014). Willpower is the characteristic that best goes with stage two (Gordon & Browne, 2014). Stage three is initiative versus guilt which occurs between ages 3 to 5 or 6 years (Gordon & Browne, 2014). During this stage the child develops a sense of purpose and adult interaction is necessary for a positive outcome during this stage of life (Gordon & Browne, 2014). Purpose is best used to describe this stage in Erikson’s theory of development (Gordon & Browne,
Piaget uses an autonomous approach to development within the world. Piaget states, “…the development of operational behavior is an autonomous process rather than a secondary consequence…When we speak of the autonomy of this development we wish to understand in the very precise sense that the development can be explained without necessary reference to various factors which undoubtedly do play a part in its concrete realization, e.g. maturation, learning and social education, including language. For the key to its explanation lies in the concept of equilibration in that it is a wider notion than any of these and comprehends them all” (as cited in Laurenco, 2012, p.
“The influence of Piaget’s ideas in developmental psychology has been enormous. He changed how people viewed the child’s world and their methods of studying children. He was an inspiration to many who came after and took up his ideas. Piaget's ideas have generated a huge amount of research which has increased our understanding of cognitive development.” (McLeod 2009). Piaget purposed that we move through stages of cognitive development. He noticed that children showed different characteristics throughout their childhood development. The four stages of development are The Sensorimotor stage, The Preoperational Stage, The Concrete operational stage and The Formal operational stage.
The main concept of Jean Piaget’s theory is that he believes in children being a scientist by experimenting things and making observations with their senses. This approach emphasizes on how children’s ability can make sense of their immediate everyday surroundings. Piaget also proposed that children perceived to four stages based on maturation and experiences. Piaget’s theory was guided by assumptions of how a learner interacts with their own environment and how they integrate new knowledge and information into existing knowledge. Briefly, he proposed that children are active learners who construct knowledge from their own environment. They learn through assimilation and accommodation in complex cognitive development. Furthermore, interaction with physical and social environments is the key and development occurs in stages. An example of Jean Piaget theory carried out in the classroom is that giving children a great deal of hands-on practice, by using concrete props and visual aids. Taking into consideration and being sensitive to the possibility that
Theorists have expanded our knowledge of psychology, influenced one another to broaden, and built upon each other’s theories to develop their own. One theorist who has built upon previous theorists was Erik Erikson. Erikson developed an eight-stage theory of identity and psychosocial development, which has countless strengths and weaknesses.