Erick Erickson

Erick Erickson was a renowned philosopher/psychologist who sought to understand how human beings facilitate their existence through the development of societal processes in the context of various stages of life. It is estimated that there are a number of challenging principles that Erickson demonstrates as significant to the development of human existence as it is now known. It is important to recognize that Erickson’s theory encompasses a number of key principles, including but not limited to various aspects of sensory cognition and development. These principles are also directly related to a discussion of Erickson’s autobiography, as it offers a sense of understanding that there are considerable challenges in all areas of human existence, and that these issues are critical to the development of modern humanity as a whole.

The following eight principles are key components of Erickson’s theory of Psychosocial Development: 1) Oral-sensory, which encompasses the feeding process in infants; 2) Muscular-anal, which is comprised of the potty training process; 3) Locomotor, which facilitates the process of independence; 4) Latency, which encompasses entry into a school setting; 5) Adolescence, which enables young adults to establish various forms of peer relations; 6) Young adulthood, which allows individuals to form loving relationships with others; 7) Middle adulthood, which encompasses the parenting process; and 8) Maturity, which is the last stage of life and allows individuals to reflect upon their past circumstances and situations (Erickson Home Page). It is evident that these eight stages of life are comprised of a wide variety of circumstances, regardless of the culture in which an individual is most comfortable with, and they are experienced by all persons at different rates (Erickson Home Page). In the context of these various stages of development, there are individuals that might not live to experience all stages due to an early death; therefore, since this is an element of the unknown, these individuals must live life to the fullest when the time is available to them.

In relation to Erick Ericson’s own autobiography, his theory of Psychosocial Development can be applied to his own life circumstances. For example, within his lifetime, Erick Erickson experienced a number of problems and issues that created his own form of identity crisis (Erickson Home Page). Specifically, Erickson was born into the Jewish faith, yet his features were similar to that of the Nordic culture, and as a result, he was often confused with traditions that he was unfamiliar with, thereby leading to his inability to uniquely identify with one given culture (Erickson Home Page). Since Erickson’s own father was not around at the time of his birth and beyond, he did not possess the same background as many of his counterparts, and therefore, he could not necessarily relate to the same situations and circumstances as other children (Erickson Home Page). Therefore, in the context of his own theory of Psychosocial Development, Erickson endured the earliest stages of his life without a father figure in the home to depend upon and to learn from, and therefore, he lacked an element of the overall paternal experience to some degree (Erickson Home Page). It is evident that Erickson’s own lifestyle and personal hardships served as a basis for his own sense of theoretical development, and he sought to describe various aspects of this development in the context of human existence as a whole (Erickson Home Page).

Erickson’s own beliefs regarding the eight stages of Psychosocial Development are largely based upon the reality that there are needs that all individuals require, many of which are not readily available for utilization and consumption without experiencing these life stages and the challenges that they bring. Although Erickson’s own circumstances were somewhat difficult to endure, he was able to capitalize on his knowledge and experiences in order to develop this theory of how human beings develop a sense of social reality coupled with an emotional element of understanding.

Erick Erickson was a renowned psychologist because he sought to develop a means of identifying the specific circumstances that human beings endure throughout their lifetimes. Because of his own rejection at a young age by local Jewish individuals, Erickson faced many hardships during the earliest stages of development, and during Stages five and six, he chose to travel and to experience the world rather than to attend college, perhaps as a means of understanding his own identity in an improved fashion (Psychology.about.com). As his life progressed through stages six and seven, Erickson sought new experiences, and his employment at various American-based institutions enabled him to further advance his own theory of development to an even greater level (Psychology.about.com). He was particularly interested in child development, as he sought to understand how individuals possess various challenges throughout the earliest stages of childhood and adolescence, and the subsequent reasons behind these challenges (Psychology.about.com). It is important to note that Erickson was a pioneer in this specific area of development, and he placed much of the concern on the social circumstances of individuals in a variety of capacities, regardless of the stage that they faced (Psychology.about.com). Furthermore, Erickson’s own fears and trepidations regarding life and its various stages may be attributed to his own lack of social understanding at a very young age, as well as his confusion regarding belonging to a specific culture or group (Psychology.about.com). In many ways, Erickson served as a primary example of an individual that sought to create an identity for himself through these various stages of human existence, and there was a considerable emphasis on various aspects of human development and understanding in a given context.

In conclusion, Erick Erickson’s theory of Psychosocial Development is of considerable importance in modern learning, as it provides experts with knowledge and understanding regarding why individuals undergo various stages of development, all of which create opportunities for human beings to experience any number of situations and circumstances that are both challenging and rewarding. Erickson’s own life mirrors his theory, as he faced a difficult identity crisis early in life, which led him down the path of psychosocial development.

References

Erickson Home Page. “Erickson’s Eight Stages of Psychosocial Development.” 11 December 2004: http://web.cortland.edu/andersmd/ERIK/sum.HTML
Psychology.about.com. “Famous Psychologist: Erick Erickson.” 11 December 2004: http://psychology.about.com/blsub_isterik.htm

You Can Reach Us By Phone at 1-888-774-9994

Order Your Custom Film Report Online Right NOW!