Through observations and tests, Piaget the world experienced these four stages
development. His findings revealed that that not all children would reach each
children think on a different level than stage at the same age, and some children
may not even reach all the stages. He won’t always go their way. He called this
believed the order of the stages was stage the “Ego” Furthermore, Freud
universal, no matter what type of believed that children would begin to
environment the child came from. One of develop certain values and morals, which
the most important implications of the he called the “Super-ego. In Freud’s
Cognitive Theory of child development is theory, the Super-ego would team up
the need for children to be active in with the Ego to regulate the selfish
exploring the world around them and impulses of the Id. Freud’s theory also
making discoveries. The idea is to concerned a child’s personality
encourage children to learn by doing. development would be determined by the
way the child’s parents dealt with the
Psychoanalytic Theory
child’s inherent sexual and aggressive
Sigmund Freud is probably the most desires. Check out this course for
well-known psychologist in history, and more information on the
his Psychoanalytic Theory of child psychology of personality. As a result
development was based on the idea that a of the Psychoanalytic Theory of child
child’s behavior is greatly determined by development, any problems in behavior
unconscious desires in the child. Freud in a child are often attributed to
understood the human mind to be unconscious processes or desires within
divided into three controlling concepts. the child. A negative implication of the
He believed that all children are born Psychoanalytic Theory was the tendency
with certain innate selfish desires that to base negative developmental patterns
drive their behavior. He called the part of within a child on the child’s parents,
the mind where these self impules specifically the mother of the child.
orginate the “id.” The “id” also Clearly, if you rely on a model of child
functioned as the first stage of development that believes development
development in Freud’s model. Freud is highly influenced by a child’s nurture
believed that children would begin to or the environment that surrounds them,
learn that not every desire they have will it’s clear that a parent’s actions do have a
be met, and this would teach them to serious influence on the child’s
develop an appreciation for the way development, but placing all of the blame
things are and an acceptance that things
4. Industry vs. Inferiority (6-11
on parent interaction isn’t telling the
years) – A child’s interaction with
whole story. their peers as well as
encouragement from authority
Psychosocial Theory figures helps them to develop self
confidence.
5. Identity vs. Role
The Psychosocial Theory of child
Confusion (12-18 years) –
development is based on the work of Adolescents begin asserting their
independence and begin forming
psychologist Erik Erikson. Erikson’s
personal identity.
work focused on the development of 6. Intimacy vs. Isolation (19-40
personality in children, and he believed years) – People in this stage
develop loving intimate
that a child’s personality development relationships with other people,
occurred in stages. He also held that a and experience this as a deep need.
7. Generativity vs.
child’s personality was greatly impacted Stagnation (40-65 years) –
by the social interactions and experiences Adults in this stage feel the need to
develop something that will outlast
they go through during their lifetime. them. For many, this means
Children develop a sense of identity parenthood.
8. Ego Integrity vs. Despair (65-
based upon the social interactions they
death) – People in this stage need
experience. Each social interaction has to be able to reflect on the life
the potential of impacting or reinforcing they’ve lived and be satisfied on
what they accomplished.
a person’s identity. Below is a brief
summary of the 8 stages of Erikson’s The Psychosocial Theory helps to
theory. understand the unique contribution that