PSYCHOSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT THEORY

(SECOND HALF OF THE LATE 20TH CENTURY)

PROPONENT: Erik Salomonsen, famously known as Erik

Homburger Erikson (1902- 1994)
NATIIONALITY: German- American
FIELD: PSYCHOLOGY
INSTITUTIONAL AFFILIATION:
1933, became the First child psychoanalyst in Boston and held
positions at Massachusetts General Hospital, the Judge Baker
Guidance Center, and at Harvard Medical School and
Psychological Clinic, establishing a singular reputation as a clinician.
1936, Left Harvard and joined the staff at Yale University, worked at the Institute of Social
Relations and taught at the medical school.
1939, Left Yale, and moved to California. Had been invited to join a team engaged in a
longitudinal study of child development for the University of California at Berkeley's Institute of
Child Welfare.
1951 to 1960, worked and taught at the Austen Riggs Center.

BACKGORUND OF THE THEORY

Erikson's stage theory of psychosocial
development generated interest and research on
human development through the lifespan. An ego
psychologist who studied with Anna Freud, Erikson
expanded psychoanalytic theory by exploring
development throughout the life, including events
of childhood, adulthood, and old age.

WHAT IS THE THEORY ALL ABOUT?

Erik Erikson’s Theory of Psychosocial
Development emphasizes the sociocultural
determinants of development and presents them as
Eight stages of psychosocial conflicts that all individuals must overcome or resolve successfully in
order to adjust well to the environment. Whenever we experience such crisis, we are left with no
choice but to face it and think of ways to resolve it and when we fail to overcome such crisis, it
may lead to significant impact on our psychosocial development.
 WHAT FACTOR DOES IT AFFECT TO DEVELOPMENT?
Erik Erikson's theory of Psychosocial development simply states that for an individual to
reach a healthy personality, that individual must complete or resolve a certain crisis he or she
will face at some point of his/her life. That motivation to solve the crisis or task is the factor that
will affect the developmental task of the said individual. Failure to overcome one of the crises
in a stage will cause a ripple effect to an individual, especially on his development as a social
being.

IMPLICATIONS OF THE PSYCHOSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT THEORY IN TEACHING

Teachers who know how to apply psychosocial development in the classroom create a
safe environment where each child feels appreciated and comfortable exploring new knowledge
and relationships rather than letting fear inhibit learning

CLASSROOM PRACTICES SUPPORTED BY PSYCHOSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT THEORY

Pre-school Level
● Create projects that allow children to take charge of their learning process
● Incorporate children's interests and ideas into classroom activities to send the message that
their input matters
Elementary Level
● Include children in setting classroom rules and discuss what it looks and sounds like when
everyone is following those rules.
● Demonstrate frequently that learning from mistakes and moving forward is more
important than perfection.
● Provide choices rather than one static assignment, which allow children to express
Adolescence
● Expose students to many career choices
● Help students identify their own strengths and weaknesses

REFERENCES:
 Editors, TheFamousPeople.com. (2017 October 04). Erik Erikson Biography. Retrieved from
https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/erik-erikson-1361.php
 Editors. Encyclopaedia Britannica. (2018, June 11). Erik Erikson. Retrieved from
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Erik-Erikson
 Kendra C. (2018, May 23). Erik Erikson Biography (1902-1994). Retrieved from
https://www.verywellmind.com/erik-erikson-biography-1902-1994-2795538
 Kendra C. (2019, January 04). Erik Erikson's Stages of Psychosocial Development. Retrieved
from https://www.verywellmind.com/erik-eriksons-stages-of-psychosocial-development-
2795740