, Human Growth and Development Across the Lifespan
Pre-assessment Strategies
Competency 154.1.1: Perspectives and Theories
Theories of Development
Study questions:
What are the key assumptions of the following theoretical perspectives?
A theory is an interrelated, coherent set of observations and ideas that help explain phenomenon.
Psychoanalytic and psychosocial theories- The psychoanalytic theories focus primarily
on the role of unconscious forces in understanding human development. Psychoanalytic
theorists also stress that early experience, particularly experiences with parents, shape
development.
o Freud (Psychosexual)
o Erikson (PsychoSocial)
Emphasis on Psychosocial
Lifespan- 8 stages; from infancy to late adulthood
Stages, discontinuity
Crisis- turning point
Trust v. Mistrust
o First year
o Warm, consistent care
Autonomy v. Shame, Doubt
o Second year
o Independence: During this time, infants or toddlers are developing independence and
control in regard to their own body and impulses.
o Overprotected or overly critical- feelings of shame and doubt. Excessive
overprotection or overly critical parenting can lead to the experience of shame or
doubt in their own abilities.
Patience is key for caregivers during this stage, as children exercise their own
will.
Initiative v. Guilt
o 3-5 year old: engage in active, purposeful, and responsible behavior.
o Making things happen: They discover they are persons in their own right, and they
use their new skills and perceptual, motor, cognitive, and language abilities to make
things happen.
o Wider social world: They really enjoy interacting with their wider social world.
Feelings of guilt may arise though if the child is irresponsible or is made to
feel too anxious.
Human Growth and Development Across the Lifespan 1
Pre-assessment Strategies
, Industry v. Inferiority
o 6-12 years old
o Mastering knowledge, skills, and abilities: This stage coincides with the beginning of
formal education in many cultures.
The negative outcome that’s possible here is that the child may develop a
sense of inferiority if they feel incompetent or unproductive.
o Role of parents, peers, and school: So sensitive caregiving and sensitive responses
from educators is important for positive development during this time.
Identity v. Role Confusion
o Adolescence: During the adolescent years, teenagers are figuring out who they are,
what they are, and where they’re going,
o What is Identity? (Self-portrait) It is composed of many pieces.
Values, beliefs, goals, ideals.
Intimacy v. Isolation
o Early adulthood (20s and 30s)
o Experience the crisis or turning point of intimacy v. Isolation, is forming an intimate
adult partnership.
If young adults form healthy friendships and an intimate relationship with
another, intimacy will be achieved.
Erickson describes intimacy as finding oneself while losing oneself in another
person and it requires a commitment to that other person.
o Earlier to develop an intimate relationship in early adulthood may result in isolation.
Now take a moment to think about how the prior stages, and how the prior
stages were resolved, may impact development at this stage.
Intimate relationships are dependent on a good sense of who you are, or
identity, and a willingness to trust others.
Generativity v. Stagnation
o Middle adulthood (40s, 50s)
By generativity, Erickson means primarily a concern for helping the younger
generation to develop and lead useful lives. Or another way of saying that is a
sense of leaving a legacy.
Generativity can be expressed in many different ways, by parenting and
guiding your own children, or through work that feels impactful to you. Other
adults may experience generativity by service to their community or through
creative or artistic endeavors.
The feeling of having done nothing to help the next generation is stagnation.
o Legacy- what do you leave behind?
Leaving something behind for the next generation.
Human Growth and Development Across the Lifespan 2
Pre-assessment Strategies
, Integrity v. Despair
o Late adulthood (60s and older)
o Reflect: during this stage, a person reflects on the past. If the person’s life review
reveals a life well spent, integrity will be achieved. If not, regrets can lead to feelings
of despair.
o How does Erikson’s theory differ from that of Freud?
2 key ways
First, for Freud, the primary motivation for human behavior was sexual in
nature, but for Erickson, it is social and reflects a desire to affiliate with
other people. For this reason, Erickson’s theory is referred to as the theory
of psychosocial stages.
Second, is according to Freud, our basic personality is shaped during the
first five years of life, but for Erickson, developmental change occurs
throughout the lifespan.
Erickson proposed eight stages of development, each characterized by a
unique developmental task with a crisis that must be resolved, and by
crisis I don’t mean a catastrophe. I mean a turning point that is marked by
increase vulnerability but also enhanced potential.
The more successfully an individual resolves this crisis or turning point,
the healthier that development will be.
Cognitive theories
o Piaget (Cognitive development)- explores how people actively construct their
understanding of their world.
Actively constructs understanding
Stages (4)
Qualitatively different
Discontinuity
Changes in how a child thinks (not how much a child knows)
Sensorimotor
o Birth to 2 years
o Coordinating sensory experiences with motor actions
o Object permanence
By end of sensorimotor period infants understand that objects are separate
from self and permanent.
Pre-operational
o Ages 2 to 7 years
Human Growth and Development Across the Lifespan 3
Pre-assessment Strategies
Pre-assessment Strategies
Competency 154.1.1: Perspectives and Theories
Theories of Development
Study questions:
What are the key assumptions of the following theoretical perspectives?
A theory is an interrelated, coherent set of observations and ideas that help explain phenomenon.
Psychoanalytic and psychosocial theories- The psychoanalytic theories focus primarily
on the role of unconscious forces in understanding human development. Psychoanalytic
theorists also stress that early experience, particularly experiences with parents, shape
development.
o Freud (Psychosexual)
o Erikson (PsychoSocial)
Emphasis on Psychosocial
Lifespan- 8 stages; from infancy to late adulthood
Stages, discontinuity
Crisis- turning point
Trust v. Mistrust
o First year
o Warm, consistent care
Autonomy v. Shame, Doubt
o Second year
o Independence: During this time, infants or toddlers are developing independence and
control in regard to their own body and impulses.
o Overprotected or overly critical- feelings of shame and doubt. Excessive
overprotection or overly critical parenting can lead to the experience of shame or
doubt in their own abilities.
Patience is key for caregivers during this stage, as children exercise their own
will.
Initiative v. Guilt
o 3-5 year old: engage in active, purposeful, and responsible behavior.
o Making things happen: They discover they are persons in their own right, and they
use their new skills and perceptual, motor, cognitive, and language abilities to make
things happen.
o Wider social world: They really enjoy interacting with their wider social world.
Feelings of guilt may arise though if the child is irresponsible or is made to
feel too anxious.
Human Growth and Development Across the Lifespan 1
Pre-assessment Strategies
, Industry v. Inferiority
o 6-12 years old
o Mastering knowledge, skills, and abilities: This stage coincides with the beginning of
formal education in many cultures.
The negative outcome that’s possible here is that the child may develop a
sense of inferiority if they feel incompetent or unproductive.
o Role of parents, peers, and school: So sensitive caregiving and sensitive responses
from educators is important for positive development during this time.
Identity v. Role Confusion
o Adolescence: During the adolescent years, teenagers are figuring out who they are,
what they are, and where they’re going,
o What is Identity? (Self-portrait) It is composed of many pieces.
Values, beliefs, goals, ideals.
Intimacy v. Isolation
o Early adulthood (20s and 30s)
o Experience the crisis or turning point of intimacy v. Isolation, is forming an intimate
adult partnership.
If young adults form healthy friendships and an intimate relationship with
another, intimacy will be achieved.
Erickson describes intimacy as finding oneself while losing oneself in another
person and it requires a commitment to that other person.
o Earlier to develop an intimate relationship in early adulthood may result in isolation.
Now take a moment to think about how the prior stages, and how the prior
stages were resolved, may impact development at this stage.
Intimate relationships are dependent on a good sense of who you are, or
identity, and a willingness to trust others.
Generativity v. Stagnation
o Middle adulthood (40s, 50s)
By generativity, Erickson means primarily a concern for helping the younger
generation to develop and lead useful lives. Or another way of saying that is a
sense of leaving a legacy.
Generativity can be expressed in many different ways, by parenting and
guiding your own children, or through work that feels impactful to you. Other
adults may experience generativity by service to their community or through
creative or artistic endeavors.
The feeling of having done nothing to help the next generation is stagnation.
o Legacy- what do you leave behind?
Leaving something behind for the next generation.
Human Growth and Development Across the Lifespan 2
Pre-assessment Strategies
, Integrity v. Despair
o Late adulthood (60s and older)
o Reflect: during this stage, a person reflects on the past. If the person’s life review
reveals a life well spent, integrity will be achieved. If not, regrets can lead to feelings
of despair.
o How does Erikson’s theory differ from that of Freud?
2 key ways
First, for Freud, the primary motivation for human behavior was sexual in
nature, but for Erickson, it is social and reflects a desire to affiliate with
other people. For this reason, Erickson’s theory is referred to as the theory
of psychosocial stages.
Second, is according to Freud, our basic personality is shaped during the
first five years of life, but for Erickson, developmental change occurs
throughout the lifespan.
Erickson proposed eight stages of development, each characterized by a
unique developmental task with a crisis that must be resolved, and by
crisis I don’t mean a catastrophe. I mean a turning point that is marked by
increase vulnerability but also enhanced potential.
The more successfully an individual resolves this crisis or turning point,
the healthier that development will be.
Cognitive theories
o Piaget (Cognitive development)- explores how people actively construct their
understanding of their world.
Actively constructs understanding
Stages (4)
Qualitatively different
Discontinuity
Changes in how a child thinks (not how much a child knows)
Sensorimotor
o Birth to 2 years
o Coordinating sensory experiences with motor actions
o Object permanence
By end of sensorimotor period infants understand that objects are separate
from self and permanent.
Pre-operational
o Ages 2 to 7 years
Human Growth and Development Across the Lifespan 3
Pre-assessment Strategies
