My Developmental Psych Notes - Basic Core Concepts shared with many Clients

Developmental Psych. Notes.

Each stage in social/emotional development, both internal and external factors exert pressure on the individual towards relinquishment of former roles and modes of functioning. They need to be a loosening of the present personality integration to go forward to the next stage. The element of stress and anxiety is inherent in each transition since reorginization of the personality involves a disequilibrium in which the former security measures and coping capacities are no longer adequate. This is always a threat to the present self-esteem as the person fears the uncertainty of  their mastery in the next developmental stage.

Their former security must be given up for the unknown future, which is of course uncertain, as the individual has never been there before. Threat of failure and the increase in responsibility may engender anxiety, which triggers defence manoeuvres in order to protect the individual. Change may be resisted vigorously or regression may occur in an effort to avoid disorientation. Developmentally, the longer a system is organized along certain patterns the harder it is the person themselves to reorganize the system. There are sensitive periods that are viewed as the optimal readiness to the environment upon which to learn, organize and integrate the new behavioural system.  Growth moves from the symbiotic, undifferentiated emotional state of the newborn to the highly integrated personality state of the adult.

The pursuit of mastery (control) is the driving force at each stage. All that we learn at particular stages of development are the  particular means and mechanisms for retaining and regaining mastery. –Taken from E. Erickson, childhood and Society.

The 8 Stages of the Human Life Cycle.

Trust vs. Mistrust                    birth to 1 yr.

Autonomy vs. doubt                1-3 yrs.

Initiative vs. guilt/shame          3-6 yrs

Industry vs. Inferiority              6-13

Identity vs. Identity Confusion  13-18

Intimacy vs. Isolation               young adulthood

Intimacy vs. Self-absorption    adulthood

Integrity vs. Disgust                  Late Adulthood

Regression must occur to reconquer the negative counterpart of the core problem in each developmental stage. Example, to regain trusts, the individual must return to, regress to the first stage to regain trust.

Preverbal experiences are referred to as primary learning in the development of intelligence. The level of ultimate functioning is a result of the continuous interaction between the person and their environment.