| Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt is the second stage in Erikson’s theory. |
This stage takes place during the ages of 2 and 3.
| Children may be confident or reluctant to try new things. |
In this stage, a toddler needs to develop a sense of being able to do things on his or her own, like washing their hands! |
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The child begins walking, climbing, touching, exploring, and is beginning to master basic communication [Alkhatib et al., 2007, p. 587].
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| With the above being said, falls and injuries from falls are the most common type of injuries [Ginsburg, 1992, p. 97].
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Erikson states that the child usually begins to encounter rules of what they can and cannot do [Sharkey, 1997].Mateo is told he can't have any cupcakes, but that doesn't stop him from sassing his mother and attempting to get what he wants! |
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Toddlers learn to have self-will or will power.
| This is why Erikson thought it was very important to start potty training at this age! Many parents also start to include their kids in organized team sports and dance. |
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According to Erikson, individuals in this stage are “inspired by acts of defiance" [Ginsburg, 1992, p. 97].
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This may be why it is called the terrible twos or threes! This little boy did not want to stop what he was doing to change his diaper. He wanted to make his own choices!
Shame could occur from even an overprotective parent or if a sufficient amount of trust was not earned in the first stage [Sharkey, 1997]. |
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| If toddlers are highly criticized or are hindered from doing many things, shame will occur [Studer, 2006].
Watch from 0:35 to 0:56. Mae Mobley's mother from The Help shows how a toddler can produce shame and doubt within themselves. Mae believed she was doing nothing wrong, however the way her mother reacted was not helpful in Mae's development. |
Children who are criticized harshly or not allowed to practice their new skills may face regression. Poor language skills and potty training problems are very common among this group [Alkhatib et al., 2007, p. 587].
A secure environment where individual learning skills are praised often increases confidence and autonomy [Studer, 2006].
It is important to not make rules too strict so it allows their little minds to wander.
Development is an ongoing process that last from birth to death. Humans undergo various types of development at different stages of their lives. Here, we outline the development of attachment styles in infancy, the cognitive development from infancy through adolescence, and a stage theory
of development that spans infancy to old age.
Development of [Healthy] Attachment
- Pre-attachment [0-2 Months]: indiscriminate social responsiveness
- Attachment in the making [1-6 months and over]: recognition of familiar people
- Clear-cut attachment [6-30 months and over]: separation protest, fear of strangers
- Goal-corrected partnership [24-48 months and over]: mutual relationships [children understand parents’ needs and goals]
Although attachment is usually studied in the context of the mother-infant relationship, attachment between father and child is also necessary for the mental well-being of a child. This clip from Finding Nemo [2003] demonstrates how the mutual nature of attachment can leave the parent with some separation anxiety, especially in early childhood. Obviously, these characters are fish, not people, but they are written to have human-like traits and relationships.
Piaget's Stages of Intellectual Growth
- Sensorimotor [birth - 2 years]: differentiates self from other objects; achieves object permanence [understanding that objects continue to exist when they are no longer present to the senses]
- Pre-operational [2 - 7 years]: learns to use language and represent objects with images and words; classifies objects by single feature
- Concrete Operations [7 - 12 years]: can think logically about concrete objects; achieves conservation of mass, number, and weight
- Abstract Operations [12 years and up]: can think logically about abstract propositions; becomes concerned with the possible and the real
In the sensorimotor stage, playing with toys develops babies' motor skills. However, children continue to play with toys after motor skills have been developed. In this clip from Toy Story [1996], Andy uses his imagination as he plays with his favorite toy, Woody. Although toys don't talk in real life, playing with them can help children develop socially and cognitively.
Erikson's Eight
Stages of Man
Psychosocial "Crisis" [age]: Developmental Task
- Trust vs Mistrust [infancy; birth - 2]: Attachment & bonding
- Autonomy vs Shame & Doubt [early childhood; 2 - 4 years]: Free will and self control
- Initiative vs Guilt [early school; 4 - 6 years]: Explore, imagine, feel remorse
- Industry vs Inferiority [school age; 6 - 12]: Meeting standards
- Identity vs Role Confusion [adolescence; 12 - early 20s]: Integrated sense of self
- Intimacy vs Isolation [young adulthood; early 20s - 40s]: Giving and receiving love, maintaining a relationship
- Generativity vs Stagnation [maturity; 40s - 60s]: Having and nurturing the next generation
- Integrity vs Despair [old age; 60s and beyond]: Acceptance of life as it was lived, the people and relationships that were nurtured
The 40 Year Old Virgin [2005] centers around Andy, a middle-aged man still trying to achieve developmental tasks that would fall under the "Intimacy vs Isolation stage." It demonstrates how development is never as linear and clear-cut as stage theories would suggest.