Psychosocial Development

Erikson's Stages - Trust vs. Turmoil

• Stage 1: Infancy (Birth to ~18 months)
• Psychosocial Crisis: Trust vs. Mistrust (failure to develop trust can lead to turmoil)
• Central Question: "Can I trust the people around me?"
• Significant Relationship: Primary caregiver (e.g., mother)
• Basic Virtue: Hope
• Positive Outcome (Trust):
  • Develops sense of security, confidence.
  • Needs met consistently (feeding, comfort).
  • Views world as dependable.
• Negative Outcome (Mistrust/Turmoil):
  • Leads to anxiety, fear, suspicion.
  • From inconsistent or neglectful care.
  • Impacts future relationship formation.

⭐ Consistent and responsive caregiving is the cornerstone for developing a fundamental sense of trust.

Freud's Stages - Libido's Journey

📌 Mnemonic: Old Age Pensioners Love Grapes. Libido (psychosexual energy) focuses on different erogenous zones across stages:

• Fixation Effects (unresolved conflicts):
  • Oral: Smoking, overeating, dependency, gullibility.
  • Anal: Orderliness/stinginess (retentive) or messiness/destructiveness (expulsive).
  • Phallic: Vanity, recklessness, sexual identity issues, neurosis.

⭐ Successful resolution of the Oedipus complex (Phallic stage), involving identification with the same-sex parent, is crucial for superego development and healthy gender identity.

Attachment & Temperament - Bonds & Moods

• Attachment: Enduring infant-caregiver emotional bond. (Bowlby, Ainsworth)
  • Types (Strange Situation Procedure):
    • Secure (Type B): Uses caregiver as secure base; distress on separation, soothed on return.
    • Insecure-Avoidant (Type A): Little distress; avoids caregiver on return.
    • Insecure-Resistant/Ambivalent (Type C): Intense distress; ambivalent/resists soothing on return.
    • Disorganized (Type D): Contradictory, dazed, fearful behavior. (Main & Solomon)
  • Influenced by: Maternal sensitivity, infant temperament.
• Temperament: Innate style of reactivity & self-regulation. (Thomas & Chess)
  • Types:
    • Easy (≈40%): Positive mood, regular routines, adaptable.
    • Difficult (≈10%): Negative mood, intense reactions, irregular routines, slow adapting.
    • Slow-to-warm-up (≈15%): Mildly negative, slow adaptation, low intensity.
  • Goodness-of-fit: Match between child's temperament & environment.

⭐ Secure attachment in infancy is linked to better peer relations, emotional regulation, and coping skills in later childhood.

📌 Temperament: "Easy Does It, Difficult Fights, Slow Warms." (EDS) for Easy, Difficult, Slow-to-warm-up types.

Play & Social Milestones - Growing Socially

• Social Smile: 6-8 wks; Stranger Anxiety: 6-9 mo.
• Peek-a-boo: 9 mo; Waves "bye-bye".
• Play evolves (📌 SPAC): Solitary → Parallel (~2 yrs) → Associative (~3 yrs) → Cooperative (~4-5 yrs).
• 3 yrs: Knows name, age, gender. Shares toys.
• 5 yrs: Follows rules in games. Dresses independently.

⭐ Parallel play (playing alongside, not interacting) is typical at 2 years.

• Erikson's stages are central to psychosocial development.
• Trust vs. Mistrust (Infant, 0-1.5 yr): Virtue is Hope; crucial for secure attachment.
• Autonomy vs. Shame/Doubt (Toddler, 1.5-3 yr): Virtue is Will; mastering toilet training.
• Initiative vs. Guilt (Preschooler, 3-5 yr): Virtue is Purpose; driven by play and exploration.
• Industry vs. Inferiority (School-age, 5-12 yr): Virtue is Competence; focus on academic and social skills.
• Identity vs. Role Confusion (Adolescent, 12-18 yr): Virtue is Fidelity; forming personal identity.