Eriksons Psychosocial Theory :: Psychology Sociology Erikson Essays

Eriksons Psychosocial Theory Erik Erikson is possibly the best known of Sigmund Freuds many followers. Hegrew up in Europe and spent his young grownup life under the direction of Freud. In 1933when Hitler rose to power in Germany, Erikson emigrated to the United States andbegan teaching at Harvard University. His clinical work and studies were based onchildren, college students, victims of beleaguer fatigue during World War two, civilrights workers, and American Indians. It was these studies which led Erikson tobelieve that Freud misjudged some important dimensions of human development. Throughout this essay, Eriksons psychosocial model will be explored,discussed and evaluated interms of its concepts, theories and assumptions. Thetheoretical underpinning will be discussed with reference to the nature versus nurturedebate and also the continuity versus discontinuity argument. It will then be shownhow Erikson has influenced the way psychologists office the importance of identityd uring adolescents. Firstly, however, Eriksons work will be put alongside that ofFreuds to establish an understanding of the basis from which it came. Eriksons psychosocial model was severely influenced by Freud, and shares anumber of central ideas. For example, both Freud and Erikson agree that everyindividual is born with a number of basic instincts, that development occurs throughstages, and that the found of these stages is influenced by biological maturation(Sigelman, and Shaffer 1992). Erikson also believes, as did Freud, that personality hasthree components the id, the ego, and the superego. Therefore it is fair to say thatErikson is a psychoanalytic theorist. However, Erikson does argue that social and heathen influences have a criticalrole in shaping human development, and less significance should be placed on the roleof sexual urges. Freud did advert however, that social agents such as parents should beregarded as important, but it is Erikson who highlights the forces within a muchbroader social environment, including peers, teachers and schools which are highlyimportant according to Erikson. Erikson, then, moves more towards the nurture sideof the nature - nurture debate than did Freud, viewing nurture as equally important indevelopment. This nurture outlook highlights the emphasis on environmental forceswithin Eriksons model. Experiences in life, changes achieved through learning, theinfluence of methods of child rearing, societal changes and culture all have anexceptionally important role on human development according to Erickson. In addition, Eriksons theory encompasses the whole of the human life-span,outlining the stages that occur, which will be looked at more closely later on.