Introduction to Psychological Theories, Erik Erikson, Expert’s
Knowledge Organization & the Stages of Psychosocial
Development
Psychological Theories
In the wordle below are several words that come to mind when people think of the word
“Psychology”…
Found at http://wise.fau.edu/~lanning/classes/personality/default.html
According to http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/analyzing-theories-of-psychology.html
“Psychology — the scientific study of human behavior and mental processes — attempts to
uncover why and how we do what we do. Different theories of psychology govern how
different psychologists approach research into human behavior.” It is important for us to be
aware of the different psychological theories that exist because the way humans learn can
affect the way we teach. There are 7 basic psychological theories which all other theories are
based on. For your viewing pleasure, I have summarized them below using:
http://psychology.about.com/od/psychology101/u/psychology-theories.htm
Theory
Behavioral
Cognitive
Explanation
Theory based on the idea that behavior is based on
things we learn in our environment
Theory based on internal processes such as
motivation, problem solving, decision-making, thinking
and attention
Developmental
Theory based on human growth, development and
learning
Humanist
Theory emphasizing the positive factors of human
beings
Personality
Theory looking at the patterns of thoughts, feelings
and behavior that are unique to each person
Social
Psychological
Theory that aids in understanding social behavior and
the factors behind it including social occurrences like
group behavior, prosocial behavior, social influences
and love
Learning
Theory that explains how people of all ages learn new
knowledge and is based on many areas including
psychology, education and instructional design
Famous Theorists &
Theories
John B. Watson
B.F. Skinner
Classical & Operant Conditioning
Jean Piaget - Theories of
Intelligence
Left Brain vs. Right Brain
Dominance
Sigmund Freud – Theory of
Psychosexual Development
Erik Erikson – Psychosocial
Development
Jean Piaget – Cognitive
Development
Lawrence Kohlberg – Theory of
Moral Development
Parenting Styles
Abraham Maslow – Hierarchy of
Needs
Self-Actualization
Psychoanalytic Theory of
Personality
Sigmund Freud – Theory of
Psychosexual Development
Erik Erikson – Psychosocial
Development
Henry Murrary – Psychogenic
Needs
Defense Mechanisms
Bystander Effect
Conformity
Obedience
Leadership Theories
Theories of Love
Experiential Learning
David Kolb – Learning Styles
VARK Learning Styles
Howard Gardner – Theory of
Multiple Intelligences
Erik Erikson
Information found at:
http://www.muskingum.edu/~psych/psycweb/history/erikson.htm
http://psychology.about.com/od/profilesofmajorthinkers/p/bio_erikson.htm
Erik Erikson, (1902-1994)
1902: Born in Frankfort, Germany
1993: Moved to U.S. and became Boston’s first child analyst and worked at Harvard Medical
School
Studies included: combat crises, child-rearing practices, the play of disturbed and abnormal
children, adolescents suffering from identify crisis
Famous for his 8 Psychosocial Stages of Development in the field of Psychology
Published many books including: Childhood and Society, Young Man Luther, Youth: Change and
Challenge, Insight and Responsibility, Identity: Youth and Crisis
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0sxaU34MPE
This video explains the reasoning behind why Erikson and his wife created the 8 stages of
Psychosocial Development. It identified the need to prevent issues during development from
arising later in life for adults.
Stages of Psychosocial Development
Information retrieved from:
http://www.support4change.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=47&Itemi
d=108
There are eight stages involved in the Theory of Psychosocial Development that are based on
ego development outcomes and basic strengths in humans. A human’s course of development
is determined by his interactions with his own body, inside his mind and the environment and
culture around him. I have created a chart below to organize the information for you.
Stage of Life
Important Interactions
Humans can
learn either…
Infancy: Birth to 18
months (Oral Sensory
Stage)
Early Childhood: 18
months to 3 years
Major emphasis on
interactions with mother,
visual contact and touch
Learn to master skills for
ourselves – walk, talk, selffeed
Children desire to copy adults,
struggle with social role
identification and the
Trust vs.
Mistrust
Play Age: 3 to 5 years
Autonomy vs.
Shame
Initiative vs.
Guilt
Basic Strengths
Learned During this
Stage
Drive
Hope
Self-control
Courage
Will
Purpose
“Oedipal struggle’
School Age: 6 to 12
Develop a sense of industry
years (Latency)
based on learning, creating
and accomplishing new skills
Extensive social interactions
with school and neighborhood
Parents become less relevant
Adolescence:12 to 18 Development changes from
years
what happens to us to what
we do
Attempt to establish identity
as an individual and member
of society
Think in terms of ideals rather
than reality
Most significant relationships
are with peers not parents
Young Adulthood: 18 Goal is to find mutually
to 35
satisfying relationships
through marriage and friends
Start a family
Middle Adulthood: 35 Work becomes major focus
to 55 or 65
and creating a stable
environment for our children
Contributes to the betterment
of society
Mid-life crisis can sometimes
occur
Late Adulthood: 55 or Recovering from middle
65 to Death
adulthood
Acceptance of death as a part
of life
Have wisdom to share with
others
Strong dogmatism that their
idea is always correct
*exact time periods can vary within each adult
Industry vs.
Inferiority
Method
Competence
Identity vs. Role Devotion
Confusion
Fidelity
Intimacy and
Solidarity vs.
Isolation
Affiliation
Love
Generativity vs.
Self-Absorption
or Stagnation
Production
Care
Integrity vs.
Despair
Wisdom
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IMbDdwIUSM\
This video highlights the important information about each stage including significant social
influences, main task in life at that stage and how to provide a positive resolution at that stage.
Expert’s Knowledge Organization
Information summarized from: http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=9853&page=31
The Expert’s Knowledge of Organization is a learning theory that explains how an expert
organizes their information for easy retrieval while a novice simply stores it either short term or
long term. Major differences lie in the retrieval of the information for problem solving. Experts
have a concise specific solution to the problem because of patterns they have established in
their brains and novices have several elusive solutions because they are struggling to access all
the information they have randomly stored.