Erikson’s Psychosocial Development
Erikson’s theory is based on the belief that each stage or conflict is the result of the child’s need to adapt to the social environment and that the conflict of each stage must be resolved before the next stage can be successfully achieved.
| Approximate Age | Stage or Conflict |
|---|---|
| Birth—1 yr | Trust vs mistrust |
| 1—3 yr | Autonomy vs shame and doubt |
| 4—5 yr | Initiative vs guilt |
| 6—11 yr | Industry vs inferiority |
| 12—18 yr | dentity vs identity confusion |
Freud’s Stages of Psychosexual Development
Freud’s theory emphasizes the importance of sex and control over aggressive impulses in the child’s development.
| Approximate Age | Stage |
|---|---|
| Birth—2 yr | Oral |
| 2—3 yr | Anal |
| 3—6 yr | Phallic |
| 6—12 yr | Latent |
| 12—18 yr | Genital |
Piaget’s Cognitive Theory
Piaget defined stages of intellectual thought development. At the end of each stage, a brief period of equilibrium is said to exist. Disequilibrium resumes when the child becomes dissatisfied with old answers and finds new ways to solve problems.
| Approximate Age | Stage |
|---|---|
| Birth-2 yr | Sensorimotor: Senses and motor activity |
| 2-7 yr | Preoperational or preconceptual: Intellectual development |
| 7-11 yr | Concrete operations: Reasoning and organizing thoughts |
| 11 yr through adulthood | Formal operations: Abstract thinking and deductive reasoning |
Age-Related Stages Used to Categorize Children
| Age | Stage |
|---|---|
| Conception-birth | Prenatal |
| Birth—1 mo | Neonatal |
| Birth—1 yr | Infancy |
| 1—3 yr | Toddler |
| 3—6 yr | Preschool |
| 6—12 yr | School age |
| 12—18 yr | Adolescent |