Applying Developmental Theories to Life

Professor Malcolm W. Watson of Brandeis University described six major developmental theories in his lectures on audiotape. These included Freud's Psychodynamic Theory, Erikson's Psychosocial Theory, Bowlby's and Answorth's Attatchment Theories, Piaget's Cognitive Developmental Theory and Vygotsky's Cognitive-Mediation Theory. Although there were some parts in all of these theories that I questioned the validity of I also found that there were parts in all of the theories that I could relate to my own development and the lives of those around me.

Part of Freud's Psychodynamic Theory that I found to be realistic is that which describes the Id, Ego, and Superego. I believe that we all have inner desires that may not necessarily be good for us. I also believe that sometimes we are not aware of these desires. If we functioned soley on the basis of the Id part of ourselves we would engage in any and all urges and most likely harm not only ourselves in the process. The Ego is the little voice in the back of your head that says, "No! Don't do that! It is not right!". The Ego maintains balance. The Superego is the part of us that wants us to do the safest things at all times. This can be good to a degree, but sometimes the Ego needs to step in here as well or else we would never take risks or challenge ourselves.

Erikson's Psychosocial Theory describes eight stages that each human being goes through in their lifespan and the crisis faced in each stage. These stages include: Trust vs. Mistrust, Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt, Initiative vs. Guilt, Industry vs. Inferiority, Identity vs. Role Confusion, Intimacy vs. Isolation, Generativity vs. Stagnation, Ego Integrity vs. Despair.

Erikson's stages embrace the very young, the very old, and every age in between. He accurately describes what many people go through in the course of their life. An infant learns to trust or mistrust others based on whether their needs are met appropriately and consistently. A child who is neglected or abused may be skeptical and mistrusting of others their entire lives. An elderly person feels a sense of ego integrity when they are at peace with the knowledge that their life was well lived. An elderly person with many regrets about the way they lived their life will experience a sense of dispair because they know they no longer have the time or the ability to make things right.

As a person who worked in a childcare center for a few years I was able to see Bowlbys and Ainsworth's Attatchment Theory at work. I believe that it really is very important that children be given the opportunity to develop a secure attachment pattern from birth on. Infants who lack nurturing and care can actually become ill and do worse than infants who are given plenty of love and affection. Just meeting a child's basic needs for survival is not enough to help them thrive. I have seen first hand the way a lack of affection affects a child. The child is withdrawn, sad, and craves any kind of attention they can get. The child would much rather stay in the daycare than go home with the parent because that is where he or she gets the most comfort and nurture.

Bandura's Social Learning Theory was based on stimuli amd response. He believed that behaviors were shaped by whether they receive positive or negative reinforcement. I known that when someone praises me for something I am more likely to do it again. I also know that when I do something that is wrong or inappropriate and am corrected I rarely repeat the action.

Bandura's Self-Efficiacy Theory proposed that children and adults will do better in situations where they know they can be successful and avoid experiences in which they have failed in the past. In high school I engaged in many choral and musical theater activities but I steered away from sports. I knew my singing voice was at the very least not horrible. I also knew I was clumsy and horrible at athletics. Thus I made my choices based on what I could and could not do, demonstrating this theory.

Piaget's Cognitive-Developmental Theory proposed that humans learn ny adding on to what they know and that we are born with a certain amount of knowledge demonstrated by reflexive actions. Children are born knowing how to suck when they are hungry and do not need to be taught to do this. Piaget believed there were four stages of development: the sensory motor period, the pre-operational period, the concrete-operational period, and the formal operational period. I was also able to see children go through these stages as I worked in the childcare center. Infants grew to preschoolers who were able to think on a higher and more complex level as they accumulated knowledge to aff to that which they already had.

Vygotsky's Cognitive-Mediation Theory strongly emphasized the impact social interactions had on cognitive development. He believed that a child learned through experience with others and the world. I have seen this in my own son as he tries to imitate older childrem when he is around them.

I think that all of these theories are excellent and have components that can be applied to any given human's development at one point or another.

Works Cited:

Watson, Robert S. (2002). The Value of Theories CD-ROM. Course Guidebook. Theories of Human Development. Virginia - The Teaching Company.