Analysis Of The Developmental Theories Of Erik Erickson And Sigmund Freud

Erikson’s Theory

Erikson believed that humans resolve conflicts as their developmental stages progress in the life cycle. The psychosocial developmental stage that correlates with the children observed is initiative vs. guilt. The initiative skills of the phase emphasizes that parents allow their children to play, ask questions, use imagination, be creative, and constructive. Children’s main relationship during this phase is with their family members. Erikson’s theory also states that children have a strength within every phase. Within this phase, purpose is the strength. They learn the initiative skills through supportive family members but also through their independent play time and separation from the parents during the day by attending preschool. The balance between their relationships with family members and themselves helps build the child’s independence, developmental and language skills during this phase.

According to Joseph and Strain, they discuss the importance that building positive relationships with children helps foster the child’s cooperation and motivation which in-turn creates positive outcomes at school. This correlates with Erikson’s theory for children to complete the stages completely and successfully. In Building Positive Relationships with Young Children, there is a list of practical strategies for building positive relationships between adults and children that assist development during this phase. Examples of the strategies mentioned are as follows: follow a child’s lead during play, listen to a child’s ideas and stories, post children’s work, acknowledge a child’s efforts, and give compliments. Erikson also explains that the development of the superego is a major task for children in the preschool age group. Many children struggled differentiating why an action was acceptable or unacceptable. This is common during preschool because behavior is learned through punishment and reward and these children rely on parental principles for developing moral judgement.

This was an observation in the classroom because children this age have a hard time being independent when morals and rules differ in each environment such as home and school.

Freud’s Theory

Freud’s theory focused on the psychosexual development of the child. His belief is that children develop through pleasure seeking activities through the erogenous zones. If these activities are not completed successfully, fixation occurs; fixation is a persistent focus on an earlier stage that was not completed fully. The stage that corresponds with the children observed is called the phallic stage. During the phallic stage, children comprehend that they are different from other people and there are multiple categories to life. The main goal of this stage is further differentiation of sexual differences and sexually appropriate behavior. During this stage, children develop jealousy and conflict with the same-sex parent resulting in the Oedipus or Electra complex.

According to McLeod (2017), the Oedipus and Electra complex is resolved through an identification process involving the child mimicking the characteristics of parent of the same sex. Expected conflict during this stage is focused on the genitals and the differences between males and females; activities for gratification include fondling genitals and masturbation. This behavior was observed multiple times with the males in the classroom having their hand down their pants or looking down their pants.