Description
Write a 3–4-page paper that addresses the contribution of a chosen figure in psychology and examines how a chosen theory fits within a more specific area of psychology. Also, include how modern theorists have since contributed to this area of psychology.
Assessment Instructions
Imagine that you are preparing for an interview to teach an undergraduate psychology course at a university. As part of the interview process, the hiring committee has emailed to you a list of questions. Your goal is to prepare a paper that demonstrates your knowledge of a chosen figure in psychology and analyzes how a chosen theory fits within a more specific area of psychology. Also, you need to include how modern theorists have since contributed to the field.
Dear Candidate:
We have received your application for the position of Adjunct Instructor in the Psychology department. As part of the interviewing process, please prepare a paper (adhering to APA guidelines for style and format) that responds to these prompts:
- Select a particular theorist of one of the following theories and describe the contribution of the theory and theorist. How, specifically, did this theorist contribute to our understanding of human behavior?
- Psychological States of Development:
- Erick Erickson.
- Jean Piaget.
- Obedience Study:
- Stanley Milgram.
- Study of Social Conformity:
- Solomon Asch.
- Factor Theory of Personality:
- Raymond Cattell.
- Theory of Language and Language Learning:
- Noam Chomsky.
- Cognitive Psychology:
- Ulric Neisser (Flashbulb memory).
- Social Psychology:
- Gordon Allport (Trait theory of personality).
- Describe how modern theorists have contributed subsequent knowledge and understanding beyond this initial contribution.
- Relate the research of your selected theory/study to a professional (or academic) experience. How did this theory/study contribute to your understanding of your experience?
Additional Requirements
To format your paper, use the guidelines in the APA Paper Template linked in Resources under the Required Resources heading.
- Written communication: Written communication should be free of errors that detract from the overall message.
- APA formatting: Ensure that resources and citations are formatted according to current APA style and formatting guidelines.
- Font and font size: Times New Roman, 12 point.
- Length of assessment: 3–4 pages (excluding title and reference pages, abstract not required).
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Explanation & Answer
Attached.
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Institution
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Psychological States of Development
The theory I have chosen to discuss is that of the Psychological States of Development.
Theory was formulated by Erick Erickson. Erick Erickson proposed the psychosocial
development theory which consisted of 8 stages that an individual undergoes from the infancy
period to up to when the individual is an adult. An individual goes through some psychosocial
crisis at each individual stage and this may result to negative or positive outcomes to the
personality development of an individual.
The development theory of Erikson considers the effects of factors which are external,
society and the parents on the development of personality from childhood to the time an
individual is an adult. He was a psychologist who believed in ego and he always emphasized on
the role that the society and culture as well as conflicts can have on the ego.
Erikson says that ego establishes when it resolves crises which are usually social in
nature successfully. It therefore involves trusting other people, developing a society’s sense of
identity and also assisting the generation to come in preparing for future events (Bee, H. L.
1992). He maintains that development of personality occurs in a predetermined manner and
usually builds on every initial stage and this result to the epigenist principle.
The theory of psychological development helped in understanding that the personality of
an individual develops through a series of stages and each stage has its own characteristics and
the stage. Each stage is also associated with a psychosocial crisis. The crisis which is
experienced at stage one is the one of trust versus mistrust. The main virtue here is hope and it
happens at the age of infancy which is between birth and one and half years.
Autonomy versus doubt and Shame crisis occurs at the second stage. The will of the child
is the main virtue here and it occurs during early childhood, between one half years and 3 years.
At the third stage, guilt and initiative is the crisis. It occurs at the play stage of children which is
between 3 and 5 years and purpose is the vital virtue.
At stage four, the crisis is industry versus inferiority and occurs during the school age
which occurs to children between 5 and 12 years. The children always focus on competency. The
fifth stage is associated with role confusion and ego identity. The adolescents fall in thus
category and their basic virtue is fidelity (Erikson, E. H. 1994). The sixth stage covers the young
adults who fall between 18 and 40 years.
The crisis experienced at this stage is isolation and intimacy and they always focus on
love. The seventh stage is associated with generality and stagnation and occurs to the adults who
fall in the 40 to 60 year bracket and they are always concerned with care. Ego integrity and
despair is the late crisis experienced at maturity stage which is composed of people above 65
years. The individuals here are believed to be wise.
The theorist helped in understanding the virtues that individuals at each stage possess.
People in different age groups have different personalities. The personalities are developed from
the initial virtues that the individuals had. It also facilitated the development of a framework on
which to consider development.
It also assisted in understanding that the behavior of human beings keep on evolving just
from the period of birth up to when the individual is an adult. The theory also shows that
development is not continuous as different capacities emerge at every stage. Other theorists have
also developed on this theory given that Erikson does not give full explanation on why a
particular development occurs and how it does. They have been able to research on these and
give some explanation on why developments occur.
The theorists have greatly assisted in the development of the subsequent knowledge. The
modern theorists have been able to build on the initial knowledge to enable them present their
ideas more efficiently. They have also been able to develop on the ideas which lay earlier were
therefore giving a better explanation of the subjects in place. They have been able to answer the
questions which were left unanswered during the early stages. The modern theorists have also
found a basis on which they can lay their critique and give their opinion on different subjects
such as development of children to adults.
The theory relates to my profession as teacher. Being a teacher, I deal with different
categories of children of different ages from kindergarten to high school level (Erikson, E.
H.1950). The children are of different ages and each has her personality and therefore, need to
understand them better. The theory has helped me in understanding that the children at different
stages have different virtues and therefore they need to be treated differently. I a teacher, I have
to capitalize on their virtues so as to ensure proper personality development of the children to
adults.
References
Bee, H. L. (1992). The developing children. London: HarperCollins.
Erikson, E. H. (1994). Identities: Youth and the crisis (No. 7). WW Norton & Company.
Erikson, E. H. (1950). Childhood and societies. New York: Norton.
Attached.
Running head: PSYCHOLOGICAL STATES OF DEVELOPMENT
Psychological States of Development
Student ...