Stage Theories

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Stage Theories

• In the study of the developmental life cycle,
  psychologists question whether development is a
  gradual, continuous process or a sequence of
  separate stages.
• Some theorists have concluded that we pass
  through certain psychological stages in
  development. Stage theories by definition are
  discontinuous theories of development.

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Psychosexual stages? Really?

• Some existing theories are less scientifically
  viable than others. However, some of these less
  scientific theories continue to be significant
  because they help psychologists describe how we
  develop or mark the historical progress of
  developmental psychology.

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Biopsychosocial Approach to Development

• Different stage theories describe varied aspects
  of development. One stage theory may describe
  social development while another may describe
  cognitive development. One theory does not
  necessarily contradict the other even though they
  may claim differing things about a child of the
  same age.

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Freuds Structure

• Personality develops as a result of our efforts
  to resolve conflicts between our biological
  impulses (id) and social restraints (superego).

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Freud believed that personality formed during the
first few years of life divided into psychosexual
stages. During these stages the ids
pleasure-seeking energies focus on pleasure
sensitive body areas called erogenous
zones. Freud divided the development of
personality into five psychosexual stages.
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Evaluating the Psychoanalytic Perspective
Modern Research

1. Personality develops throughout life and is not
   fixed in childhood.
2. Freud underemphasized peer influence on the
   individual, which may be as powerful as parental
   influence.
3. Gender identity may develop before 5-6 years of
   age.

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Social Development
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Reflecting on Eriksons Theory

• Erikson was a theorist who believed in the basics
  of Freud
• He formulated his theories based on his own life
  experience and his work with Anna Freud (Freuds
  Daughter.)
• He believed that development continued beyond
  childhood

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Piagets Theory and Current Thinking
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Reflecting on Piagets Theory
Piagets stage theory has been influential
globally, validating a number of ideas regarding
growth and development in many cultures and
societies. However, todays researchers believe
the following

1. Development is a continuous process.
2. Children express their mental abilities and
   operations at an earlier age.
3. Formal logic is a smaller part of cognition.

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Kohlberg Moral Thinking

1. Preconventional Morality Before age 9, children
   show morality to avoid punishment or gain reward.
2. Conventional Morality By early adolescence,
   social rules and laws are upheld for their own
   sake.
3. Postconventional Morality Affirms peoples
   agreed-upon rights or follows personally
   perceived ethical principles.

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Reflecting on Developing Morality

• Kohlberg (1981, 1984) sought to describe the
  development of moral reasoning by posing moral
  dilemmas to children and adolescents, such as
  Should a person steal medicine to save a loved
  ones life?
• Research confirms that children in various
  cultures progress from pre-conventional to the
  conventional in an unvarying sequence.
• Post-conventional Morality is more controversial
  and may vary among cultures

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Stage Theories Infancy/ Childhood Adolescence/ Teens Adulthood/ Old Age
Bio Physical/ Motor
Psycho Cognitive/ Mental Piaget 1-3 Piaget 4
Social Social/ Moral Freud 1-4 Erikson 1-4 Kohlberg 1 Freud 5 Erikson 5 6 Kohlberg12 Erikson 78 Kohlberg 2