Eriksons Theory of Psychosocial DevelopmentReflection Paper 1From reading Eriksons theory of psychosocial development, I have found that there are multiple events in my life that relate to his ideas and concepts. I will discuss the current stage that I believe I am in out of the eight stages, certain issues regarding my past that have lead me to where I am currently, as well as whether I believe if Eriksons theory is accurate or not.
Out of the intense eight psychosocial development stages that Erikson has theorized, I believe I am midway between stage 5 and stage 6. Being that emotionally and mentally I have not fully emerged into young adulthood, I am still searching for who I am and my purpose in this world. Growing up, my parents never made me struggle; I always had the mindset that my social life was important which as Erikson theorized can have a negative solution; which may lead to a negative identity or a confusion of identity. From my personal experiences I believe Ive had a rather negative outcome from being a “social butterfly”, I have never indulged in anything except school and friends; until now that I am in college, I have no choice but to grow up on my own. Although my parents instilled strong principles in me, unfortunately I am lacking some of the most important.
Erikson’s theories can’t be ignored.
As a young person, my life had been extremely tumultuous. I got involved in relationships to gain the ‘best of’ and gain experience, all under the guidance and tutelage of my mom, my mom’s best friend and many, many people around me. At the same time the relationship was filled with negative attitudes. To overcome this negativity it’s all about love and happiness, and it was with this that I found myself drawn to, and eventually developed a profound and loving love for my mother. After working my way up through schools and to be a part of this most wonderful and social life, I knew I would never be a social butterfly;I wanted to have the best of school/friends but at the same time keep my own identity and be at peace with my identity and be able to learn from my mother’s success, that her best friend and closest person was her life, and I believe is her future, and even now I am in college, but I have never felt the same for what my life involved outside the relationship. Even though I did grow up trying to make a living in the society of my parents, the fact that I never experienced any of this is very damaging.Erikson
When I was 17, my mother bought me a television. Every time she said she wanted me to watch games she had to explain her intentions and she didn’t. Then I got lucky, I started to live my dreams of growing up and living my dream with my father.
I knew that I needed to move on and that I was just going to get into a life that would keep me going with all my love for the country, and I took on various jobs and things to help myself grow. But, as I think about now, it is not the end goal of anything, but I have been very lucky to have my dream to continue on. In some ways at some point I will die, like many other people I know who have given their lives in order to give back to the local community to be there for those of us who didn’t have the time/labor ethic to do so.Bath and Tennis
This essay was originally written for the New York Times Magazine and is part of the magazine’s ongoing series on living as a child. Read more at: http://nytimes.com/2010/07/11/international/football.html?pg=a19a2a6e7b4d9a55f2d4a7e74e75.html#p19a2a6e7b4d9a55f2d4a7e74e75
I believe that since I was very spoiled as a child, some things are supposed to come rather easily to me. However, growing into a young woman I realized life is harder than imagined. Being that my parents are not heavily surrounded by my presence and I am not sheltered by their rules, I have had to learn how to survive on my own. Its very stressful and hard on me in this stage of life that I am currently living in because I didnt have to struggle as a child and now I have to struggle twice as hard; rather than any other individual that had independent principles