Human Development Theories and Application to Counselling

Running head: HUMAN DEVELOPMENT THEORIES 1
Human Development Theories and Application to Counselling Paper
< PROGRAM >
< SEMESTER / YEAR>
< COURSE CODE>
< COURSE TITLE>
MATRICULATION NO : <MATRIC NO>
IDENTITY CARD NO. : <IC NUMBER>
TELEPHONE NO. : <TELEPHONE>
E-MAIL : <EMAIL ID>
LEARNING CENTRE : <LEARNING CENTER>

HUMAN DEVELOPMENT THEORIES 2
Human Development Theories and Application to Counselling
1. Introduction
Eric Erikson further developed Sigmund Freud’s theory of human development by
including the various stages in the human lifespan, which are from infancy to the golden years.
Freud, despite having provided little input beyond the adolescent stage, was quoted by Erikson as
having established the two main tasks of adulthood – love, and work (Erikson, 1950). With this
in mind, he developed a theory that characterized human development with regard to the
relatively abstract and broader perspectives that individuals acquire for their identity and
progressive personal development (Gilligan, 1988). Much like many other psychologists whose
findings are based on the traditional psychoanalytic methods followed by Freud, Erikson is
referred to as an ego psychologist since he believed the ego to be something more than a mere
check related to the formation of one’s identity, or as a moderator to the superego. On the
contrary, the ego acts and bears a life of its own. Similarly, in consistency with other ego
psychologists, Erikson advocated for the relevance of social interactions in human development,
which were in contrast to Freud’s viewpoint on development as a psychosexual course.
According to Erikson, each stage of development brought with it its own distinctive challenges,
which he referred to as crises (Friedman, 2000). He claimed that these crises of the ego acted
as trials to one’s identity, and that successful psychosocial development relied on the overcoming
of these crises and tasks. The aim of this paper is, thus, to examine Eric Erikson’s psychosocial
theory so as to explore the dynamic experiences and challenges in human development, as well
as analyze its possible use in counseling.
2. Discussion about Theory and You: Where Does the Theory Place You in the Life Stages?
Based on Your Age, Which Stage of Development are You Currently Facing?
2.1. Psychosocial Theory by Eric Erikson
The main ideology behind Eric Erikson’s theory is that human development takes place
during the course of life, in a progression of stages. According to Erikson, human development
adheres to an epigenetic principle -- a concept which was initially used in embryology to
describe physiological growth as the natural development of a new-born child from an embryo.
If any form of disturbance occur in the embryo, be it during the development of physical
features, at the particular time in which the change must take place, then the growth of the
physical feature will never properly occur (Erikson E. , 1950). With regard to psychosocial

HUMAN DEVELOPMENT THEORIES 3
development, the physical feature in development signifies an important facet of personality, like
the concept of basic trust during the first stage. In consistency with Freud’s work, Erikson also
believed that proper progression of each stage was compulsory in the successful advancement of
later stages. As such, the previous biological analogy somewhat simplifies how, as Erikson
believed, psychoanalysis could be employed in resolving conflicts encountered during later life
stages.
During every stage of development (see in Figure 1 below) the child or adult has to deal
with a crises involving two opposing forces, for example basic trust versus mistrust in the first
stage. In this case, the child has to experience instances of both these conflicts so as to come to
an informed resolution. Consequently, a child who places too much becomes an overindulged
person who is reliant and inert, while those who mistrust others develop high levels of cynicism
(Erikson E. , 1959).
Figure 1: Erikson’s Eight Psychological Stages and Tensions in the Lifespan (Braaten &
Willoughby, 2018)
2.2. Where Does the Theory Place You in the Life Stages? Based On Your Age,
Which Stage of Development are You Currently Facing?
Since I am currently 42 years old, Erikson’s psychosocial theory places me in the seventh
stage of generativity versus stagnation, with my psychosexual mode coinciding with the need for
procreativity. Based on the theory, I am a mature adult who yearns to efficiently and usefully

HUMAN DEVELOPMENT THEORIES 4
contribute to the world. As such, I often feel the need to teach younger generations, and impart
my knowledge to others (Erikson, 1964).
Several sources describe Erikson’s view on generativity as having traditional ideologies
regarding conventional sex between married couples. However, he did transcend this notion by
stating that generativity, in its more broad form, may also refer to the innovative and prolific
activities performed through work. Therefore, generativity entails much more than just sex and
procreation. Based on Erikson’s concept, adults in this stage invest themselves in caring for
future occurrences, such as the future generation itself, and striving for a better world. His
concept, consequently, also believed that adults in this stage can also live a life of fulfillment
without procreating (Erikson E. , 1968). Nevertheless, success at this stage requires the ability
to care for others, thereby resulting in an opposing concept known as stagnation, or the loss of
one’s identity in self-absorption.
The issue of generativity, despite being a dominant concept during one’s middle
adulthood, the concept of caring for others in future generations is firmly rooted in early
childhood, from the childbearing years in early adulthood, and continues throughout the rest of
the lifespan. This sense of connectedness between different generations is implied in the
ideology behind generativity since it, in its broader form, is based on the symbolic connection
with immortality through works that will endure long past the individual (Karcher, Holcomb,
& Zambrano, 2000). As such, adults in this stage tend to have a more spiritual grasp on the
concept of life, as compared to other adults. Similarly, adults in this stage commonly involve
themselves in acts of volunteerism, voting, and social works with various institutions, like
schools, churches, and community institutions.
3. Relationship between Development Tasks and Psychosocial Crisis:
3.1. Do You Believe that There is a Close Relationship between the Developmental
Tasks and Psychosocial Crisis and Your Current Life Circumstances?
In every stage, as specified by Erikson, there is a kind of strength associated with the
effective resolution of one’s identity crisis, as is faced in that stage. For example, adults in
generativity have the need to selflesly lead the next generation, either by fuelling this drive into
their own offspring, or by undertaking duties that will affect the entire society. However, this
may be difficult for individuals who are not necessarily interested in this kind of developmental
task (Erikson, 1988). For instance, adults who chose to focus on their careers migh still be