Early Theories of Human Development Project: Week 1 Analysis

This project provides an overview of the early theories of human development, focusing on the contributions of Sigmund Freud, Erik Erikson, and Jean Piaget. The assignment explores Freud's psychosexual theory, detailing the stages of development and the impact of experiences on behavior. It then examines Erikson's psychosocial theory, emphasizing the importance of social context and the resolution of emotional crises across eight stages. Finally, the project delves into Piaget's cognitive development theory, outlining the stages of intellectual growth and how children perceive and learn. The project compares and contrasts these theories, highlighting their similarities and differences, and also touches upon the evolution of these theories and their connection to factors such as race, ethnicity, and gender. References are included to support the analysis.

Running head: WEEK 1 HUMAN GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT PROJECT 1
Week 1 Human Growth and Development Project
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation

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Week 1: The Early Theories of Human Development
Human development can be described as a series of age-related changes, which
occurs over a lifespan. Famous psychologists have developed various human development
theories, which include Jean Piaget, Sigmund Freud, and Erik Erickson. A stage in the
development theory is a period in which individuals exhibit typical behavior patterns as well
as establish different capacities.
Sigmund Freud Theory (Psychosexual Theory)
Freud development theory is a psychoanalytic theory whereby human being develops
in personal life in similar activities, which are given a basic significance for human
development. Therefore, the determination of the mode of the behavior of humans was based
on sex and aggression. This theory stipulates that human development seek the integral
person who has the ability to meet each of the stages effectively. Upon meeting these
development stages, an individual can mature in relation to the age leading to the experiential
climax. Sigmund Freud indicated that this development is converted into five stages, which
have a good event or bad experience, which may develop strange behaviors (Freud, 2015).
According to Freud’s theory, these stages were the oral stage, which covers the first
18 months of a human beings life. The second stage is the anal stage that originates from the
oral stage and extends to 3 years of age. The phallic stage begins from three to 6 years of
age, and the latency stage starts from 7 years, which goes all the way to the onset of puberty
(Dobinson, Hoyt, Seidler, Beaumont, Hullmann, & Lawsin, 2016). In addition, Freud
managed to divide the personality into three instances: the instinctive personality, the ego,
which is the real personality and the ethical moral (Super-ego).
Erickson Theory of Development (Psychosocial Theory)
Eriksson developed his theory from the ego personality of Freud human development.
According to Erikson’s theory, human development is to be understood based on the context

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of the society and highlights the relationship between social forces and ego that have
influence on individuals at a given time in life (Cherry, 2018). In this case, Erikson divided
the development of life into eight stages. Each of these stages is characterized by the
emotional crisis with two possible solutions, unfavorable or favorable. The resolution of the
crisis in each stage determines all the subsequent development (Greene, 2017). The first four
stages are important since they focus on young children. The stages were basic trust vs.
mistrust, which originates from birth to 18 months. The second stage is autonomy vs. shame,
which starts from 18 months to 3 years (Greene, 2017). The third stage is initiative vs. guilt,
which originate from 3 years to 6 years old. Finally, the fourth stage was the industry vs.
inferiority that originates from 6 years to puberty (Cherry, 2018).
Piaget Theory (Cognitive Development Theory)
Piaget theory is based on the development of intelligence in children. As a
psychologist, Piaget dedicated his life in order to investigate the different stage of growth as
well as understand the manner in which patterns of learning, cognitive development evolves
with them (Barrouillet, 2015). The theory states that children pass through a given stage
based on their intellect as well as the ability to perceive mature relationship. The first stage is
sensorimotor, that occurs from birth to two years of age (Blake, 2015). Preoperational is the
second stage, which starts from two to 7 years of age. The third stage is the concrete
operational stage from 7 years to 11 years of age, and finally, the formal operational stage,
which originates from 12 years to old age (Barrouillet, 2015).
Similarities
The three theories share various similarities. The theories assume that people go
through the stage in a given order whereby each stage is built on the capacity developed in
the previous stage. The second assumption is that all the stages, which relates to age. In all of
the theories, the development is discontinuous with different qualitative capacities emerging

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in each stage. It has been noted in the three theories that if one does not complete, all the
stages will face challenges over life.
Differences between those theories:
Psychosexual or Freud theory
Psychosocial or Erickson
theory of Development
Cognitive Development/ Piaget
Theory
1. Theory 5 stages of
development
1. The theory has 8 stages of
development
1. The theory has 4 stages of
development while focuses on
cognitive skills development.
2. The theory interprets the
dreams of humans as they
grow.
2. The theory focuses on trust
confidence as well as the
pride of children in relation to
the world.
2. The theory focuses its
interpretation on egocentrism,
conservation, logical as well as
abstract thinking in children.
3. Freud focused his
explanation on the
Subconscious mind and
libido.
3. Erickson, on the other
hand, emphasized that the
environment was significant
for personality development.
3. Piaget explained the significance
of cognitive development as human
grew.
Development of the Theories and Connection to Race/ethnicity/ gender
The three theories were developed at different times with the explanation of the
development of humans as the primary objective. There is some criticism of the early
development theories that are based on gender, race, ethnicity, or social, economic status. The
argument is based on the fact that these factors change continuously hence making it very
difficult to be factored in human development. Therefore they were not taken into account.

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However, human development theories vary with time and are affected with culture hence
resulting in different levels of development.
References
Barrouillet, P. (2015). Theories of cognitive development: From Piaget to today.
Blake, B. (2015). Developmental psychology: Incorporating Piaget’s and Vygotsky’s theories
in classrooms.
Cherry, K. (2018). Erik Erikson's Stages of Psychosocial Development. Retrieved June 5,
2018.
Dobinson, K. A., Hoyt, M. A., Seidler, Z. E., Beaumont, A. L., Hullmann, S. E., & Lawsin,
C. R. (2016). A grounded theory investigation into the psychosexual unmet needs of
adolescent and young adult cancer survivors. Journal of adolescent and young adult
oncology, 5(2), 135-145.
Freud, S. (2015). WHO IS FREUD?.
Greene, R. R. (2017). Eriksonian theory: A developmental approach to ego mastery. Human
behavior theory and social work practice (pp. 107-136). Routledge.