Developmental Psychology Assignment: Erikson, Piaget, and Rogers

This assignment explores the core concepts of developmental psychology, focusing on the theories of Erik Erikson, Jean Piaget, and Carl Rogers. The assignment begins by comparing and contrasting Erikson's theory of psychosocial development and Piaget's theory of cognitive development, highlighting their emphasis on the influence of family, relationships, and environment on growth. The student then relates these theories to their own personal development, specifically referencing the Intimacy vs. Isolation stage and the Formal Operational stage. Finally, the assignment introduces Rogers' person-centered developmental theory, emphasizing the individual's capability for positive personal change. The assignment demonstrates an understanding of key psychological concepts and their application to real-world scenarios.

Running head: DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY
DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author note:

1DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY
Question 1
Two key lifespan development theories which have extensively developed our
understanding of children and adults, is Erik Erikson’s theory of Psychosocial Development and
Jean Piaget’s theory of Cognitive development. Erikson’s theory focused on the development of
individuals throughout their lifespan as a result of social interactions and relationships and hence,
emphasized on an emotional changes one encounters from childhood to old age (Kerpelman &
Pittman, 2018). In contrast, Piaget’s theory focused more on development of cognition and
thought process in children as a result of responses to social stimuli, merely up to years of late
adolescence or early adulthood. However, both theories were similar with respect to their
emphasis on the impact of nurture, that is, family, relationships and environment, on growth and
development, rather than nature, or an individual’s personality constructs (Lourenço, 2016).
Question 2
Both theories have continued to represent my development quite accurately. Indeed, as
per my age, I relate extensively to the psychosocial stage of Intimacy vs. Isolation, since I feel a
sense of strong commitment to my relationships with friends and peers. I can also relate my
present cognitive abilities and possible future development in thought process with Piaget’s
Formal Operational stage, as evident in my growing interest to explore underlying abstract,
philosophical and logical aspects whenever I read events or news articles on current social
affairs.

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Question 3
A relatively recent lifespan developmental theory which places adults and children as
active participants in their own personal development is the person-centered developmental
theory formulated by Carl Rogers. This theory views individuals as possessing credible
competency, capability and trust worthiness to implement positive personal change (Bryan et al.,
2015).

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References
Bryan, V. D., Lindo, J., Anderson-Johnson, P., & Weaver, S. (2015). Using Carl Rogers' person-
centered model to explain interpersonal relationships at a school of nursing. Journal of
Professional Nursing, 31(2), 141-148.
Lourenço, O. M. (2016). Developmental stages, Piagetian stages in particular: A critical
review. New Ideas in Psychology, 40, 123-137.
Kerpelman, J. L., & Pittman, J. F. (2018). Erikson and the relational context of identity:
Strengthening connections with attachment theory. Identity, 18(4), 306-314.