When biosocial development does not proceed normally, life becomes more difficult. This exercise asks you to relate Erikson’s developmental stages to the problems of people with learning disabilities resulting from impaired biosocial development.
In each case, think about how a problem in biosocial development might make it more difficult to resolve one of Erikson’s eight psychosocial crises in a positive way. Base your answers on material from the text, your own experiences, or the experiences of someone you know. Note that this exercise requires you to integrate material discussed from earlier developmental periods and also to anticipate later developmental issues. You may find it helpful to review the discussion of Erikson’s theory before completing this exercise.
Trust versus mistrust:
Autonomy versus shame and doubt:
Initiative versus guilt:
Industry versus inferiority:
Identity versus role confusion:
Intimacy versus isolation:
Generativity versus stagnation:
Integrity versus despair:
Erik Erikson (1902–1994) was a stage theorist who took Freud’s controversial theory of psychosexual development and modified it as a psychosocial theory. Erikson emphasized that the ego makes positive contributions to development by mastering attitudes, ideas, and skills at each stage of development.
Sample Solution
