Psychosocial Stage Essay

mental developing is generally accepted as product of the interaction among social and psychological forces which directly come across and shape the personalizedity of every singleist (Erikson, 2000). This may also encompass changes in ego-control, and prosocial behavior. In relative to this, Erik Erikson established a unifying theory on the social and psychological brasss of human culture throughout feel span. In his eight developmental stages, each individual should, from infancy to ageing, accomplish psychological tasks in line with his or her social experiences.In addition, his theory, often called as the stages of man, is primarily grounded on the notion that every individual develops self-images through differents perceptions and his or her own perceptions (Erikson, 2000). Erikson described the development of personality and the process by which an individual acquires societal role and shapes his or her identity. In contrary to Freuds psychosexual emphasis, Erickson accentuated the development of hotshots attitudes, skills, and the guts of responsibleness.Further, Erikson argued that individuals undergo the different developmental stages, each with crisis or dilemma, and expected to resolve specific scrap in every stage. Unresolved conflicts in the previous stage leave pass on the succeed stages which impart negative traits in ones personality (Erikson, 2000). On the separate hand, as an individual successfully confronted every developmental crisis, he or she achieves compulsive traits or psychological attri andes. Generativity versus Stagnation Erikson viewed development as a continuous process of facing the complexities of career (Santrock, 2002).A young nonrecreational, for example, to ensure success and intimate relations, he or she must perceive and accomplish the task of creating and caring his or her life role or style. Ericksons 7th stage of psychosocial development, generativity versus stagnation, coincides with the gist ma turity date close of humans. As defined by Erikson, generativity is the desire to take an active role in establishing the society and nurturing the youth to ensure the pertinacity of human generation (Lerner, 2002).In this stage, individuals should develop concern for the neighboring generation in order to hold back personal stagnation (Santrock, 2002). While approximately(prenominal) individuals accomplish this through active community involvement and participation, some contribute for the welf ar of the society through responsible parenthood. In any means, the dynamic that must be attained is the outward shifting from the well-being of ones self to the consideration and care for the humanity. As much(prenominal), the strength of care is achieved through creating, parenting, volunteering, and mentoring.For instance, by means of genuine care and concern, the generative religious teachers inform traditional religious view on development. Generative adults, on the other hand, may take responsibility on the cycle of life by leading and guiding their children in the first five stages of psychosocial development (Santrock, 2002). Meanwhile, a key element of generativity versus stagnation is the continuity of stages and additive implications of various experiences in life (Santrock, 2002). The adults sense of generativity is stimulated by encouraging and containing the future of the adjacent generation.However, individuals who fail to bestow the continuity to the next generation may possibly become engorge with his or her personal necessitate, disregard the needs of other individuals, and eventually become stagnated. Influences on my Personality The psychosocial development constructs of Erickson encompasses every experience of an individual that processes and shapes his or her personality, generativity, and perceptions. These processes are deemed universal that is, although individuals experience family, social, and cultural life differently, the varia tions are minor.The minor variations account for other individual variables such as socioeconomic status, age, race, g arrester, ethnicity, religion, education, and culture (Lerner, 2002). Hence, the psychosocial processes in the middle adulthood show variations on themes but of homogeneous dynamic of change. Erikson outlined these changes in every developmental stage through specific conflicts or tasks that one needs to attend to or resolve. As such in middle adulthood, generativity versus stagnation is the conflict that needs to be resolved.However, as the resolution of conflicts in the early adulthood influences this stage, the outcome in this stage will directly affect the late adulthood blockage (Lerner, 2002). As well, as individuals are expected to entrust inspiration, care, and guidance for the youth, they are also challenged to acquire productive roles for the societal development and continuity. Generativity then should not tho be confined in parenting but should stret ch out to community involvements through projects, leadership, and commitment.It must be deemed with respect to the manner by which an individual handle his or her relations with his or her family, societal institutions, friends, relatives, and with other individuals. Whereas every social behavior is determined by myriad of factors, the commitment and concern for the welfare of the next generation must be the primary motivation in all those aforementioned social responsibilities and activities (Lerner, 2002). As I learned the middle adulthood psychosocial stage of Erikson, about 35-40 age of ages, I examined the present assure of my personality in terms of generativity and stagnation.That is, I assessed my self if I am productive in my issue of endeavor and geared towards inspiring and guiding my children and other youngsters and young adults. I became concern with the achievement of generativity for Erikson argued that it is all-important(a) for a positive outlook during midlif e. As such, I formulated my developmental goals of preparing my self for my senescence termination and caring for and guiding the youngsters for adulthood. However, life experiences in this stage of life are not identical among individuals some are still single adult while others are happily married or dissociate during this consummation.Generally, the middle adulthood has developmental discontinuity and continuity. In particular, psychological attributes like cognitive functioning may quickly change while the others such as intelligence and personality may attain stability during midlife (Lachman, 2001). I realized then that in defining lifes success, experiences in midlife have signifi evoket roles. During middle adulthood, every individual compensates for and copes with lifes losses which tend to be apparent as senescence life approaches.As revealed by psychological researches, life satisfaction is at its peak in midlife this is the period of life where subjective happiness a nd well-being are rated best as compared to other stages of life (Lachman, 2001). Thus, midlife is cognize as the prime of ones life, where most middle adults are at the summit of their family and professional careers, and income generation. In addition, middle adults experience a very satisfactory psychological well-being they have positive outlook in life, autonomy, and aim for both personal and professional growth (Lachman, 2001).They perceived midlife as the period where one should function best. Thus, my consciousness on my work performance, multiple-role playing, and parenting styles were awakened. Neverthe little, at the other extreme of middle adulthood are the midlife crises. Based on psychological reports, middle adulthood is battered by worries in life such as the feelings of individuals of life losses and failures, non-achievement and underachievement, and trivial and non-essential goals (Lachman, 2001).Yet, amidst these crises and as compared to other stages of life, m iddle adulthood is the period of less depression and higher well-being. In this period, most individuals attained their professional and personal goals. Those who are nonresistant to environmental factors, limited resources, and poverty, are at risk to psychological and physical distress (Lachman, 2001). It was then slender in my mind that during midlife, individuals may either enjoy the fruition of their respective labors or suffer the cumulative deficits of their life due to unresolved conflicts in previous stages.Therefore, middle adulthood, as generativity versus stagnation implies, is not yet a period of fulfillment and accomplishment but also a transition period for the past times and present events of life basically influence the later lifes transition. Midlife is the stage of life when individuals, to a greater extent frequently, have already decided for a lifestyle and other social context like vocation, routine, neighborhood, and congest network. Thus, I postulated tha t personality molds the life of an individual, rather than life experiences shapes the personality of an individual.In particular, only specific aspect of personality is shifted by dramatic life events during middle adulthood. For example, career or marriage failure, melancholy due to mental or physical disorder, and death of a loved one may alter the behavioral trait of an individual which in turn only causes minor shifts in personality but do not reflect in the holistic personality structure. Moreover, the concept of midlife crisis, perceived as fatal in middle adulthood, was found to be false (Lerner, 2002).Even though midlife is a stage of reflection, increase anxiety, midcourse correction, and unpredictable transformation, researches revealed that during middle adulthood, individuals still undertake the shifting of life perspective from birth until to their last years to live (Lerner, 2002). The nature of an individuals response to midlife challenges is largely affected by p ersonality attributes and less by the individuals present developmental stage or chronological age.As proposed, the support nature of midlife crisis is possibly related to the capability of an individual to cope with the tragic life events and in the end still considers his or her self as fairly fortunate. In sum, Erikson suggested the importance of finding oneself in another(prenominal) during midlife developmental stage. By merely serving oneself or own family, an individual becomes engorge with his or her personal needs, disregard the needs of other individuals, and eventually ends as stagnated.Hence, I must not confine my self in looking at and working only for the welfare of my family. Bringing up my children into the best that they can be is inadequate contribution for the welfare of the society. I need to acquire the sense of altruism in order to contribute whatever resources I have, actively involve myself to community projects, and to extend whatever support I can give for the welfare of the next generation.In addition, since midlife crisis is inevitable in middle adulthood, I realized that in order to face every travail, empathy and support to others are crucial so as to establish a network support where I can lean on as I resolve any form of midlife crisis. References Erikson, E. H. (2000). The Erik Erikson Reader. Coles, R. Ed. New York Norton. Santrock, J. W. (2002). Life-span development. New York McGraw-Hill. Lachman, M. E. (2001). Handbook of Midlife Development. New York John Wiley. Lerner, R. M. (2002). Concepts and Theories of Human Development, tertiary ed. Mahwah, NJ Erlbaum.