Erik Erikson s Children s Social And Emotional...

Erik Erikson was not only a great child development philosopher, Erikson was an author who cared about children’s social and emotional standpoints of life. The things that happened to Erikson in his childhood years made him the man he is today with being the great philosopher he is. Erik Erikson’s stages from birth to late adulthood clearly affect the lives of people but the start with the lives of preschoolers. As an Early Childhood Educator these skills help us help children develop, figure out why they are the way they are, and what makes them act this way. Erik Erikson was a philosopher who was born on June 15, 1902 and died May 12, 1994. His mother raised him on her own her entire life. When he finally did learn the truth, Erikson was†¦show more content†¦His stepfather, a doctor, wanted him to go to medical school, but Erikson instead did a brief stint in art school. He soon dropped out and spent time wandering Europe with friends and contemplating his identity. Erikson moved to the United States in 1933 and, despite having no formal degree, was offered a teaching position at Harvard Medical School. He also changed his name from Erik Homberger to Erik H. Erikson, perhaps as a way to forge his own identity. He then created his 8 wonderful stages of development. Erik Erikson proposed a theory of psychosocial development He believed development occurs throughout the lifespan. Children s personalities develop in response to their social environment. The same is true of their skills for social interaction. Erikson s theory includes eight stages. At each stage, a social conflict or crisis occurs. Stage 1 Trust vs. Mistrust-During the first eighteen months of life, children, learn to trust or mistrust their environment. To develop trust, they need to have a warm,consistent, predictable, and attentive care. They need caregivers who will accurately read and respond to their signals. When infants are distressed, they need to be comforted. They also need loving physical contact, nourishment, cleanliness, and warmth. Then they will develop a sense of confidence and trust that the world is safe and dependable. Mistrust will occur if an infant experiences an