Psychosocial Development
Erik Erikson
In the Journal of Men's Studies, there was an article entitled Exploring Erikson's Psychosocial theory of development: generativity and its relationship to paternal identity, intimacy, and involvement in childcare. This article talks about a study of fathers who participate in their child's childcare, identity, intimacy and generativity, in order to understand which variables best predicted variation in fathers' levels of generativity. The study's findings were that fathers' paternal identity, psychosocial identity, and psychosocial intimacy were the bet overall predictors of fathers' levels of generativity, and that the fathers' paternal identity was the best predictor of fathers' generativity. Surprisingly, it found out that fathers' involvement in childcare was not a good predictor of fathers' generativity. (Palkovitz. 340)
This study was based on Erik Erikson's Eight Stages of psychosocial development. In each eight psychosocial crises, there is a struggle between 2 conflicting personality characteristics. These two characteristics are in extreme in each level, however in reality no one reaches either extreme. (Page 2006)
One of the stages is the stage in which generativity develops. That is in Middle Adulthood, or 35-55-65 years of age, in which the significant task is to "perpetuate culture and transmit values of the culture through the family." (Harder 2002) This stage depends on the ability to help others and care for others in order to find strength, as one's family is usually grown and new goals must be developed. This ability Erikson calls "generativity." Success during this stage means not feeling inactivity and meaninglessness. (Myers. Stages)
The article discusses the father's success at generativity, or ability to find meaning in life and the ability to transmit values of culture through the family. The results of the research studied in the article is surprising because it found that just caring for their children did not predict the fathers' ability to achieve generativity, as one would think it would
References
Harder, a. (2002). The Developmental Stages of Erik Erikson Learning Place Online.com Retrieved October 10, 2006 at http://www.learningplaceonline.com/stages/organize/Erikson.htm
Myers, Robert (Editor).Stages of Social-Emotional Development in Children and Teenagers. (1998- 2006). Child Development Institute, LLC Retrieved October 10, 2006 at http://www.childdevelopmentinfo.com/development/erickson.shtml
A. (2006) Erik Erikson. The Psy Cafe: A Psychology Resource Site: http://www.psy.pdx.edu/PsiCafe/KeyTheorists/Erikson.htm
Palkovitz, R. (1998,
September).
Journal of Men's Studies, the.
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