Module Four Lecture Physical Cognitive and Psychosocial Development

Module Four Lecture: Physical, Cognitive and Psychosocial Development During Early Childhood Psychosocial Development of the Child Ages 3 -6 years

Erikson in Review • Stage 1 Trust/mistrust. . hope (can take risks and persevere) • Stage 2 Autonomy/shame doubt. . . will (can have their own way to a point) • Stage 3

What is the Challenge During the Preschool Years • Let’s consider where the preschool child is developmentally. • The preschooler continues their cognitive progression through pre-operations and arrives at the cusp of Piaget’s third cognitive stage. • They become adept at symbolic thought including pretend play, decreased egocentrism, development of a Theory of the Mind, and experience significant improvement in memory and recall. • Language skills expand to include reading and literacy. • Knowledge of themselves as separate from others and a having a self definition. • Improved emotional self-regulation and empathy. • They Emerge into pre-conventional moral reasoning and can judge right from wrong.

What is the Challenge During the Preschool Years Cont. • All of these developmental accomplishments further distance the child from dependence upon outside control and provide increasing expectations for inner self-control. • Now the child is expected to do more than independently complete tasks they have been given. They are expected to invent and organize their own tasks, games, goals and plans to meet those goals. • They are expected to start some things all on their own without being directed to do so. • They are challenged to Be More In Charge of Themselves

Erikson Stage Three - Initiative vs. Guilt • INITIATIVE represents the child’s growing urge to follow their own plans and to achieve their own goals. To set their own agenda for activities. • Erikson drew on his Freudian background in psychosexual stages here and said physical self exploration and masturbation initiated by the child was impactful in this stage.

Erikson Stage Three – Guilt Initiative vs. Guilt • GUILT represents the child’s increasing moral reservations and need for approval of others and themselves that serve to restrict obtaining their own goals. • Guilt is felt internally even if you get away with something. Shame is applied by external agents who know what you have done or failed to do. So control is shifting away from external and toward more internal self management.

Erikson Stage Three Cont. Initiative vs. Guilt We can see how feelings of guilt might arise due to early sexual awareness and self stimulation. But Erikson expanded the concept to apply to any initiated activity that the child knows would be unacceptable if discovered or if they fail. (Taking something from a younger sibling even if you can get away with it or insisting you can tie your own shoes, but you cannot). View the video on You. Tube: Initiative versus Guilt

Erikson Stage Three Initiative vs. Guilt • As always we want to encourage and reward a child for taking the initiative in many things, but not all things that they do. • A balance is again critical. Children need to be encouraged to be true to their own desires but within the confines of approved behavior. • As your text noted, this is the basic process of: o Socialization: the process of developing the habits, skills, values, and motives shared by members of a society.

Erikson Stage Three Initiative vs. Guilt Cont. • If socialization is appropriate and a balance is achieved between initiative and guilt, the ego develops the ego virtue of Purpose. • The ability to envision and pursue new and appropriate goals without being overly inhibited by guilt. • Successful resolution of the first three psychosocial stages prepares a child to enter school with the life skills of hope, will and purpose.