Discuss developmental theories of young and middle adults ?
Discuss developmental theories of young and middle adults ?
Development refers to the process leading to positive growth and progress as a consequence of physical, economic, environmental, social and demographic components. Theorists have tried to identify various processes and changes occurring at different phases of life. Some of the theories explaining the developmental process in young and middle adulthood are Erikson’s theory on psychosocial development and Schaie’s life span model of cognitive development
Erikson’s theory (1950) of psychosocial development covers 8 stages across the life span, each involving a ‘crisis’ in personality emerging according to maturational process and must be resolved for healthy ego development. The 6th stage of development known as intimacy vs isolation characterizes the phase of young adulthood. If individual fail to make personal commitments with significant others, he/she might become isolated and aloof. The resolution to this stage leads to development of the virtue of ‘love’.
In the middle adulthood stage, the 7th stage, is characterized by the crisis between generativity vs stagnation; the mature adults feel responsible to nurture and guide the next generation if not feeling inadequate and impoverished. The virtue that develops is care.
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