PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES, TASKS, AND CHALLENGES

IN MIDDLE AND LATE ADOLESCENCE
S.Y. 2020-2021
KEY POINTS
 Human Development focuses on human growth and changes across the lifespan including physical,
cognitive, social, intellectual, perceptual, personality and emotional growth.

 The study of human developmental stages is essential to understanding how humans learn, mature
and adapt. Throughout their lives, humans go through various stages of development.

 Erik Erikson (1902–1994) was a stage theorist who took Freud’s controversial theory of psychosexual
development and modified it as a psychosocial theory of development.

 Erikson emphasized that the ego makes positive contributions to development by mastering attitudes,
ideas, and skills at each stage of development. This mastery helps children grow into successful,
contributing members of society. During each of Erikson’s eight development stages, there is a
psychological conflict that must be successfully overcome in order for a child to develop into a
healthy, well-adjusted adult. Failure to master these tasks leads to feelings of inadequacy.

Erikson's Stages of Psychosocial Development Summary Chart

Stage Basic Conflict Important Outcome
Events
Infancy (birth Trust vs. Feeding Children develop a sense of trust when caregivers provide
to 18 months) Mistrust reliability, care, and affection. A lack of this will lead to
mistrust.
Early Autonomy vs. Toilet Children need to develop a sense of personal control over
Childhood (2 Shame and Training physical skills and a sense of independence. Success
to 3 years) Doubt leads to feelings of autonomy, failure results in feelings
of shame and doubt.
Preschool (3 to Initiative vs. Exploration Children need to begin asserting control and power over the
5 years) Guilt environment. Success in this stage leads to a sense of
purpose. Children who try to exert too much power
experience disapproval, resulting in a sense of guilt.
School Age (6 to Industry vs. School Children need to cope with new social and academic
11 years) Inferiority demands. Success leads to a sense of competence, while
failure results in feelings of inferiority.
Adolescence (12 Identity vs. Social Teens needs to develop a sense of self and personal
to 18 years) Role Relationships identity. Success leads to an ability to stay true to yourself,
while failure leads to role confusion and a weak sense of
Confusion self.
Young Intimacy vs. Relationships Young adults need to form intimate, loving relationships
Adulthood Isolation with other people. Success leads to strong relationships,
while failure results in loneliness and isolation.
(19 to 40
years)
Middle Generativity vs. Work and Adults need to create or nurture things that will outlast
Adulthood Stagnation Parenthoo them, often by having children or creating a positive
(40 to 65 d change that benefits other people. Success leads to
years) feelings of usefulness and accomplishment, while failure
results in shallow involvement in the world.
Maturity(65 Ego Reflection Older adults need to look back on life and feel a sense of
to death) Integrity vs. on Life fulfillment. Success at this stage leads to feelings of
Despair wisdom, while failure results in regret, bitterness, and
despair.

Psychosocial Stage 1 - Trust vs. Mistrust

 The first stage of Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development occurs between birth and one
year of age and is the most fundamental stage in life.
 Because an infant is utterly dependent, the development of trust is based on the dependability
and quality of the child’s caregivers.
 If a child successfully develops trust, he or she will feel safe and secure in the world.
Caregivers who are inconsistent, emotionally unavailable, or rejecting contribute to feelings of
mistrust in the children they care for. Failure to develop trust will result in fear and a belief
that the world is inconsistent and unpredictable.
 Psychosocial Stage 2 - Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt
 The second stage of Erikson's theory of psychosocial development takes place during early
childhood and is focused on children developing a greater sense of personal control.
 Like Freud, Erikson believed that toilet training was a vital part of this process. However,
Erikson's reasoning was quite different than that of Freud's. Erikson believe that learning to
control one’s body functions leads to a feeling of control and a sense of independence.
 Other important events include gaining more control over food choices, toy preferences, and
clothing selection.
 Children who successfully complete this stage feel secure and confident, while those who do not
are left with a sense of inadequacy and self-doubt.

Psychosocial Stage 3 - Initiative vs. Guilt

 During the preschool years, children begin to assert their power and control over the world
through directing play and other social interaction.
 Children who are successful at this stage feel capable and able to lead others. Those who fail to
acquire these skills are left with a sense of guilt, self-doubt and lack of initiative.3

Psychosocial Stage 4 - Industry vs. Inferiority

 This stage covers the early school years from approximately age 5 to 11.
 Through social interactions, children begin to develop a sense of pride in their accomplishments and
abilities.
 Children who are encouraged and commended by parents and teachers develop a feeling of
competence and belief in their skills. Those who receive little or no encouragement from
parents, teachers, or peers will doubt their ability to be successful.

Psychosocial Stage 5 - Identity vs. Confusion

 During adolescence, children are exploring their independence and developing a sense of self.
 Those who receive proper encouragement and reinforcement through personal exploration will
emerge from this stage with a strong sense of self and a feeling of independence and control.
Those who remain unsure of their beliefs and desires will insecure and confused about
themselves and the future.

Psychosocial Stage 6 - Intimacy vs. Isolation

 This stage covers the period of early adulthood when people are exploring personal relationships.
 Erikson believed it was vital that people develop close, committed relationships with other
people. Those who are successful at this step will develop relationships that are committed and
secure.
 Remember that each step builds on skills learned in previous steps. Erikson believed that a
strong sense of personal identity was important to developing intimate relationships. Studies
have demonstrated that those with a poor sense of self tend to have less committed
relationships and are more likely to suffer emotional isolation, loneliness, and depression.

Psychosocial Stage 7 - Generativity vs. Stagnation

 During adulthood, we continue to build our lives, focusing on our career and family.
 Those who are successful during this phase will feel that they are contributing to the world by
being active in their home and community. Those who fail to attain this skill will feel
unproductive and uninvolved in the world.

Psychosocial Stage 8 - Integrity vs. Despair

 This phase occurs during old age and is focused on reflecting back on life.
 Those who are unsuccessful during this phase will feel that their life has been wasted and will
experience many regrets. The individual will be left with feelings of bitterness and despair.
 Those who feel proud of their accomplishments will feel a sense of integrity. Successfully
completing this phase means looking back with few regrets and a general feeling of
satisfaction. These individuals will attain wisdom, even when confronting death

 According to Robert Harvighurst, a developmental task is a task which an individual has to and
wants to solve in a particular life-period.

 Havighurst writes, “A developmental task is the midway between an individual need and a social
demand. It assumes an active learner interacting with an active social environment”. The idea of
the concept is that children and young people want to solve problems themselves (the active
learner).
 Adolescence is the period of transition between childhood and adulthood. It includes some big
changes—to the body, and to the way a young person relates to the world.

 Having responsibility for things that matter and that contribute to the welfare of others is part of a
teen's preparation for the future. Responsibility can be defined as the ability to be answerable or
accountable for something within one's power, control or management. Accountability is an
obligation or willingness to accept responsibility.

 Filipino authors Corpuz et al. (2010) in their book, Child and Adolescent Development, identified
developmental tasks a Filipino adolescent needs to learn. These are:
1. Developing occupational skills – skills that can help the adolescent develop
responsibility as a preparation for gainful employment ahead.
2. Self-reliance – the ability to identify their own skills and knowledge, capabilities, and
resources to engage meaningful activities and not rely too much on others.
3. Ability to manage their finances – be able to discern what is the difference between
“wants” and “needs” and be able to learn self-control when handling their finances. As
early as possible, the adolescent should learn financial literacy through various means
available to them.
4. Social responsibility – adolescents should be able to see beyond themselves, take into
consideration the greater community around them, and see their role in improving and
developing these communities, serving as change agents.
5. Mature work orientation – develop pride in what they do and raise standards of
excellence in the quality of their work.
6. Personal responsibility – to be fully responsible for their own decisions and actions by
owning them, become aware of the repercussions or results of the decisions they make
and be mature enough to “own” these results, and refrain from putting blame on others for
the results of their decisions and actions.
7. Positive attitude toward work – in the book, “The Prophet by the Lebanese poet, Kahlil
Gibran, he wrote, “Work is Love made Visible.” Developing a healthy and positive
attitude toward work means that we see work as an expression of our love for people who
are important to us, including ourselves. One can learn new things and grow to become
highly skilled, knowledgeable, and loving person if he or she sees work as a way toward
self-improvement and as an expression of love for his or her significant others.

 Here is an additional list of developmental tasks and skills a Filipino adolescent should acquire:
1. Being courageous in standing up and being different from your friends. The
adolescent needs to feel he or she belongs to a group. While this is important, belonging
to a group does not necessarily mean losing one’s identity and being guided by “mob
rule” or what the majority does. This is especially effective when being offered to smoke
a cigarette or to drink alcoholic beverages or even to try out dangerous drugs. Being
courageous means learning to say “NO” to what one thinks is going against his or her
belief and values system even this world mean rejection by the group.
2. Developing self-esteem. Learn to understand, accept, and appreciate oneself as a unique
person. Avoiding comparisons between you and other people is also a healthy way to
develop self-esteem.
3. Being true to yourself and avoiding the tendency to please others. Adolescents find it
difficult to assert their individuality or uniqueness because they are afraid others will not
approve or like them, or will not allow them to become a member of a group. Conformity
often occurs during this stage of development. By developing one’s self-esteem, the need
for approval from others become less.
4. Learning how media and advertising are trying to influence your thinking and
feelings. Understand that news is reported for a reason, usually to serve the purpose of
someone or some organization. Understand that advertising employed to sell consumer
products work on either fear or desires.
5. Becoming aware, critical, and being involved with social issues such as poverty and
corruption. Let our leaders know how you think and feel about our society and learn to
suggest solutions in improving our lives.
6. Embracing a healthy lifestyle. Becoming aware of your health and the food you eat and
engaging in sports and other physical activities beneficial to your well-being. Learn to
relax.
7. Developing your spirituality. Finding what gives meaning to your life and to all the
experiences you are going through.

 The following are twelve (12) ways which could help you, teenagers, to become a responsible
adolescent prepared for adult life:
 1. Focus on your studies and do well in all of your endeavors. There is time for everything.
Knowing what to study, organizing time and materials, and managing distractions are
important homework skills.
2. Take care of your health and hygiene. Healthy body and mind are important as you journey
through adolescence.
3. Establish good communication and relation with your parents or guardian. Listen to
them. This may be easier said than done at this stage, but creating good relationship with them
will do you good as they are the ones you can lean on especially in times of trouble.
4. Understand the Generation Gap. A generation gap or generational gap is a difference of
opinions between one generation and another regarding beliefs, politics, or values. In today's
usage, generation gap often refers to a perceived gap between younger people and their
parents or grandparents. We as youngsters always fail to understand that there is a generation
gap and it is going to exist, you won’t be able to do anything against it. We many a times
blame our parents for not understanding us, but the reality is they try their best to understand
us but they cannot understand where are we going heading. So it becomes our responsibility to
understand them and make them understand, before we start losing each other.
5. Think a lot before doing something. Evaluate probable consequences before acting. Practice
self-control and self-discipline.
6. Choose to do the right thing. There are plenty of situations in which it is better to use your
mind rather than your heart.
7. Do your best to resist temptations, bad acts, and earthly pleasures and commit to being a
responsible adolescent. To become a responsible teen avoid being part of wrong deeds.
Responsible deeds do not stop at your parents or the surrounding but you should be
responsible to yourself also. You should know what is good for you and what is not. Mocking
or ragging someone can give you nothing but a blink of you being superior to others, which is
completely opposite to the truth.
8. Don’t misuse your freedom be a responsible teenager. Freedom is something that can get
the best or the worst out of you. This is something told or felt by most of you out there. But
yes it is really true. If you start misusing your freedom, you are surely going to enjoy for the
short-term but it will have a damaging effect over the long-term. Enjoy your freedom but try
not to misuse it.
9. Respect yourself. You are an adult in the making. Do not let your teenage hormones get into
you. If you respect yourself, others will respect you too.
10. Always listen to everyone but do the best for you. If an elder gives you a piece of advice,
always listen to them because it is not them who’s speaking, it is their experience speaking.
Also don’t listen and follow them blindly, rather evaluate and take the best out of all. This
ability will help you to take from small to crucial decisions all your life.
11. Be prepared to be answerable or accountable for your actions and behavior. It is a part of
growing up and becoming an adult.
12. Become a responsible support when needed. Sometimes parents get exhausted after a long
tough day. So instead of demanding to cook fancy dinner for you, if you cannot cook, ask
them cook something quick and easy.

Summary of Big Ideas

o Puberty involves the physical changes that happen during the adolescent stage. During puberty,
the adolescent body matures sexually.
o Cognitive development also happens during adolescence as the brain continues to grow and
develop. New cognitive skills develop such as reasoning, abstract thinking, and increased
intelligence.
o Social development happens during adolescence when adolescent desire for more autonomy and
independence from their families; and as their friends and peers become their primary influence,
taking over previous roles their parents had.
o Idealism and experimentation are hallmarks of adolescence stage. Beliefs and values are formed
at this stage, sometimes even questioning the existing and accepted social norms. With puberty,
the adolescent also goes into experimentation of their bodies, exploring their sexuality, as well as
substances such as alcoholic drinks or drugs, which may result in addiction or crime.
o There are certain developmental tasks and skills adolescents have to learn and imbibe so that they
can prepare themselves in becoming more responsible adolescents and mature toward young
adulthood. These tasks and skills will also help adolescents in defining their career preferences
while preparing them for more meaningful and productive lives.
o Self-identity or self-concept evolves from an individual’s own set of beliefs and value system, in
the roles he has identified for himself, the responsibilities he recognizes and owns, and the
expectations others have on him.