Psychosocial development occurs over eight stage series. In each stage, a child learns and masters new aspects in life and holds onto them as they grow older. Most of the things learnt in these stages are permanent while a few can be changed in the future life. Pat grew in an environment that did not provide her with what a child should have. She had no father to play with and the mother fell ill and became unavailable. Most people need family members as they grow up and adapt to new surroundings and people; something Pat lacks. This essay will discuss the eight stages of psychosocial development and how Pat development them.
Stage One: Basic Trust vs. Mistrust
This is the stage in which the child grows wondering whether they can have trust in anybody or the world within which they live. Though not rational as adults may be, young children know who they interact with through their voices, smell and the face. Usually, they would be calm and comfortable around the people they see and hear of daily (Marcia, 2002). They also have the strongest of bonds with their mothers at this age that they trust a lot. Pat’s first two years are not at par with most children but it seems she got to trust her mother more than anyone else. She speaks of the things her mother told her about this tender and defining age. She will grow up trusting the people who are close to her.
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Stage Two: Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt
In this stage, the children start thinking of doing things on their own. Most of them will try as much as they can to get stuff done by themselves as they seek to know what is the cause of such and why it things happen the way they do. In some instances, they are also shameful of the things that they do. Children are willing to learn from their parents and put the knowledge in practice (Marcia, 2002). Pat’s development is in line with this stage because she learns to use the potty at age four, the age when most of the children learn to use the potty or the toilet. She also witnesses the fights between her father and mother. She has difficulties moving about because of the problems she has with her legs. She can’t walk because of the doubt that she has in her ability to do so and no family member offers help. She grows up feeling insufficient.
Stage Three: Initiative vs. Guilt
During this phase, the child knows more of the world and becomes adventurous and they get out playing with friends and relatives of the same age. The child thinks that they are mature enough to get in to the world and know more of it. They have more people surrounding them, and the family becomes the central unit around which they play. They learn to trust other people like they to do with both the parents (Marcia, 2002). Pat grows into this stage alone. She has had to live by herself virtually as family members left her with her ailing mother. The lack of family members to nurture her abilities at this stage leads into loss of interest in the world.
Stage Four: Industry vs. Inferiority
In stage four, the child becomes more open to several ideas and a bulk of information. It is the age when most of them start going to school and having a lot more friends than the precious stages. They expand the base of the people whom they trust and share information with. The family still forms a foundation upon which the children believe in despite having strong associations with neighbors and school mates. Pat misses on the closeness of family members as her father leaves the family when she is seven years old and the siblings leave as soon as they hit six. She remains with her a sick mother and one who can’t be there fully for her. This leads to development of low self-esteem and lack of motivation (Marcia, 2002).
Stage five: Identity vs. Role Confusion
Stage five sees a child into adolescence. Adolescence sets in and children are likely to lose their focus and become misled by their peers. They want to know who they are and what will become of them. Pat indulges in delinquent behaviors such as smoking and partly simply because of the family issues she is facing and partly probably because of the friends she has. Adolescents like doing things in groups and try out issues in life. She tried smoking and became addicted to it. The influence of friends and age-mates contributes to her smoking addiction (Marcia, 2002).
Stage Six: Intimacy vs. Isolation
Most people in this stage try out falling in love and getting to trust partners, friends or even get married and live with a family. People learn to trust others more, try to build on the knowledge they have and fulfill the potential of their lives. The young adults of this age are usually energetic and are determined to succeed and become people of value to the society. Pat does not think so however. Energy and performance are related to are derived from health; something that is lacking in her life. As she says, she has been in and out of the hospital because of the illnesses that she would not want to talk about. She has low self-esteem, has lost faith in the world and cannot comprehend why all this mystery chose her (Marcia, 2002).
Stage seven: Generativity vs. Stagnation
In the second last stage, people become more mature and live the way they have always dream of. They need care, love and peace because of the advancing ages. The families and friends they have made in life form a critical group in the life. Probably, Pat does not have someone there for him and that is why she says that her health is not important (Marcia, 2002).
Stage Eight: Ego Integrity vs. Despair
This is the last stage and it is characterized with psychosocial development which means a person feels like he or she has lived and what remains of them is to die. When they do have someone close to them, they become desperate and may cause harm to themselves in a way or another. However, Pat does not have any close people to share her story and live with them for the next car. She has led a life of loneliness and waits on the day which will be her last in this world (Marcia, 2002).
In conclusion, it can be seen that Pat lacks the basic things such as relationships, and love that most people get from their family members. Her family is broken down at a tender age. From the first to the last, Pat at least misses out on something in life. She gives into the worldly pressure and starts smoking a lot.
Reference
Marcia, J. E. (2002). Identity and psychosocial development in adulthood. Identity: An international journal of theory and research, 2(1), 7-28.
