In Erickson's development theory, the stage of "Trust vs. Mistrust" comes first after birth between the ages of 0 and 1.5. The most fundamental question that arises here is whether the world is a safe place for an individual or it is still marred by uncertainties. During this stage, the infant is unsure about the environment in which they live. As a way of resolving this crisis, the infant depends on the primary caregiver to provide them with care and stability (Bishop, 2013). Trust will only come if the infant is provided with a care that is reliable, predictable, and consistent.
As children gain trust, they will potentially carry it to the subsequent stages hence forming stable relationships. They will increasingly depict a sense of security even in the face of threats. On the contrary, if the child receives an unpredictable, inconsistent, or an unreliable care, they are likely to develop mistrust. Bishop, (2013) noted that their confidence would subsequently deteriorate thereby negatively implicating their ability to influence their surroundings. Therefore, a child who has failed to resolve the stage will carry the mistrust with them to the subsequent life stages. It will, in turn, affect their relationships resulting in marked insecurities, anxiety, and a general feeling of mistrust towards their environment.
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The quality of attachment in the early life significantly affects the life of an individual at the latter stages of their lives. For example, an individual who faced to resolve the “Trust vs. Mistrust” stage will show profound fear and a lack of hope in their adult lives (Bishop, 2013). I had a high school classmate who showed critical signs of failure to resolve this important stage in life. The individual was an introvert who preferred to stay indoors even when the rest of the neighbors were hanging out together. In an instant, he even accused members of our class of wanting to kill him when they did a small prank on him.
Reference
Bishop, C. L. (2013). Psychosocial Stages of Development. The Encyclopedia of Cross‐Cultural Psychology , 3 , 1055-1061.
