Psychologists in the early 20th century made great strides in understanding the intellectual development of children, a previously misunderstood concept. Child psychologist Jean Piaget developed a theory of cognitive development in children explaining how the mind processes new information throughout four stages of growth. Psychoanalyst Erik Erikson identified life stages from birth to old age and assigned his theory of basic components of psychological and emotional development to each stage.
Infants and Toddlers
Piaget identified a sensorimotor stage spanning birth to about age two. During this stage, babies use their senses to learn about their environment. Movement is an important aspect of this stage, as babies learn that they are separate from their environment. They learn to manipulate their bodies and to use their bodies to manipulate things within their environment.
According to Erikson, this is also when babies learn trust and mistrust. They learn whether they can count on their environment and caregivers to meet their emotional and physical needs.
Preschoolers
Piaget’s preoperational stage covers approximately ages three through seven. This is an important period for language acquisition. Children are now able to communicate with adults and use symbols to represent their worldview through drawing.
During this time, children enter Erikson’s stage of autonomy versus shame and doubt. Children explore their environment and test their boundaries. Encouragement leads to a growing sense of independence and a healthy self-esteem, while ignoring or reprimanding a child for developing autonomy can lead to feelings of shame and self-doubt.
Early Childhood
Early in this stage, children are still in Piaget’s preoperational phase. Their concept of time is limited, focusing primarily on the present. Fantasy and imagination rule much of their play. Children need to manipulate objects physically to understand concepts.
In Erikson’s initiative versus guilt stage, children begin to initiate new activities rather than just imitating modeled behaviors. Encouraging a child’s ideas builds his self-esteem, while a child who is discouraged in his attempts to try new things develops a sense of guilt. Towards the end of the early childhood years, children enter Erikson’s industry versus authority stage, in which they work to improve their skills. Children who are criticized by authority figures more than they are praised often believe they are inferior to their peers. (See References 2 & 4)
Adolescence
During Piaget’s concrete stage, children learn to manipulate information mentally rather than physically. They develop a better understanding of abstract concepts, such as time. Mental and verbal interactions become the primary methods of learning new things.
Early adolescence is characterized by Erikson’s identity versus role confusion stage. Children recognize that they have more than one role in society, such as family member and student. They try to develop an identity based on role models and peer influence. (See References 2 & 4)
Young Adulthood
As children enter young adulthood during the middle teen years, they reach Piaget’s final cognitive stage of formal operations. They can understand hypothetical scenarios and use deductive reasoning to come to conclusions. Young adults are able to understand concepts from several perspectives.
Young adults enter Erikson’s intimacy versus isolation stage, which lasts until approximately middle age. This stage is characterized by the development of close relationships with others, including commitment to a partner. (See References 2 & 4)
