The Life Cycle: Epigenesis of Identity
Erikson's model of psychosocial development as described in the article is a very significant, highly regarded and meaningful concept. It explains how Life is a series of lessons and challenges which help us to grow and it helps us understand why. I feel that this theory is helpful for not only children’s development but adults as well. It’s important that one know what constitutes a healthy personality and how ones personality adapts to life necessities with some vital enthusiasm to spare. Erikson believed that his psychosocial principle is genetically inevitable in shaping human development. He believed that it occurs in all people. He also referred to his theory as 'epigenesis' and the 'epigenetic principle'. This signifies the concept's that anything that grows has a ground plan and out of the ground plan the parts arise each part having its own special time to arise until all parts have aroused to function together. There for in Erikson's theory, Epigenetic does not refer to individual genetic make-up and its influence on individual development. Rather Erikson was largely concerned with how personality and behavior is influenced after and not before birth, and especially during childhood. In the 'nature v nurture' debate, Erikson was firmly focused on nurture and experience. After reading his article I feel that Erikson's eight stage model is simple and well-designed, at the same time very sophisticated. As with any concept there are critics, but generally I feel Erikson's theory is considered fundamentally significant. Erikson was a psychoanalyst and a humanitarian, so his theory is useful far beyond psychoanalysis. It is useful for any application involving personal awareness and development of oneself or others. I find Erikson's eight stages theory to be a tremendously powerful model: it is very accessible and obviously relevant to modern life, from several different perspectives, for understanding and explaining how personality