Erikson is best known for his eight stages of psychosocial development. Consider the stage of trust versus mistrust and (A) identify when this stage occurs; (B) give a general description of a positive and negative development of this stage

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

ANS: Erikson's oral-sensory stage of psychosocial development occurs during our first year of life, the time of our greatest helplessness. This is a period marked by the mother–child bond in which there can be excellent bonding and nurturance or lack of bonding and little affection between the child and the mother. This can create lifelong bonding issues and acceptance of self-worth issues.
If the mother responds appropriately to the baby's physical needs and provides ample affection, love, and security, then infants will develop a sense of trust, an attitude that will characterize the growing child's view of themselves and others. In this way, we learn to expect "consistency, continuity, and sameness" from other people and situations in our environment. On the other hand, if the mother is rejecting, inattentive, or inconsistent in her behavior, infants may develop an attitude of mistrust and will become suspicious, fearful, and anxious.
Although the pattern of trust or mistrust as a dimension of personality is set in infancy, the problem may reappear at a later developmental stage.
If this phase is not successfully negotiated and resolved, the phase will continue to have either a positive or negative effect on relationships in and outside of the family.