Child Behavior: School Age Crisis - Initiative vs. Guilt | Study notes Childhood Development

The Psychosocial Crisis of Early The Psychosocial Crisis of Early

School Age: Initiative vs. GuiltSchool Age: Initiative vs. Guilt

InitiativeInitiative

GuiltGuilt

Positive ResolutionPositive Resolution

Negative ResolutionNegative Resolution

Central Process: IdentificationCentral Process: Identification

Prime Adaptive Ego Quality: PurposePrime Adaptive Ego Quality: Purpose

Core Pathology: InhibitionCore Pathology: Inhibition

The Psychosocial Crisis of Early School The Psychosocial Crisis of Early School

Age: Initiative vs. GuiltAge: Initiative vs. Guilt

Basically, children during this stage attempt to discover Basically, children during this stage attempt to discover

the same kind of the same kind of stability, strength, stability, strength, and and regularityregularity

in the external world that they have discovered within in the external world that they have discovered within

themselvesthemselves

InitiativeInitiative --the active, conceptual investigation of the the active, conceptual investigation of the

world (in much the same way that world (in much the same way that autonomy autonomy is the is the

active, active, physicalphysical manipulation of it)manipulation of it)

––Once children acquire selfOnce children acquire self--control and confidence control and confidence

in themselves, they set about performing many in themselves, they set about performing many

actions and observing the consequences. actions and observing the consequences.

––In this way, they learn about their effect upon In this way, they learn about their effect upon

other people, and this further informs their other people, and this further informs their

understanding about how and toward what end understanding about how and toward what end

they should behavethey should behave

Initiative vs. Guilt (continued)Initiative vs. Guilt (continued)

Several things to be aware of concerning Several things to be aware of concerning

initiative:initiative:

––1. One expression of initiative is children’s 1. One expression of initiative is children’s

playful exploration of their bodies.playful exploration of their bodies.

––2. A positive sense of initiative can be applied 2. A positive sense of initiative can be applied

in social settings.in social settings.

––3. Initiative can be expressed when children 3. Initiative can be expressed when children

are alone just as readily as when they are in are alone just as readily as when they are in

social situations.social situations.

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The Psychosocial Crisis of EarlyThe Psychosocial Crisis of Early

School Age:School Age: Initiative vs. GuiltInitiative vs. Guilt

InitiativeInitiative

GuiltGuilt

Positive ResolutionPositive Resolution

Negative ResolutionNegative Resolution

Central Process: IdentificationCentral Process: Identification

Prime Adaptive Ego Quality: PurposePrime Adaptive Ego Quality: Purpose

Core Pathology: InhibitionCore Pathology: Inhibition

The Psychosocial Crisis of Early SchoolThe Psychosocial Crisis of Early School

Age: Initiative vs. GuiltAge: Initiative vs. Guilt

Basically, children during this stage attempt to discoverBasically, children during this stage attempt to discover the same kind ofthe same kind of stability, strength,stability, strength, andand regularityregularity in the external world that they have discovered withinin the external world that they have discovered within themselvesthemselves InitiativeInitiative - - the active, conceptual investigation of thethe active, conceptual investigation of the world (in much the same way thatworld (in much the same way that autonomyautonomy is theis the active,active, physicalphysical manipulation of it)manipulation of it)

– Once children acquire selfOnce children acquire self--control and confidencecontrol and confidence in themselves, they set about performing manyin themselves, they set about performing many actions and observing the consequences.actions and observing the consequences.
– In this way, they learn about their effect uponIn this way, they learn about their effect upon other people, and this further informs theirother people, and this further informs their understanding about how and toward what endunderstanding about how and toward what end they should behavethey should behave

Initiative vs. Guilt (continued)Initiative vs. Guilt (continued)

Several things to be aware of concerningSeveral things to be aware of concerning

initiative:initiative:

– 1. One expression of initiative is children’s1. One expression of initiative is children’s

playful exploration of their bodies.playful exploration of their bodies.

– 2. A positive sense of initiative can be applied2. A positive sense of initiative can be applied in social settings.in social settings.
– 3. Initiative can be expressed when children3. Initiative can be expressed when children are alone just as readily as when they are inare alone just as readily as when they are in social situations.social situations.

GuiltGuilt - - a negative emotion associated with a feeling ofa negative emotion associated with a feeling of being responsible for an unacceptable thought,being responsible for an unacceptable thought, fantasy or action.fantasy or action.

Guilt usually is associated with a sense of selfGuilt usually is associated with a sense of self -- blame, remorse, and a desire to make amends forblame, remorse, and a desire to make amends for real or imagined wrongdoingsreal or imagined wrongdoings

– thus there is an adaptive function of promotingthus there is an adaptive function of promoting social harmony and inhibiting “wrong” actionssocial harmony and inhibiting “wrong” actions To be aware of regarding guilt:To be aware of regarding guilt:

Guilt is much more internally driven than the more1. Guilt is much more internally driven than the more externally controlled sense of shame/doubtexternally controlled sense of shame/doubt
Socialization has much to do with just which2. Socialization has much to do with just which thoughts and/or actions lead children to thethoughts and/or actions lead children to the experience of guilt (e.g., masturbation,experience of guilt (e.g., masturbation, aggressiveness, nonaggressiveness, non--gendergender--specific play, etc.)specific play, etc.)

Positive resolutionPositive resolution: children find pleasure in their active,: children find pleasure in their active, questioning investigation of the environment,questioning investigation of the environment, tempered by a respect for personal privacy andtempered by a respect for personal privacy and cultural values.cultural values. Note that moderate levels of guilt are associated withNote that moderate levels of guilt are associated with positive levels of prosocial behavior and high levels ofpositive levels of prosocial behavior and high levels of empathy (i.e., guilt can be adaptive)empathy (i.e., guilt can be adaptive) Additionally, gender differences in the experience ofAdditionally, gender differences in the experience of guilt have been noted…guilt have been noted…

Negative resolutionNegative resolution: children suffer an overwhelm: children suffer an overwhelm-- inging

sense of guilt, and might even begin to believe thatsense of guilt, and might even begin to believe that their thoughts and actions are responsible for much oftheir thoughts and actions are responsible for much of the misfortune and unhappiness of others.the misfortune and unhappiness of others. One serious problem: child’s experience of guiltOne serious problem: child’s experience of guilt becomes tied to his/her arousal of interest andbecomes tied to his/her arousal of interest and curiosity, which interferes with developmentcuriosity, which interferes with development

Central Process for Resolving the Crisis:Central Process for Resolving the Crisis:

IdentificationIdentification

Children incorporate their parents’ values andChildren incorporate their parents’ values and

behaviors into their own behavior. In this way,behaviors into their own behavior. In this way,

children are able to:children are able to:

– 1. Feel that their parents are with them even when1. Feel that their parents are with them even when they are not, andthey are not, and
– 2. Develop a growing sense of independence from2. Develop a growing sense of independence from their parents (since the child is confident he/she cantheir parents (since the child is confident he/she can do the parent’s job of guiding their own behavior)do the parent’s job of guiding their own behavior)

Child Behavior: School Age Crisis - Initiative vs. Guilt, Study notes of Childhood Development

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Partial preview of the text

Download Child Behavior: School Age Crisis - Initiative vs. Guilt and more Study notes Childhood Development in PDF only on Docsity!

The Psychosocial Crisis of EarlyThe Psychosocial Crisis of Early

School Age:School Age: Initiative vs. GuiltInitiative vs. Guilt

InitiativeInitiative

GuiltGuilt

Positive ResolutionPositive Resolution

Negative ResolutionNegative Resolution

Central Process: IdentificationCentral Process: Identification

Prime Adaptive Ego Quality: PurposePrime Adaptive Ego Quality: Purpose

Core Pathology: InhibitionCore Pathology: Inhibition

The Psychosocial Crisis of Early SchoolThe Psychosocial Crisis of Early School

Age: Initiative vs. GuiltAge: Initiative vs. Guilt

Initiative vs. Guilt (continued)Initiative vs. Guilt (continued)

Several things to be aware of concerningSeveral things to be aware of concerning

initiative:initiative:

Central Process for Resolving the Crisis:Central Process for Resolving the Crisis:

IdentificationIdentification

Children incorporate their parents’ values andChildren incorporate their parents’ values and

behaviors into their own behavior. In this way,behaviors into their own behavior. In this way,

children are able to:children are able to:

this leads to the development of an ideal selfthis leads to the development of an ideal self

image, which will be more unrealistic now thanimage, which will be more unrealistic now than

later.later.