A Child s Sense Of Self - 1297 Words

A child’s sense of self as separate from the world is formulated early in development. Children exposed to early trauma, especially by a primary care giver, develop a distorted sense of the self, others, and the world. When exposed to trauma, children become overwhelmed and are unable to effectively self-regulate thus leading to a disjointed sense of self. They have a tendency to lose hope and expect that life will be dangerous thus challenging their ability to survive (Terr, 1992). Survival becomes the predominant drive for children exposed to trauma and their focus becomes toward responding and adapting to a potentially threatening environment. Feelings of trust and the sense of self become compromised as resources are allocated toward coping with threats. Traumatized children experience guilt and low self-esteem and perceive themselves as unlovable and unworthy of protection or love (Johnson, 1985, 1987). The core-concept of an individual is largely influenced by one’s ability to regulate internal emotional states and one’s behavioral reactions to external stress. Children who experience trauma have difficulty managing their emotional states thus leading to poor perceptions of themselves. A distorted sense of self can potentially lead to loss of autobiographical memories, poor body image, and disturbances in sense of separateness in which the person may appear detached and distant (Carr, 2012). It may also lead to difficulty with impulse control which includes aggressionShow MoreRelatedSigmund Freud s Theory Of Human Development1712 Words   |  7 PagesCompared to Sigmund Freud s theory of human development, where he believed our personality is shaped around the age of five, Erik Erickson s (1902-1994) theory focuses on psychosocial development. That being said, psychosocial development is a theory made more specifically for children as they grow to adulthood based on what they ve seen and think from their parents, peers, and their upcoming experiences. He believed that a person s childhood is the important aspect in developing personalityRead MoreErik Erikson s Psychosocial Stages1703 Words   |  7 PagesErikson s Psychosocial Stages Erik Erikson discussed psychosocial stages, his theory however was predicated upon Sigmund Freud s theory of psychosexual stages. According to Erikson, the ego develops as it prosperously resolves crises that are distinctly gregarious in nature. These involve establishing a sense of confide in others, developing a sense of identity in society, and availing the next generation prepare for the future. Erikson proposed a lifespan model of developing , taking in fiveRead MoreErik Erikson s Theory Of Psychosocial Development1445 Words   |  6 PagesSigmund Freud s work, Erikson s theory centered on psychosocial development rather than psychosexual development. Erik Erikson s theory of psychosocial development is one of the best-known theories of personality in psychology. Much like Sigmund Freud, Erikson believed that personality develops in a series of stages. Unlike Freud s theory of psychosexual stages, Erikson s theory describes the impact of social experience across the whole lifespan. One of the main elements of Erikson s psychosocialRead MoreWhat Is The Self?928 Words   |  4 PagesWhat is the self? According to Gaynesford in his book, The Meaning of the First Person Term, the philosophy of self defines the essential qualities that make one person distinct from all others. There have been numerous approaches to defining these qualities. The self is the idea of a unified being which is the source of consciousness. Moreover, this self is the agent responsible for the thoughts and actions of an individual to which they are ascribed. I believe there are two separate identitiesRead MoreErickson888 Words   |  4 PagesErikson s theory of personality Main article: Erikson s stages of psychosocial development Erikson was a Neo-Freudian. He has been described as an ego psychologist studying the stages of development, spanning the entire lifespan. Each of Erikson s stages of psychosocial development is marked by a conflict for which successful resolution will result in a favourable outcome, and by an important event that this conflict resolves itself around. Favorable outcomes of each stage are sometimesRead MoreChildhood: The Happiest Time of a Persons Life, or Not?877 Words   |  4 Pagessolving skills and the understanding of concepts. Communication and language skills develop with fast vocabulary growth and self expression abilities. Social emotional development takes place. During social-emotional development confidence and a sense of self emerge. This is the time when the development of personality and social relationships occur. Moral development, the sense of right and wrong and learning how to handle feelings in certain situations develop. Children who are physically moreRead MoreChild Development Theories1324 Words   |  6 PagesChild Developmental Theories Ashford University PSY 104 Child and Adolescent Psychology June 29, 2009 Child Developmental Theories While theorists have different ideas and perspectives, insight on child and adolescent development can assist teachers and parents in helping children reach their full developmental and learning potential. Having knowledge about the developmentRead MoreErik Erikson s Theory Of Psychology1365 Words   |  6 Pagespersonality and sense of self.  The first stage, Trust vs. Mistrust, occurs from birth to one year. Erikson defined trust as an essential trustfulness of others as well as a fundamental sense of one s own trustworthiness. He thought that an infant who gets fed when he or she is hungry and comforted when he needs comforting will develop trust. He also said that some mistrust is necessary to learn to discriminate between honest and dishonest persons. If mistrust wins over trust in this stage, the child will beRead MoreAn Analysis of Bastard Out of Carolina by Dorothy Allison1217 Words   |  5 Pagesthe leading mystery of the trouble being caused. She has numerous unha ppy situations and is in no way self-satisfied with herself. She doesn t appreciate who she is physically. She constantly thinks she is the most homely and dull person who causes the most inconvenience in the family. This sense of selflessness is mainly due to the physical and sexual abuse brought upon by Daddy Glen, Bone s stepfather. Unfortunately, the assaults were stretched out over a long period of time, leaving little chanceRead MoreThe Eight Crisis Stages Of Erik Erikson Development Theory1456 Words   |  6 Pagesterms of child development. Psychologist Erik Erikson was born in Frankfurt Germany on June 15th of 1902 and died in Harwich Massachusetts on May 12th 1994 as one of the more influential figures in child developmental theories. Mister Erikson was heavily influenced by the work of the famous psychoanalytic theorist Sigmund Freud however influence did not stop him from the belief that Freud s theory misjudged important dimensions of the human development (Santrock, 2012). Erikson s theory