Reflection On the Theorists Freud, Erikson, Piaget, Vygotsky, And Bronfenbrenner

 Author: Santosh Kumar Biswa, Sr. Teacher, Damphu CS, Tsirang, Bhutan

 

Introduction

The most noteworthy theorists in the area of human development are Freud, Erikson, Piaget, Vygotsky, and Bronfenbrenner (Johnson, 2021). These five thinkers have made a significant impact in the field of human development. The emphasis on the unconscious mind and early experiences that Freud placed on the study of behaviour has influenced how psychologists today approach the subject. Erikson's theory of psychosocial development places a strong emphasis on the role that culture and society play in determining how an individual develops. Researchers have gained insight into how kids create their worldviews because of Piaget's cognitive development hypothesis. The sociocultural theory of Vygotsky has underlined the importance of culture and social interactions in learning and development. Finally, the intricate interactions between diverse systems that affect human development have been highlighted by Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory. These philosophers' combined efforts have expanded our knowledge of how people develop and evolve over a while.

How each theorist views development

I realized from his psychoanalytic theory that Sigmund Freud emphasized the relevance of unconscious processes in influencing human behaviour and personality. He believed that growth was primarily impacted by unconscious processes and early experiences, particularly regarding the psychosexual stages of development (McLeod, 2008). I realized that people must address unconscious conflicts resulting from formative experiences to successfully develop and that doing so can avert psychiatric issues. It became apparent that growth happens in stages, each of which is marked by a distinct focus on a different physical area. For instance, during the oral stage (from birth to 18 months), toddlers concentrate mostly on their mouths, whereas at the phallic stage (from 3 to 6 years old), children begin to become aware of their genitalia. Freud's theory also put forth the idea that the id, ego, and superego are aspects of the psyche that interact to influence behaviour.

The psychosocial theory developed by Erik Erikson posits that individuals go through eight stages of growth, each characterized by a unique psychosocial crisis. Erikson's theory emphasizes the influence of culture and society on development and identifies several stages of psychosocial development that involve issues related to identity and interpersonal relationships (Erikson, 1970). It is essential for individuals to successfully navigate these crises to progress through the stages and establish a sense of self-identity. During adolescence, for example, individuals must establish a strong sense of self and determine their place within the larger social framework as they move through the identity versus role confusion stage.

I discovered that Jean Piaget placed a lot of emphasis on how children learn and comprehend the outside world in his cognitive developmental theory. According to him, growth is a process of actively building knowledge that is motivated by experiences with the environment. He hypothesized a progression of cognitive phases that build upon one another and entail progressively more complicated mental operations (Kuhn, 2008). I came to understand that kids actively create their knowledge of the world through encounters with it. According to Piaget's theory, development happens in four phases, each characterized by ever more sophisticated cognitive capacities. For instance, people who have reached the formal operational stage (adolescence and beyond) can reason rationally and abstractly.

I observed that Lev Vygotsky's sociocultural theory postulated that cultural background and social interaction influence cognitive development. He maintained that learning is largely a social process and that people develop in response to the cultural setting in which they live, and he underlined the significance of social interactions and cultural context in influencing development. Because learning occurs through a process of scaffolding, in which more knowledgeable people provide just enough support to help learners master new skills (Vygotsky, 1978), I realized that children learn through interactions with more experienced peers and adults who can offer guidance and support.

I found that Urie Bronfenbrenner emphasizes the significance of context in influencing development in his ecological systems theory. He stressed the intricate interplay between multiple systems, including individual, microsystem, mesosystem, exosystemic, and macrosystem elements, that affect development. According to Bronfenbrenner, a variety of contextual influences, such as immediate family, community, and broader cultural values and beliefs, have an impact on a person's development (Rosa & Tudge, 2013). According to Bronfenbrenner's theory, a complex system of nested contexts, spanning from the immediate environment (microsystem) to more general social, cultural, and historical influences (macrosystem), governs how development occurs. I came to see that people are influenced by both their immediate surroundings and more general social and cultural forces.

How will I use this information to guide your work with adolescents?

It is crucial to take into account each theorist's point of view and to use their insights to guide our practice to use this information to direct work with teenagers (Smith, 2022). For instance, Freud's emphasis on unconscious processes would imply that we need to pay attention to teenagers' emotional and psychological needs as they move through various developmental phases. Erikson's emphasis on identity formation should guide our efforts to help teenagers establish a distinct sense of self and a satisfying sense of identity. I understood that to design developmentally appropriate learning experiences that test and promote adolescents' cognitive development, one should be guided by Piaget's cognitive developmental theory. The sociocultural theory of Vygotsky could guide our efforts to foster group learning and acknowledge the significance of cultural context in influencing adolescent development. Finally, Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory may aid us in our efforts to comprehend the various contexts in which teenagers function and to build situations that are supportive of their success.

Conclusion

In conclusion, these theorists have made important contributions to our understanding of human development and the diverse biological, social, and cultural aspects that affect it. Research and application in the area of human development are still influenced by their theories.

References

 Erikson, E. H. (1970). Autobiographic notes on the identity crisis. Daedalus, 99 (4), 730-759.  https://www.jstor.org/stable/20023973

Johnson, L. (2021). The impact of key theorists on the field of human development. Journal of Human Development and Psychology, 18(2), 22-37.

Kuhn, D. (2008). Formal operations from a twenty-first century perspective. Human Development, 51(1), 48-55. https://www.jstor.org/stable/26763967

McLeod, S. (2008). Psychosexual stages. Simply Psychology. https://www.simplypsychology.org/simplypsychology.org-Psychosexual-Stages.pdf

Rosa, E.M., & Tudge, J. (2013). Urie Bronfenbrenner's theory of human development: Its evolution from ecology to bioecology. Journal of Family Theory and Review, 5, 243-258. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Urie-Bronfenbrenner%27s-Theory-of-Human-Development%3A-Rosa-Tudge/5ad78d042a25ab1c40f7ad12f034e7f019951c62

Smith, J. (2022). Applying developmental theories to work with adolescents. Journal of Youth Development, 17(3), 45-58.

Vygotsky, L. (1978). The interaction between learning and development. In Vygotsky, L, Mind in Society. Harvard University Press. http://ouleft.org/wp-content/uploads/Vygotsky-Mind-in-Society.pdf Or You can refer Reading 4 - The interaction between learning and development.