Explain two psychological theories of individual development and Essay

Explain two psychological theories of individual development and discuss how these can be used to understand the health of an individual today - Essay Example â€Å"He tried to trace current behavior to early childhood experiences including children’s sexual fantasies† (Kalat, 2008, p.24). Erik Erikson’s greatest contribution to Psychology is evidently his take on the stages of Human Development. Divided into eight stages, he argues that for every stage man has definite goals and desires to master to be able to overcome various personal conflicts. The inability to conquer these could lead to arduous consequences in the long run. His theory offers a more practical approach to dealing with psychological troubles. They are specifically founded on stimuli response from the subject. The congruence of stimuli and behavior becomes an apparent main topic for Erikson as a psychologist. Perhaps his dissimilarity lies in the perspective of change attributable to a person that he suggests. The stages, to Erikson, have particular social and emotional conflicts that lead to the paced development of the individual. The person’s inherent analysis of his life, this becomes the main focus of humanistic psychology. The newborn stage, as he suggests, is delineated to trust vs. mistrust between the infant and his parents or caretakers. This where this issue is introduced trust is established. Infancy require parental affection and constant nurturing to provide a positive grounds for human relations. The absence of these factors could lead to a future that may be ridden with the child’s inability to form bonded relationships. The main issue in adolescence is identity. This is particularly so in Western societies where this stage is vital in the formation of a person that could lead to his character throughout his life. This choice is separated between intimacy and isolation. The person may choose to be with others and commit to sharing himself or he may opt to shut out others from his life. A full lifespan gives rise to