Erikson's Psychosocial Development: A Case Study

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The Purpose of this Paper The purpose of this paper is to apply two developmental concepts, as proposed by Erikson, to the real life experiences of Joe Smith. This paper will emphasize the influence of social structures expressed as risk or protective factors and any traumatic experiences that have shaped his developmental outcomes. Concept #1 will include an exploration of Joe’s psychosocial development during puberty, tied in with Erikson's fifth stage of development; identity versus identity confusion. Concept #2 will include an exploration of Joe’s psychosocial development in middle adulthood, tied in with Erikson's seventh stage of development; generativity versus stagnation. The goal of my interview with Joe Smith will be to assess the correlations between his experiences during his teenage years with that of his experiences in middle adulthood. Biographical Information Let us begin by considering some factual information about Joe Smith, from the time of his birth, His parents were both extremely involved with the Southern Baptist Church. His father was an organ player and his mother worked as an accountant in their local church. From an early age, Joe was involved in everything that the church had to offer. By the time he was 7 years old, he was an altar boy singing in the church choir. His parents always made it clear to him that it was imperative that he follow the teachings of the church. His grandmother, on his father’s side, was particularly strict with him. She made certain that he did not go astray and that he behave as properly, according to church doctrines, as possible. Whenever Joe made a mistake, his grandmother was there to set him straight. Joe reports that his grandmother would regularly make him feel unworthy and ashamed. She constantly reminded him that he was a sinner and that, if he did not behave well, or repent for his misgivings, that he would “surly end up in

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