Three Generations Project #2
Examination of Stage of Development in a Relative The person I interviewed, Christopher, is fourteen years old. He is in the eighth grade in middle school in a rural area of Tennessee. For the interview we went to a local park where we could talk in a more isolated, but comfortable setting. The goal of the interview was to get to know the person being interviewed better and see where they are in relation to Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory of Development and Jean Piaget’s Cognitive Theory. The interview was conducted in a manner that would allow for me to test for hypothetical thinking abilities, internalizing/externalizing tendencies, self-awareness abilities, identity vs. confusion/ psychosocial development, biological growth, cognitive growth, and self-esteem.
Discussion
The person being interviewed seemed very relaxed and not intimidated by the interview. I began by asking a series of questions regarding Christopher’s outlook on life. Christopher stated that he is looking forward to getting older and moving out because he “doesn’t want people telling him what to do anymore.” These thoughts imply that he is possibly seeking independence and is Erikson’s 5th Psychosocial Stage of Development, Identity vs. Confusion. This stage states that teens need to develop a sense self and personal identity and that during this time adolescents will experiment to form their own identity. Christopher seems to be just now entering the experimenting stage. He mentioned occurrences where he broke the rules, hung out with people that his mother did not want him to, tried something new, etc. We then discussed Christopher’s personal relationships, school relationships, and relationships with his siblings. He seemed to have a deficit in friendships. He stated that he is frequently bullied, feels lonely, and doesn’t understand why people his age do not like him. This did fit in with his stage of psychosocial development. He described his relationship with his siblings to be rather
Discussion
The person being interviewed seemed very relaxed and not intimidated by the interview. I began by asking a series of questions regarding Christopher’s outlook on life. Christopher stated that he is looking forward to getting older and moving out because he “doesn’t want people telling him what to do anymore.” These thoughts imply that he is possibly seeking independence and is Erikson’s 5th Psychosocial Stage of Development, Identity vs. Confusion. This stage states that teens need to develop a sense self and personal identity and that during this time adolescents will experiment to form their own identity. Christopher seems to be just now entering the experimenting stage. He mentioned occurrences where he broke the rules, hung out with people that his mother did not want him to, tried something new, etc. We then discussed Christopher’s personal relationships, school relationships, and relationships with his siblings. He seemed to have a deficit in friendships. He stated that he is frequently bullied, feels lonely, and doesn’t understand why people his age do not like him. This did fit in with his stage of psychosocial development. He described his relationship with his siblings to be rather
References: Belsky, J. (2013). Experiencing the Lifespan (3 ed.). New York: Worth Publishers., 139-172.