Autonomy Vs Shame & Doubt in Erikson's Theory of Psychosocial Development

Autonomy vs Shame & Doubt in Erikson's Theory of Psychosocial Development
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This lesson will explore autonomy vs. shame and doubt, the second stage in Erik Erikson's theory of psychosocial
development. This stage occurs between ages one and three and is characterized by independence and exploration.
Autonomy and the Toddler Years

Do you remember being three years old? Most of us have a few vague memories of this time period. You
may remember exploring your world and wanting to do things on your own. Perhaps you're a parent
yourself, and have noticed your toddler beginning to express more independence and develop his or her
own interests. This willful exploration and sense of independence is called autonomy, and it's a notable
feature of the toddler years.
Parenting plays a large role in a child's development, and how a parent handles this tumultuous and
exciting stage can have a lifelong impact. A developmental psychologist named Erik Erikson (1902-1994)
referred to the con icts of this life period as autonomy vs. shame and doubt, which is one of eight stages
in his theory of psychosocial development. In order to fully understand this stage, it would be helpful to
view it within the context of Erikson's theory as a whole.
Erikson's Theory
It's likely that you've heard of Sigmund Freud. His writings on child development focused on the in uence
of early experiences on personality. He conceptualized development in psychosexual stages, occurring
during the rst ve years of life. Each stage is characterized by a sexual con ict that, if left unresolved,
could lead to psychological dysfunction later in life.
Like many of Freud's contemporaries and future scholars, Erikson was in uenced by Freud's work. He also
viewed development in stages that coincided with di erent types of con ict, but he placed a stronger
emphasis on social interaction than sex. Furthermore, Erikson's stages span a person's entire life rather
than the rst few years. Erikson's theory consists of eight stages that are written as con icts that people
encounter at certain age ranges. It's important to note that it's not feasible for a child to only experience
the 'positive' side of the con ict, and the 'negative' side isn't always negative. According to Erikson, there
should be some balance.
Following are brief descriptions of each stage to give you some context:
Trust vs. Mistrust (birth - 1 year): Infants rely on their parents to provide care, and develop trust when their needs
are met. Otherwise, they may grow up to be mistrustful and suspicious.
Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt (1 - 3 years): Toddlers express willful exploration. If they are restricted by
controlling parents, they may experience shame and doubt.
Initiative vs. Guilt (3 - 5 years): At this point, children develop an idea of who they are through play, interaction, and
self-expression. Too much criticism can lead to guilt.
Industry vs. Inferiority (5 - 12 years): In this stage, children learn to read and create. Those who are positively
reinforced will feel industrious, whereas those who are sti ed may feel inferior.
Identity vs. Role Confusion (12 - 18 years): Teens seek to understand their identities and the roles they will play in
society. Failure to do so can lead to confusion.
Intimacy vs. Isolation (18 - 40 years): This stage is marked by seeking intimacy with others. If this is not successful, a
sense of isolation can develop.
Generativity vs. Stagnation (40 - 65 years): In middle adulthood, people focus on establishing careers and future
generations. Failure to do so can lead to a sense of stagnation.
Integrity vs. Despair (65+ years): Older adults often contemplate their lives and accomplishments. If they feel
successful, they have a sense of integrity. If not, they feel despair.
Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt

Now that you have an idea of the whole theory, we can delve deeper into the second stage, autonomy vs.
shame and doubt. This stage is marked by the question, 'Can I do things on my own?' At this point,
children learn about their surroundings and how to navigate them. This could begin with something as
simple as learning to hold their own bottles. Then they learn to crawl, walk, and control their bodily
functions through potty training. They may want to wash and dress themselves. Ideally, parents will exhibit
patience and encourage autonomy, while still providing the security and guidance of the trust vs. mistrust
phase. Toddlers also begin to express interests in things, like animals or music. All of these self-su cient
behaviors represent autonomy.
On the other side of the con ict is shame and doubt. Controlling and restrictive parents who don't allow
toddlers to exert their will to be independent can instill these feelings. For example, if parents don't teach
their toddlers to use the potty on their own and discourage their attempts to do so, it can lead to
'accidents.' In turn, these accidents can cause children to feel shame. Children with restrictive parents may
become reluctant to attempt new things on their own and rely heavily on their parents. New life
experiences can cause anxiety, and children may grow up to be unsure of themselves. They may lack the
con dence to deal with problems and accomplish things independently.
As mentioned previously, however, there are some elements of the 'negative' side of the con ict. For
example, in the trust vs. mistrust phase, a little bit of mistrust is adaptive for protecting oneself from
potentially dangerous people. Similarly, during the autonomy vs. shame and doubt stage, parents would
ideally allow some independence while protecting their children from danger. Allowing a toddler to explore
the house under supervision is safe, but allowing him or her to explore the yard near a busy street alone is
not. Therefore, a reasonable middle ground is more likely to yield psychologically healthy children and
adults.
Lesson Summary
Autonomy is the will to be independent and to explore one's world. In the theory of psychosocial
development developed by Erik Erikson, autonomy vs. shame and doubt occurs between one and three
years. Toddlers who are encouraged to explore and do things on their own will develop autonomy,
whereas those who are overly restricted will feel shame and doubt, leading to a lack of independence and
con dence.

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Autonomy and the Toddler Years

Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt

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