Lifespan Development and Personality

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to gain an in-depth insight to the psychosocial stages of development as proposed by Eric Erikson. These stages signify the importance of one's initial interactions with his family members and the later interactions within the social environment when he grows older. The nature of these interactions in the eight stages determines and shapes up an individual's entire personality. In addition to these phases, other factors which have potential of influencing a person's individual set of characteristics include the various contemporary and cultural concerns that he may experience in the course of his life. The way a person deals with these issues too is determined by the way, his personality has been shaped up as a manifestation of the virtues developed as a result of these progressive psychosocial stages.

Lifespan Development and Personality

Introduction

Biography

Born in the year 1976, Samantha Margaret, was the last of three children, born to an American family living in New York, USA. Her father, Margaret Sears, and her mother, Amelia Margaret, both worked in a small bakery near their home. When the two got married, their financial condition was extremely critical. However, with years of dedication and hard work the two had managed to establish themselves and by the time Samantha was born, they belonged to the socio-economic status of a middle class family.

Samantha had two elder brothers, named David Margaret and Kevin Margaret. Both of them had started their high schools by the time Samantha was born. Being the youngest, she has been the naughtiest. However, the never-ending commitments and the busy schedules of her family members led to almost no quality familial interactions, except for once a day, usually at breakfast or at the dinner table. None of the children ever dared to complain against their parents busy schedules for they were both extremely authoritarian and would penalize them for even petty mistakes.

Soon after Samantha started her school at the age of 4, she became a victim of repeated bullying, which she never reported. The same pattern of bullying continued throughout her high school as well. By the time Samantha was done with her education at the age of 25, she had to begin her job hunt. This was a very tough period of her life. Seven months had passed, and she still could not find the courage to merely apply for a job because of her fear of rejection.

It was then that her eldest brother, David Margaret, helped her in applying for a job, as a result of which she received a call for an interview within a week. However, this only added to her worries as she feared she would not be able to present herself appropriately in front of a panel of interviewers. Her fears did turn out to be true. She could not clear the interview, and this same pattern continued until she eventually got a job at the age of 28.

Her services at the workplace lasted for only a ...