1 Psychology 305A: Personality Psychology October 16 Lecture 12

However, I will hold additional office hours and a “Q&A” review session in preparation for the exam: October 22: 12:00-1:30PM, Kenny 3102 October 23: 2:30-4:30PM, Kenny 3102 October 27: 9:00AM-12:00PM, Kenny 3102 October 27: 4:30-5:30PM (Kenny 2101, “Q&A” review session) 2 Announcement Due to unforeseen circumstances, I must cancel my office hours on October 20.

A little R&R …. (Review and Reflect) 3

Psychology What is the psychosocial perspective? 2. What are the stages of personality development proposed by Erikson? 3.According to attachment theory, what are the 4 infant attachment styles? The Psychosocial Perspective 4 4. How are attachment styles assessed in adults?

5 5 By the end of today’s class, you should be able to: 1. contrast the psychoanalytic perspective and the psychosocial perspective. 2. describe Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development. 3. review the strange situation.

4. distinguish between attachment classification systems distinguish between attachment styles.

What is the psychosocial perspective? The psychosocial perspective is comprised of theories derived from psychoanalytic theory. In contrast to psychoanalytic theory, these theories do not emphasize sexuality; they emphasize social factors. 7 Examples of psychosocial theories include: 1. Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development. 2. Bowlby’s attachment theory.

What are the stages of personality development proposed by Erikson? 8 Erikson described himself as an “orthodox Freudian.” Nevertheless, Erikson’s theory is a significant revision of psychoanalytic theory. Erikson’s theory maintains that there are 8 stages of “psychosocial” development.

Stage 1: Infancy  0 – 1.  Crisis: Basic trust vs. mistrust.  Successful resolution: Occurs when infants develop confidence in their caregivers to consistently meet their basic needs.  Ego strength: Hope (the enduring belief that one’s needs, desires, and wishes will be satisfied). 9

Stage 2: Early Childhood  2 – 3.  Crisis: Autonomy vs. shame and doubt.  Successful resolution: Occurs when toddlers acquire a sense of independence stemming from their self- control.  Ego strength: Will (the determination to exercise free choice as well as self-restraint). 10

Stage 3: Preschool  3 – 5 years of age.  Crisis: Initiative vs. guilt.  Successful resolution: Occurs when young children feel that they can take action to pursue their desires or urges.  Ego strength: Purpose (the courage to pursue valued goals without fear of punishment). 11

Stage 4: School Age  6 – 11 years of age.  Crisis: Industry vs. inferiority.  Successful resolution: Occurs when children feel that they can master tasks of the “tool world” (i.e., tasks associated with the practical work-related world, including tasks at school).  Ego strength: Competence (the belief that one has the dexterity and intelligence required to complete meaningful tasks). 12

Stage 5: Adolescence  12 – 20 years of age.  Crisis: Identity vs. role confusion.  Successful resolution: Occurs when adolescents develop an integrated and consistent self-view (i.e., one that is seen similarly by oneself and others).  Ego strength: Fidelity (the ability to be true to oneself and to significant others despite contradictions in value systems across roles and relationships). 13

Stage 6: Young Adulthood  21 – 35 years of age.  Crisis: Intimacy vs. isolation.  Successful resolution: Occurs when young adults feel that they can merge with another individual without losing their personal identity.  Ego strength: Love (a mutual devotion with another individual that is greater than any antagonism between the identities of each individual in the partnership). 14

Stage 7: Adulthood  36 – 60 years of age.  Crisis: Generativity vs. stagnation.  Successful resolution: Occurs when adults feel that they are able to guide, nurture, and contribute to the development of the next generation.  Ego strength: Care (a broad concern for others that extends beyond the narrowness of self-concern). 15

Stage 8: Old Age  61– death.  Crisis: Ego integrity vs. despair.  Successful resolution: Occurs when older adults feel a sense of emotional integration or satisfaction with the choices they have made and the life experiences they have had.  Ego strength: Wisdom (a detached but active concern with life in the face of death). 16

AgeStage LabelCrisisEgo (Basic) Strength 0-1InfancyBasic trust vs. mistrustHope 2-3Early childhood Autonomy vs. shame and doubt Will 3-5PreschoolInitiative vs. guiltPurpose 6-11School ageIndustry vs. inferiorityCompetence 12-20AdolescenceIdentity vs. role confusionFidelity 21-35Young adulthood Intimacy vs. isolationLove 36-60AdulthoodGenerativity vs. stagnation Care 61-DeathOld ageEgo integrity vs. despairWisdom Erikson’s Theory of Psychosocial Development 17

18 According to attachment theory, what are the 4 infant attachment styles? Shaver and Mikulincer (2005) described attachment theory as a “resurrection” of psychoanalytic theory. Attachment theory maintains that “attachment styles” develop among infants in response to their caretakers (i.e., parents). Nevertheless, attachment theory is a significant revision of psychoanalytic theory.

Psychology Ainsworth (1972, 1979) developed the strange situation procedure to assess attachment styles in infants. 19 Using this procedure, Ainsworth identified 3 infant attachment styles:

Psychology Secure: “Normal” distress when parent leaves, exhibits joy when parent returns (66% of the infants). 2. Avoidant: Little distress when parent leaves, indifference when parent returns (20% of the infants) Ambivalent: Extreme distress when parent leaves, ambivalent when parent returns (i.e., displays approach and rejection behaviours; 14% of the infants).

Psychology More recent research suggests a fourth attachment style: 4. Disorganized: Disoriented or confused by surroundings, displays no coherent pattern of coping. 21

Psychology Infants with a secure attachment style tend to have responsive and affectionate parents. Infants with an “insecure” attachment style tend to have unresponsive and unaffectionate parents. Infants with a disorganized attachment style tend to have fearful or abusive parents. 22

Psychology How are attachment styles assessed in adults? Bowlby theorized that infant relationships produce “internal working models” for adult relationships. Internal working models: Unconscious expectations about relationships (schemas, representations of the self in relation to close others). 23

Psychology Consistent with Bowlby’s theory, research has found: (b) for most people, attachment classifications in infancy correspond to attachment classifications in adulthood (e.g., Hamilton, 2000; Waters et al., 2000). 24 (a) a positive correlation between parent-infant attachment style and adult attachment style (e.g., Fraley, 2002).

Psychology Adult Attachment Questionnaire (AAQ; Hazan & Shaver, 1987)  Assesses secure (56% or respondents), ambivalent (19% of respondents), and avoidant (25% of respondents) attachment styles. 25 Several methods are used to assess attachment styles in adults:

Psychology Relationship Questionnaire (RQ; Bartholomew & Horowitz, 1991; see also Griffin & Bartholomew, 1994)  Assesses secure, preoccupied, fearful, and dismissing attachment styles.  Based on the assumption that the AAQ conflates two theoretically distinct forms of avoidance—fearful- avoidance and dismissing-avoidance. 26

MODEL OF SELF MODEL OF OTHER Positive Negative SECURE FEARFULPREOCCUPIED DISMISSING 27

 Descriptions included in the RQ: “It is easy for me to become emotionally close to others. I am comfortable depending on them and having them depend on me. I don’t worry about being alone or having others not accept me.” (Secure; 47% of university students) 28

“I want to be completely emotionally intimate with others, but I often find that others are reluctant to get as close as I would like. I am uncomfortable being without close relationships, but I sometimes worry that others don’t value me as much as I value them.” (Preoccupied; 14% of university students) 29

“I am uncomfortable getting close to others. I want emotionally close relationships, but I find it difficult to trust others completely, or to depend on them. I worry that I will be hurt if I allow myself to become too close to others.” (Fearful; 21% of university students) “I am comfortable without close emotional relationships. It is very important to me to feel independent and self-sufficient, and I prefer not to depend on others or have others depend on me.” (Dismissing; 18% of university students) 30

31 By the end of today’s class, you should be able to: 1. contrast the psychoanalytic perspective and the psychosocial perspective. 2. describe Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development. 3. review the strange situation.

4. distinguish between attachment classification systems distinguish between attachment styles.