Individuation and attachment in personality development: Extending Erikson's theory

Abstract

Tbe question of wbetber Erikson's theory of psycbosocial development is a complete and coherent view of development in males and females is considered After a tborougb review of Erikson's views on tbe role of sex in psycbosocial development, tbe autbors suggest tbat an important element is neglected in Erikson's account of personality development in botb sexes Tbat IS, due to bis focus on issues of identity, Enkson does not account fully for tbe development of intimacy or otber expressions of interpersonal attacbment Tbe autbors conclude tbat tbe major sbortcoming of Erikson's tbeory is not, as some feminists bave argued, tbat it is a male tbeory but tbat it fails to account adequately for tbe processes of interpersonal attaebment tbat are essential to tbe development of botb males and females Preliminary elements of a two-patb model of development are proposedIn recent years, a major theoretical model for understanding lifespan personality development has been that of Erik Erikson Using psychoanalytic-psychosexual concepts as a foundation, Enkson (1963, 1964, 1968, 1977, 1978) traces the ego's progressive integration of the social world and the psychosexual experience of the lndividuaUHe describes personality development as an hierarchically ordered sequence of stages which progress from initial narcissistic involvement with oneself, through stages of identification and socialization, to increasing individuation and establishment of an individual identity jWhilelEnkson emphasizes that this development occurs within an expanding network of significant persona, we believe that his theory does not account adequately for the^develop-ment of various forms of interpersonal connectedness or attachments While/Enkson views identity and intimacy (the psychosocial "virtues" emerging from his stages 5 and 6) as equal in value,\ his

Ego Integrity in the Lives of Older Women: A Follow-Up of Mothers From the Sears, Maccoby, and Levin (1951) Patterns of Child Rearing Study

“…There has been much discussion of the ways in which relationships/connectedness are more central in women's development than are aspects of selfdefinition/autonomy (see for example Franz & White, 1985). In the lives of these very traditional women, we expected relationships to be central, as indeed they were in many respects.…”

Individuality and relatedness in middle and late adulthood: A study of women and men in the Netherlands, East- and West-Germany

“…Erikson's integrated and wise individual also represents an orientation of individuality (see also Sugarman, 1986). In reaction to Erikson's conceptualization of the life course and Kohlberg's stages of moral development, which ultimately focuses on individuation and autonomy too, efforts have been made to combine individuality and relatedness to improve these models (Bar-Yam Hassan & Bar Yam, 1987;Franz & White, 1985;Gilligan, 1982). In the domain of gerontological research, conceptualizations of filial and parental maturity are promising with respect to the theoretical integration of individuality and relatedness as well as to their practical usefulness (Braeckmans & Marcoen, 1998;Mahieu & Marcoen, 1999).…”

“…An alternative perspective in personality psychology levels the criticism that western psychology conceives the mature personality too much in terms of individuality, autonomy and independence (Baumeister & Leary, 1995;Sampson, 1988; from a gender perspective Guisinger & Blatt, 1994). Franz & White, 1985;Gilligan, 1982). In the domain of gerontological research, conceptualizations of filial and parental maturity are promising with respect to the theoretical integration of individuality and relatedness as well as to their practical usefulness (Braeckmans & Marcoen, 1998;Mahieu & Marcoen, 1999).…”

Agency and communion attributes in adults’ spontaneous self-representations

“…Traditional views of personality development have put a primary emphasis on agency, individuation, and independence as the hallmark of healthy personality development (Franz & White, 1985). For example, Freud's (1905Freud's ( /1953) and Erikson's (1950) stage theories include separation and autonomy as an important step in personality development (Guisinger & Blatt, 1994;Labouvie-Vief, 1994).…”