Читать книгу Lifespan Development - Tara L. Kuther - Страница 409

During Erikson’s third psychosocial stage, initiative versus guilt, young children develop a sense of purpose and take pride in their accomplishments. As they develop a sense of initiative, young children make plans, tackle new tasks, set goals (e.g., climbing a tree, writing their name, counting to 10), and work to achieve them, persisting enthusiastically in tasks, whether physical or social, even when frustrated (Lambert & Kelley, 2011).

Much of the work of this stage occurs through play. During play, young children experiment and practice new skills in a safe context and learn to work cooperatively with other children to achieve common goals. Children in all societies practice adult roles in play, such as mother, father, doctor, teacher, and police officer (Gaskins, 2014). For example, Hopi Indian children pretend to be hunters and potters, and the Baka of West Africa pretend to be hut builders and spear makers (Roopnarine, Lasker, Sacks, & Stores, 1998). The sense of pride that children feel from accomplishment fuels their play and fosters curiosity. Children become motivated to concentrate, persist, and try new experiences, such as climbing to the top of the monkey bars. Through play, children also learn how to manage their emotions and develop self-regulation skills (Goldstein & Lerner, 2018). Cultures differ in their expectations for children and the opportunities by which children can develop a sense of initiative and pride, as discussed in the Cultural Influences on Development feature.

During early childhood, children come to identify with their parents and internalize parental rules. Young children feel guilt when they fail to uphold rules and when they fail to achieve a goal. If parents are controlling—not permitting children to carry out their sense of purpos—or are highly punitive, critical, or threatening, children may not develop high standards and the initiative to meet them. Instead, children may be paralyzed by guilt and worry about their inability to measure up to parental expectations. They may develop an overly critical conscience and be less motivated to exert the effort to master new tasks.

Children who develop a sense of initiative demonstrate independence and act purposefully. Their success in taking initiative and the feeling of competence and pride that accompanies it contribute to young children’s developing sense of self.