LESSON 3 : Development Skills and Tasks among Adoloscents
I. Introduction
● Overview of human development
● Theorists: Erik Erikson, Robert Havighurst, Jean Piaget
II. Erikson’s Psychosocial Stages of Development
A. Who is Erik Erickson?
- Erik Erikson was a psychologist who believed we grow through 8 life stages.
B. The 8 Stages
1. Trust vs. Mistrust (Infancy)
2. Autonomy vs. Shame & Doubt (Early Childhood)
3. Initiative vs. Guilt (Preschool Age)
4. Industry vs. Inferiority (Grade School Age)
5. Identity vs. Role Confusion (Adolescence)
6. Intimacy vs. Isolation (Young Adulthood)
7. Generativity vs. Stagnation (Middle Adulthood)
8. Integrity vs. Despair (Older Adulthood)
C. Focus Stage: Identity vs. Role Confusion (Adoloscence)
● Main Question: “Who am I?”
● This is the time we:
○ Start thinking deeply about our personality, beliefs, and dreams
○ Try different roles (student, friend, artist, athlete, etc.)
○ Explore likes/dislikes, style, and identity
○ May feel confused or lost sometimes but that’s normal.
● Influences:
○ Friends, family, school, and social media all affect how we see ourselves.
● Goal:
○ To build a strong, clear identity so we can move into adulthood with confidence.
II. Havighurst’s Developmental Tasks of Adolescence
A. Who is Robert Havighurst?
- Robert Havighurst was a psychologist and educator. He believed that people go
through different stages in life and each stage has important tasks to learn and master.
These tasks help a person grow and succeed in life.
B. Six Life Stages by Havighurst
1. Infancy and Early Childhood (0–5 years)
2. Middle Childhood (6–12 years)
3. Adolescence (13–18 years)
4. Early Adulthood (19–30 years)
5. Middle Adulthood (31–60 years)
6. Late Adulthood (61 and above)
C. Key Tasks for Adolescents
1. Adjust to physical changes during puberty
2. Develop abstract intellectual abilities
3. Handle increased cognitive demands at school
4. Improve verbal and communication skills
5. Form a personal identity
6. Set adult vocational and career goals
7. Become emotionally and psychologically independent
8. Build stable peer relationships
9. Understand and manage one’s sexuality
10. Adopt a personal value system
11. Develop impulse control and behavioral maturity
IV. Piaget’s Cognitive Development: Formal Operations Stages
A. Who is Jean Piaget?
- A famous psychologist who studied how children think.
B. What are the 4 stages of thinking (cognitive development)?
- Sensorimotor, Preoperational, Concrete Operational, Formal Operational (this is our
focus)
C. What is the Formal Operational Stage?
● Happens around age 12 and up
● We can now:
○ Think about “what if” and imagine different possibilities
○ Understand deep or abstract ideas (like love, justice, freedom)
○ Solve problems in our head
○ Think about the future and things that aren’t real yet
D. Why Is It Important?
● Because it help us:
○ Be creative and think outside the box
○ Understand others’ feelings (empathy)
○ Imagine and dream
○ Ask big questions (like in philosophy and science)
D. Conclusion
Formal operations make us smarter and more human. Keep thinking, imagining, and
asking “why?” Your brain has amazing power, just use it well.
V. Integration of Theories
Erikson: Social and emotional development
Havighurst: Practical developmental tasks
Piaget: Cognitive growth and thinking skills
VI. Conclusion
● Adolescence is a period of self-discovery
● Challenges in identity, behavior, and values are normal
● Awareness and understanding of development support personal growth
● Self-reflection, independence, and responsible decision-making are key outcomes