Introduction
Human development experts describe growth as an unceasing, irreversible rise in size and improvement in cognitive capacity. Both processes rely heavily on a person’s genetic makeup, diet, and environment. A person’s present personal identity is shaped over a lifetime by their early upbringing, the surroundings they have experienced, and the choices they have made.
The theories of human development proposed by George A. Kelly, Carl Rogers, and Erikson can be used to study these developmental phases (Maree, 2021; Procter & Winter, 2020; Saracho & Evans, 2021; Woodward, 2020). As a result, the childhood, adolescence, and maturity periods that contribute to the formation of personal identity have been covered using my developmental stages and process. All life stages contribute to the development of a person’s interpersonal and familial ties, interactions, and communication with others, as well as their behaviors, values, beliefs, academic achievements, and professional and career choices.
Infancy
Infant development and growth can be considered critical in determining how a child develops later in life. This stage spans from birth to one year of age. While an infant will develop most specific abilities later as they grow, an infant’s most valuable knowledge is to cry when they feel bored, hungry, uncomfortable, or lonely (Ferjan et al., 2020).
According to Erikson, who describes this stage as a period of trust versus mistrust, an infant’s development challenges involve determining whom to trust and whom not to trust (Miller & Collette, 2019). At this stage, an infant begins to form a basis for their overall personality and view of the world. Erikson outlines that an infant’s most essential and fundamental virtues and events at this stage are hope and feeding (Saracho & Evans, 2021). This stage is characterized by rapid development and growth, occurring more quickly than in any other stage.
Around the fourth month of life, the infant’s vision begins to improve. Most people have developed the ability to combine the information they get from their senses of hearing, seeing, tasting, and touching into a unified whole. Hence, newborns begin to recognize familiar sights, sounds, and sensations between the ages of six and nine months.
According to George A. Kelly, a kid builds and refines theories and models of the world to make predictions (Procter & Winter, 2020). Furthermore, they have a feature called “item persistence,” which enhances their ability to remember and understand the concept of absence. Between nine and twelve months, babies develop a more profound understanding of what is familiar to them, making them more receptive to observing people and exploring new objects and environments. Interests, emotions, and individuality become more apparent at this age.
Toddler
The toddler stage is equally crucial as the infancy stage, which encompasses children ages one to three. Around this time, kids also learn to walk steadily and gain other motor skills. Erikson views this stage as one in which the child constantly navigates the psychological conflict between doubt and shame on the one hand, and autonomy on the other (Maree, 2021).
Autonomy, in this case, refers to the freedom to decide what to do and how to accomplish it. Children as young as 18 months old may exhibit it; by age three, most of it is fully formed (Joseph, 2020; McCurdy et al., 2020). For a child to develop in this stage, they need their own space to play alone or with their peers. Carl Rogers noted that this environment, like any other stage of development, should be supported with close monitoring, empathy, genuineness, and acceptance from their caregiver.
A child develops self-consciousness, which is linked to self-doubt, some elements of self-esteem, and some level of nervousness while performing tasks. Growth is slowing down from the infancy stage, though it is still considered rapid.
By the end of their third year, most children can run, walk up stairs, and climb into chairs. They can feed and clothe themselves, have conversations using simple, short words, and acquire new terminology with the support of those who care for them. By the third year, most children are also potty-trained. Erikson’s thesis observes that toddlers benefit from having more opportunities than not to interact with the environment on their own terms throughout this period of childhood (Maree, 2021). It could be detrimental if toddlers are frequently prevented from expressing their opinions or having their perspectives.
Between the ages of 12 and 24, children continue to bond closely with their parents and other family members while showing signs of wanting to take on greater responsibility. Between the ages of two and four, a child is most likely to develop a taste for “me-doing” and a need for more autonomy (McCurdy et al., 2020). Regarding language development in toddlers, comprehension develops more quickly than speaking. Most toddlers can speak ten times as many words as they can between the ages of 15 and 18 months (McCurdy et al., 2020). Yet, children’s vocabularies can range from 20 to 100 words at age two, and they start combining multiple words. Children can converse with hundreds of words and use phrases by the time they are five years old.
Childhood
The years between the ages of five and twelve are critical for any child’s growth and development, from beginning school to approaching puberty. A child’s intellect, feelings, and physical development will continue, even if the changes can be slower. This stage comprises early and middle childhood, with children aged three to five and five to twelve, respectively (Joseph, 2021). During this stage of life, I had already developed some sense of family and would participate in most family activities, as emphasized by humanistic psychology by Carl Rogers; humans are active, creative beings solely interested in the moment’s interactions, perceptions, and circumstances, which can explain the inclination to help the family out.
Erikson explains this stage of development in two stages: stage three, guilt versus shame, and stage four, industry versus inferiority. The essential virtue that develops during the early stages of childhood is finding purpose in life and exploring, as children are constantly confronted with the psychological conflict between good and evil (Miller & Collette, 2019). At this stage, I had developed the autonomy to do what I wanted and take more responsibility for myself, as I was the firstborn child. In line with Erikson’s theory, a child at this stage has the initiative to undertake and complete tasks, heavily influenced by societal and family structures. Knowing what a child can control and what they cannot also forms at this stage of life.
Between the ages of six and ten, a child’s cognitive and emotional development enables them to understand a topic more deeply and weigh its various sides. People of this generation still strongly prefer concrete language and focus on immediate, tangible concerns. Instead of stopping and beginning in response to stimuli, the mind is always in motion, trying new ideas. According to the tools or strategies a person develops to reach their objectives, these processes occur through a web of channels or paths (Woodward, 2020).
Erikson describes this stage as influenced by the psychological conflicts of inferiority and industry. I developed a love for fun, adventure, communication, and connection, as well as for trusting my gut. Consequently, I had to learn many skills as a firstborn child, including, but not limited to, caring, compassion, kindness, gratitude, and a sense of responsibility for my siblings and family.
As with my peers, the critical event for me was school and interacting with the school community. I had to be competent in several fields, including my academic life, and show my parents what I learned daily. The transition between home and school life proved beneficial, as forming new friendships and establishing trust in strangers became necessary.
For complete development, people need to grow up in an environment of unconditional positive regard, where they are valued and cared for regardless of who they are or what they do. Suppose a person is raised in a conditional-positive-regard environment, where appreciation and love are conditional on meeting specific criteria. In that case, they will be motivated to excel in those areas to maintain their status as a recipient of positive regard. These elements form the ideal self, which further widens the chasm between the two versions of one’s identity.
Adolescence
Adolescent years are sometimes approached with much trepidation. Changes in the body and mind, along with still-evolving concepts and behaviors, can make these years challenging for teenagers and their parents to navigate. Teenagers are considered individuals who fall between 12 and 18 years (Rapee et al., 2019). This stage significantly influenced the fashion, food tastes, and preferences that I have today.
Similarly, I went through a lot of trial and error while determining my life priorities, including finding the right life partner and the kind of person I would like them to be. As a young adult, I developed a sense of intimacy, a deeper connection, and more effective communication with my parents, teachers, and close friends. I had a strong sense of leadership, which might have been influenced by the fact that I sometimes took care of and was responsible for my other siblings whenever my parents were away.
The theory of personality development holds that these world experiences shape one’s identity. Each person’s reality consists of thoughts, people, ideas, objects, and behavior. In adolescence, I formulated my ideal self and continuously and persistently worked towards achieving it.
As Carl Rogers’ theory suggests, the ideal self and genuineness dictate one’s position in the real world, both in the present and the future (Woodward, 2020). My dream as a teenager was to be involved in the helping line. This required that, in every situation, I be the kind of person who constantly strives to do more for others while expecting less in return.
Erikson describes this stage of life as characterized by the psychological conflict between role confusion and identity. At this stage, adolescents are more concerned with understanding how they fit into society, particularly in terms of roles and social relationships (Sekowski, 2022). I struggled academically and would fall into what many people would call the average student category. There was a feeling of insecurity, and I was being selective about the topics and ideas I discussed while socializing.
I had to keep my consciousness precise every time and eliminate any possible feelings of guilt and shame. Most of the time, I was more aware of my self-image and uniqueness and how they contributed to my physical appearance and development. I did not go through much role confusion, as my parents had already put many expectations on me since I was the firstborn child.
The transition from adolescence to adulthood is usually seamless, and many teenagers fail to realize they have already entered early adulthood. As one enters maturity, there is a growing expectation that they will act independently, take charge of their own life, and possess the necessary skills to thrive (Corder et al., 2019). Young people’s futures are profoundly affected by the opportunities and challenges they experience now.
Every person’s development is unique because of their choices in education, employment, housing, marriage, and parenthood (Winpenny et al., 2020). Changes in one’s social standing and responsibilities can strain an individual and put their ability to adapt to the test. Despite this, they provide prospects for maturation beyond one’s current status.
Adulthood
In my adult life, my identity and preferences have become more pronounced and are easily noticeable to others. This period has been marked by tough times, which have contributed to my perspective that everything is temporary. As outlined by Kelly’s construct, these unexpected situations mold people to anticipate many of the things that happen in their lives, rebuild their thinking, and draw lessons from their past (Winter & Reed, 2019).
According to personal construct theory, humans form personal conceptions about the universe’s operation. Individuals then use these constructs to make sense of their experiences and observations (Pope & Denicolo, 2021). My view on relationships has evolved to the point where I value and maintain long-term relationships. Kelly specifically emphasized that the responsibility of each individual in comprehending their particular psychology is to organize the facts of their perspective and experience.
Erikson has three stages of adulthood, which he describes as stages six, seven, and eight. According to Erikson, an adult experiences three kinds of conflict: isolation versus intimacy, stagnation versus generativity, and integrity versus despair (Sekowski, 2022). Stage six is usually characterized by adults aged 19 to 40. Success is the primary drive for relationships and career life. At this stage, the primary focus in life shifts to forming long-term relationships, intimacy, and starting a family, while also caring for the family a person was born into. Erikson argues that for adults at this stage, forming healthy relationships is crucial, as it influences later relationships in middle and late adulthood.
I have managed to form a functional family, which is still intact, and am a mother of two children, and have experienced two miscarriages before. I have been largely credited with maintaining a family because I am responsible and caring, value relationships, and have self-respect. These are values that my family-oriented upbringing has heavily influenced.
Similarly, I firmly believe I am accountable for my family. Personality, according to Kelly, consists of the many ways in which one’s mind constructs meaning from experience. According to Kelly, everyone is a scientist at heart. Likewise, scientists seek to understand the world around us, develop the ability to predict the future, and formulate hypotheses to account for observed phenomena.
My sense of direction in my career developed as I worked towards placing myself in a career centered on helping others. My first job was as a student counselor, where I worked for ten years, and later I transitioned to a flight attendant position. Having worked as a flight attendant for five years, I felt that no accomplishment could be achieved in the helping line. I have an invested interest in helping and supporting people.
My current focus is on personal and professional development. Most people, even at my previous workplaces, have misperceived my drive to achieve and perceived me as strong-headed and willing to go all out for things. The personal construct theory emphasizes individuality. Since they are founded on each person’s life events, constructs are fundamentally personal. The uniqueness of these interactions shapes each person’s set of constructions, which is why there are disparities between persons.
Conclusion
A person’s current personal identity is a lifelong process shaped by early conditioning and the environments in which they have interacted, and a series of decision-making processes accompany it. All these developmental stages can be analyzed using the theories of George A. Kelly, Carl Rogers, and Erik Erikson. Therefore, this paper has discussed the infancy, toddler, childhood, teenage, and adulthood stages that lead to the development of personal identity. All these stages play an essential role in communication with others, building interpersonal relationships and family, and influence beliefs, behavior, and educational and work performance.
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