Trust vs. Mistrust Learn About Psychosocial Stage 1

Trust vs. Mistrust Learn About Psychosocial Stage 1 Theories Psychosocial Psychology Print Trust vs. Mistrust: Psychosocial Stage 1 Learning to trust the world around us By Kendra Cherry facebook twitter Kendra Cherry, MS, is an author, educational consultant, and speaker focused on helping students learn about psychology. Learn about our editorial policy Kendra Cherry Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD on May 22, 2017 Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Medical Review Board Steven Gans, MD Updated on October 10, 2018 Psychosocial Development Overview Trust vs. Mistrust Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt Initiative vs. Guilt Industry vs. Inferiority Identity vs. Confusion Intimacy vs. Isolation Generativity vs. Stagnation Integrity vs. Despair The trust versus mistrust stage is the first stage of psychologist  Erik Erikson’s  theory of psychosocial development, which occurs between birth and approximately 18 months of age. According to Erikson, the trust versus mistrust stage is  the most important period in a person’s life because it shapes our view of the world, as well as our personalities.?? Eriksons  psychosocial development theory  has seven other stages that span throughout a persons lifetime. Verywell / Nusha Ashjaee   Overview This first stage of psychosocial development consists of:Psychosocial Conflict: Trust versus mistrustMajor Question: Can I trust the people around me?Basic Virtue: HopeImportant Event(s): Feeding What Happens During This Stage It is in this initial stage of development that children learn whether or not they can trust the world. As you might deduce, it is the care they receive from their parents and other adults that is critical to forming this trust. Because an infant is entirely dependent upon his or her caregivers, the quality of care that the child receives plays an important role in the shaping of the child’s personality. During this stage, children learn whether or not they can trust the people around them.?? When a baby cries, does his caregiver attend to his needs? When he is frightened, will someone comfort him? When she is hungry, does she receive nourishment from her caregivers? An infants ability to communicate his or her needs are limited, so crying carries an important message. When a baby cries, there is some need that should be met with a response from caregivers, whether it involves providing food, safety, a fresh diaper, or a comforting cuddle. By responding quickly and appropriately to an infants cries, a foundation of trust is established. When these needs are consistently met, the child will learn that he can trust the people who are caring for him. If, however, these needs are not consistently met, the child will begin to mistrust the people around him.?? If a child successfully develops trust, he  will feel safe and secure in the world. Caregivers who are inconsistent, emotionally unavailable, or reject the child contribute to feelings of mistrust in the children they care for. Failure to develop trust can result in fear and a belief that the world is inconsistent and unpredictable. Erikson believed that these early patterns of trust or mistrust help control, or at least exert, a powerful influence over that individuals interactions with others for the remainder of his life. Those who learn to trust caregivers in infancy will be more likely to form trusting relationships with others throughout the course of their lives. Trust May Be Genetic There have been multiple studies devoted to understanding what goes into the tendency to be trusting, but not nearly as many in the quest to understand why certain people are more mistrustful than others. Its clear that environment has a big part in both, just as Erikson states. One recent study done with female twins, both identical and fraternal, shows evidence that while a trusting personality seems to be at least in part genetic, a mistrustful or distrusting personality seems to be learned from family and other social influences.?? Stage 2: Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt