Application of Social and Emotional TheoryPsychosocial TheoryEric Erickson (1902-1994) was a psychoanalytic theorist who perfected the study of personality development across the stages of life (School of Arts, Health Development and Education, Massey University, 2012). His psychosocial theory (Newman & Newman, 2007) extended the work of his mentor and original theorist; Sigmund Freud (Berk, 2012). Erickson's theory reveals that individuals face both negative and positive social pressures at every stage of life. How they cope with such experiences and the learning, or lack of, acquired from them, determines how they cope and develop in the remaining stages of life (Newman & Newman, 2007). Negative experiences not handled properly at any stage negatively affect individual growth. Jean's current situation refers to Erickson's final psychosocial stage in late adulthood; integrity versus desperation. This stage marks a period of self-reflection and the associated value of one's life. Integrity is achieved by individuals who are happy and content with their lives. On the contrary; desperation and disturbance are feelings expressed by those who regret life choices and missed opportunities, now too late to be pursued. These negative emotions also exacerbate fears of their impending death (Clairborne & Drewery, 2010; Berk, 2010). In Jean's case, moving to a retirement village generated both feelings of desperation and, ultimately, wholeness. She worried about her ability to care for Frank and who would ultimately care for them both. Furthermore, Jean did not want to burden her children with their care. In fact, these are all-too-common concerns shared by those in late adulthood (Berk, 2010). The stress of... middle of paper... living, and with it, human nature. New research recognizes this, and we can expect new and revised developmental theories to emerge. References Berger, K. S. (2008). The developing person across the life span (7th ed.). NewYork: Worth Publishers.Berk, L.E. (2010). Exploring lifespan development (2nd ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon. Clairborne, L. & Drewery, W. (2010). Human development: family, place and culture. Sydney: McGraw-Hill.Newman, B. M., & Newman, P. R. (2007). Theories of human development.Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.Papalia, D.E., Olds, S.W. & Feldman, R.D. (2009). Human Development (11th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill School of Arts, Development and Health Education, Massey University. (2012).275.102 Human development: course material. Palmerston North, New Zealand: author.