Boyhood, Richard Linklater, Erik Erikson, psychosocial development theory, family life, identity, childhood, teenaging, flight of time, personality
Personality development is a complex and multifaceted process that occurs across the lifespan and is influenced by a myriad of biological, social, and psychological factors. Throughout history, an enormous number of hypothetical models have been brought up to explain the causes and the steps of personality formation and how a person copes with developmental obstacles. The most highlighted theoretical approach in the field of developmental psychology is the psychosocial theory of Erik Erikson, which stipulates that people walk through eight stages or levels of psychosocial development that are connected to either a crisis or the conflict that must be solved, as the personality is developing for a better characteristic (Erikson, 1950).
The movie, 'Boyhood,' directed by Richard Linklater, is a distinct proffer of the cinematic depiction of the growing-up period of one adolescent boy's life. Filmed over twelve years, the movie 'Boyhood' is about the boy, Mason Jr, who is six at the beginning and becomes eighteen at the end.
[...] While Mason Jr. is shown as a boy full of ingenuity and purpose, which comes out in his creative efforts, his emotional, to some extent, psychological responses to family challenges signify the complexity of early childhood experiences. Through these evolving distinct phases of development, he comes across several incidents and events that shape his perspective on life and give a foundation upon which he can move on to adulthood (Deci & Ryan, 2000). Basically, the director "Boyhood" reenacts the true story of Mason and his mother as one matures from childhood to adulthood while acknowledging battling between initiative and guilt in personal growth. [...]
[...] Such infants imitate attachment type toward their caregivers, thus creating the precondition for secure relations and emotional development. Besides, childhoods are noticeable for the manifestation of social and cognitive skills, such as the development of speech, symbolic play, and initial problem-solving skills (Harter,1998) Middle Childhood (Ages Children in their middle childhood, which begins at the age of six to twelve, definitely go through a period of great change and also develop their talents and skills. This extends to the era of investigation and competence both in academic and social areas. [...]
[...] The adolescence span constitutes a vital crossroads during the process of attaining much-needed independence, the construction of personal and professional identities, and the development of social contacts and networks (Waterman,1982). II. Film Analysis A. Initiative vs. Guilt (Ages In Erikson's first stage of psychosocial development, which is the initiation versus the guilt and tackles during early childhood, during this stage, the children begin to explore the world around them and exert their independence. Parents' positive praise and affection contribute to the rise of initiative, while the negative side of excessive criticism or limiting their independence may lead the children to exhibit guilt and an inferiority complex. [...]
[...] In "Boyhood," the character Mason Jr. attends lower grade school and eventually completes it. He learns that his choices and the decisions he goes through at school influence his competence and personality. During the movie time, we see Mason Jr's victories, shortcomings, and failures while he copes with the distinctive stages of life - childhood and adolescence (Marcia, 1966) Moreover, Mr. Mason dishes out the excellence and enthusiasm that he has shown in photography and other art forms where he excels and is regarded very highly by those who teach him and those around him. [...]
[...] In W. Damon (Series Ed.) & N. Eisenberg (Vol. Ed.), Handbook of child psychology: Vol Social, emotional, and personality development (5th ed., pp. 553-617). John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Marcia, J. E. (1966). Development and validation of ego-identity status. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 551-558. [...]
APA Style reference
For your bibliographyOnline reading
with our online readerContent validated
by our reading committee
