D. Phil. / Human development is a universal phenomenon, characterized by various stages. These stages differ from one culture to the other. Furthermore, each developmental stage tends to bring about expectations that are in accordance with a particular culture. In addition, in each culture there exist problems that are specific to a given stage as well as to the manner in which these problems are resolved. Erikson=s stages of human development are generally regarded as universal. The universal acceptance of Erikson=s stages seems to be based on a study he conducted, involving a variety of cultures. A question that needed to be addressed was whether Erikson=s developmental stages are similar to those which an African child goes through. This study is an attempt to investigate developmental stages of Africans and compare them to those outlined by Erikson. To investigate the developmental stages of an African child and to establish the relationship between Erikson=s stages of development and those of Africans, an exploratory study was conducted among the people of the Bolobedu community in the Limpopo Province, South Africa. The Balobedu people were regarded as an ideal study sample because of their relatively unchanged lifestyle which still resembles the traditional African way of life. Subjects were interviewed individually, by using an open-ended questionnaire. The results were then interpreted and analyzed. The results show that children among the Balubedu also go through various stages of development which have distinct names. Furthermore, like in many other cultural groups, these stages are accompanied by various problems and expectations. In addition, these people use different methods to address problems experienced during each of the stages identified. The study further reveals that although the developmental stages among the Balobedu have much in common with those of Erikson, there exist differences between the two approaches. These differences are identified. Of the most significant differences is that developmental stages are not defined by age alone, but by other factors such as readiness and ability to perform certain tasks as well. In addition, the study did not indicate the presence of psychological problems that are caused by the developmental process, when these stages among the target group were compared to those identified by Erikson. In conclusion, this study illuminates that there are both similarities and differences between the two approaches. One such difference is that whereas Erikson=s theory describes stages in terms of age associated with some psycho-social problems, the results of the investigation revealed that among Africans, developmental stages are described in terms of the child=s readiness, and that no indication of the presence of psycho- social problems was found. This, it would seem, does not necessarily mean that traditional African children do not experience psychological problems. Instead, it suggests that there are other methods of dealing with these psychological problems, which this study did not reveal. This raises the need to explore the developmental stages and their psychological effects among African children by using a larger sample than the one used in this study. Another distinction is that the definition of various stages is based on cultural values. While Erikson emphasizes the importance of concepts such as competition, independence and egoism, Africans tend to put more emphasis on cooperation, inter-dependence and altruism respectively. Lastly, among Africans, each stage is characterized by rituals and ceremonies. These are meant to mark the beginning or the end of a particular stage or phase, thereby psychologically preparing the individual to adjust to the new position. Erikson=s stages of development seem to have ignored the importance of rituals in the various developmental stages. Therefore, his theory can not be said to be universally applicable.

Thesis (Ph. D. in Religion)--Vanderbilt University, May 2009. / Title from title screen. Includes bibliographical references.