One of the earliest pioneers of developmental psychology was G. Stanley Hall, who was the first psychologist to receive a doctorate in America. Hall was strongly influenced by Darwin’s theory of evolution and thought that psychological development is a kind of evolutionary process in miniature. Hall is best remembered for studying adolescence, which he called “Storm and Stress”.
Adolescence, he said, goes through a process of emotional turmoil caused by increased awareness of himself and his surroundings, and his heightened consciousness leads to sensitivity, depression, and recklessness. Hall’s analysis of the turbulent nature of adolescence has been generally confirmed by later psychologists. Erikson describes the adolescent years as a period characterized by the “crisis” of identity and role confusion, where the adolescent struggles with self-criticism and finding a place in society. Erikson coined “identity crisis” specifically for these times of life.
