Erikson's

Psychosocial
Theory and
Freud's
psychosexual
Theory
 ERIK ERIKSON

Born: 1902 in Frankfurt, Germany, as Erik

Salomonsen.
Profession: German-American developmental
psychologist and psychoanalyst.
Key Contribution: Theory of psychosocial
development; coined the term "identity
crisis."
 Erikson's Psychosocial
Theory
Erikson's theory describes human development
from infancy to adulthood.
He emphasized the importance of interpersonal,
social, and cultural factors in shaping
personality.
Development occurs through a series of eight
stages, each presenting a psychosocial crisis
involving two opposing emotional forces
(syntonic/positive and dystonic/negative).
Successfully navigating these crises is crucial
for healthy development.
Development is a predetermined unfolding
of personality, with each stage's success
influenced by the previous stage's outcome.

Imbalances in resolving the psychosocial

crises lead to negative outcomes:
Malignancy: Too little positive and too much
negative.
Maladaptation: Too much positive and too
little negative.
Stage One: Trust vs
Mistrust
Starting from infancy to about 18 months, this first
stage develops the infants to trust others. Letting
them feel that they are cared for is a paramount
concern. They should view the world as nonthreatening.
When caregivers provide reliability, care, and
protection, children will develop a sense of trust. A
lack of this will lead to mistrust. Hence, it is implied
that parents should provide the best possible means to
meet all the basic needs of the infant like shelter,
food, and water, and ensure that the place within which
the infant moves is safe and secured.
Stage Two: Autonomy vs
Shame and Doubt
The prime ways to take good care of themselves
should be taught to children from 2 to 3 years old
feeding themselves, toilet training, and changing their
clothes are a few examples. In this stage, they ask
themselves if they can stand alone or always need to
rely on others. This stage implies that parents should
ensure that their children develop a sense of personal
control over personal skills. Eventually, success leads
to feeling of autonomy; failure results in feelings of
shame and doubt.
Stage Three: Initiative vs
Guilt

Children, at this stage, are fond of doing things on

their own. Exploration and play are crucial
activities for them to learn new ideas to apply in
their lives. Children need to assert control and
power over their environment. Success in this
state results to a sense purpose. If they exert too
much effort and become too authoritative, they
will feel a sense of guilt.
Stage Four: Industry vs
Inferiority
At this stage, levels of maturity and self-awareness
are increased. Children always ask themselves how
they can be good. They are ensured to cope with the
new social and academic demands. Success at this stage
results to a sense of competence, whereas failure
leads to feeling of inferiority. Teachers need to
ensure that, at this stage, children feel successful in
their own learning. Classroom opportunities to apply
their learning should be rich. As much as possible, the
difficulty of each task is gradually controlled so that
the feeling of accomplishment is felt, and their
industry is maximized.
Stage Five: Identity vs
Role Confusion identity
Social relationships play a vital role at this stage, when their
sexual identity is developed. Discovery of Oneself comes with the
thought of where one should fit in a social circle, At this stage,
too, adolescents develop their framework of morality. Identity
crisis, as a result of the transition from childhood to adulthood,
may also be experienced. It is a result of high expectations from
others. Some of them may be doubtful whether what they do is
appropriate for their age. Failure to balance at this stage may
result to experiencing upheaval and role confusion. Hence,
teachers should ensure that teens have the opportunities to
develop a sense of self and personal identity through
collaborative tasks and activities.
Stage Six: Intimacy vs
Isolation

Finding the right partner confronts the young adults at this

stage. Failure to do so results to fear of spending the rest
of their lives alone or isolated. Because young people
interact most frequently with others, they are most
susceptible to feeling intimacy and loneliness. Although
finding someone whom they can share a lifelong commitment
is not always the norm, some may opt to be single and forge
a significant friendly relationship with their peers and
colleagues
Stage Seven: Generativity
vs Stagnation

Adults, at this stage, are mostly attached to their

careers and professional journeys. They find life's
meaning by contributing something to the community,
taking responsibilities and control, and leaving an
indelible legacy. Success leads to feelings of usefulness
or generativity, whereas failure to attain so causes
inactivity or meaninglessness.
Stage Eight: Ego Integrity
vs Despair

When thinking that they have contributed

something valuable during their younger years,
retired and about-to-retire people should feel a
sense of fulfillment. Harking back the days with
sense of fulfillment, adults can feel a sense of
wisdom and integrity. Failure results in regret,
bitterness, and despair.
 SIGMUND FRUED

Sigmund Freud was an Austrian

neurologist and the founder of
psychoanalysis

Sigmund Freud's theories and work

helped shape current views of dreams,
childhood, personality, memory,
sexuality, and therapy.
 SIGMUND FREUD’S
PSYCHO SEXUAL THEORY

States the needs to satisfy

basic biological needs.
Sigmund Freud's psycho sexual
theory of development is a
controversial theory.
It suggests that a person's personality
and sexuality are shaped by five
stages of development that occur
during childhood.
 PERSONALITY
STRUCTURE

ID
This is known as the biological
drives with which the infant is
born.
Also refers to the unconscious
usually operates with the goal of
seeking pleasure.
 PERSONALITY
STRUCTURE

EGO
The structure is the rational,
logical,problem-solving
component of the personality.
 PERSONALITY
STRUCTURE

SUPEREGO
This is the structure based on
the child's internalization f the
adult’s attributes, beliefs, and
standards .
 PSYCHO SEXUAL
STAGE

ORAL
Birth to 1 year.

Infants find pleasure on doing oral

activities like sucking, chewing, and
biting; hence feeding activities are
vital
 PSYCHO SEXUAL
STAGE

ANAL
1-3 years.

Gratification is primarily caused by

voluntary urination and defecation.
thus, toilet -training produces major
conflicts between parents and
children.
 PSYCHO SEXUAL
STAGE

PHALLIC
3-6 years.

Genital stimulation causes

gratification at this stage. Children
develop incestuous desire for the
opposite-sex parent.
 PSYCHO SEXUAL
STAGE

LATENCY
6-11 years.

Traumas of the phallic stage cause

sexual conflicts to be repressed
and sexual urges to be re
channeled into school work and
vigorous pay.
 PSYCHO SEXUAL
STAGE

GENITAL
12 years.

Puberty triggers the awakening of

sexual urges Adolescents must now
learn how to express this urges in
socially acceptable ways.
Thank You