Erik Erikson (1902-1994)

 Recognized Freud’s
contributions
 Believed Freud misjudged
some important dimensions
of human development
 Developed the Psychosocial
Theory of Development
 The Psychosocial Theory of
Development
 The primary motivation for human
behavior is social and reflects a
desire to affiliate with other people.
 Eight stages of development unfold
throughout the entire life span.
 Each stage consists of a unique
developmental task that confronts
individuals with a crisis that must
be faced.
 The Psychosocial Theory of
Development (cont’d)

 Crises are not catastrophes but

rather turning points of
increased vulnerability and
enhanced potential.
 The more an individual resolves
the crises successfully, the
healthier development will be.
 Stages of Psychosocial Development
 Trust vs. Mistrust
 Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt
 Initiative vs. Guilt
 Industry vs. Inferiority
 Identity vs. Identity Confusion
 Intimacy vs. Isolation
 Generativity vs. Stagnation
 Integrity vs. Despair
Trust vs. Mistrust (Infancy)
 the infant is uncertain about
the world in which they
live, and looks towards their
primary caregiver for
stability and consistency of
care
 develop a sense of trust
 Success in this stage will
lead to the virtue of hope
Trust vs. Mistrust (Infancy)
 If the care has been inconsistent,
unpredictable and unreliable,
then the infant may develop a
sense of mistrust, suspicion, and
anxiety
 the infant will not have
confidence in the world around
them or in their abilities to
influence events
 Autonomy vs. Shame and
Doubt (Early Childhood)
 children at this stage are focused on
developing a sense of personal control
over physical skills and a sense of
independence
 if children are encouraged and
supported in their increased
independence, they become more
confident and secure in their own
ability to survive in the world
 Success in this stage will lead to the
virtue of will
 Autonomy vs. Shame and
Doubt (Early Childhood)
 If children are:
 criticized

 overly controlled

 not given the opportunity to assert

themselves
 they feel inadequate in their ability to

survive
 may become overly dependent upon

others
 lack self-esteem

 feel a sense of shame or doubt in their

abilities
 Autonomy vs. Shame and
Doubt (Early Childhood)
 kids many skills and abilities, Parents provide:
such as putting on clothes and
 an encouraging
shoes, playing with toys, etc.
 illustrate the child's growing environment which is
sense of independence and tolerant of failure
autonomy
 protection so that
 assert their independence by:
 walking away from their mother constant failure is
picking which toy to play with
avoided


 making choices about what they

like to wear, to eat
 Initiative vs. Guilt (Preschool Age)
 children assert themselves  central to this stage is
more frequently through play
directing play and other
social interaction
 opportunity to explore
 lively, rapid-developing their interpersonal skills
years in a child’s life through planning,
 “time of vigor of action and making up games and
of behaviors that the parents initiating activities
may see as aggressive” (Bee,
1992)
 Initiative vs. Guilt (Preschool Age)
 children develop a sense of
initiative and feel secure in
their ability to lead others
and make decisions
 success in this stage will
lead to the virtue of purpose
 Initiative vs. Guilt (Preschool Age)
 If the parents treat the child’s
questions as trivial, a
nuisance or embarrassing or
other aspects of their
behavior as threatening then
the child may have feelings
of guilt for “being a
nuisance”
 Industry vs. Inferiority (School Age)
 Children are at the stage  A child’s peer group will
where they will be gain greater significance and
will become a major source
learning to read and
of the child’s self-esteem.
write, to do sums, to do  The child now feels the need
things on their own. to win approval by
 Teachers begin to take an demonstrating specific
important role in the competencies that are valued
child’s life as they teach by society and begin to
develop a sense of pride in
the child specific skills.
their accomplishments.
 Industry vs. Inferiority (School Age)
 Success in this  If children are
stage will lead to encouraged and
the virtue reinforced for their
initiative, they begin
of competence.
to feel industrious
(competent) and feel
confident in their
ability to achieve
goals.
 Example: Identity vs. Identity Confusion
(Adolescence)
 Individuals are faced with finding out who they
are, what they are all about, and where they are
going in life.
 Adolescents are confronted with many new roles
and adult statuses.
 If the adolescent explores roles in a healthy
manner and arrives at a positive path in life, then
positive identity will be achieved.
 If an identity is pushed on the adolescent by
parents, if the adolescent does not adequately
explore many roles, then identity confusion
reigns.
 Example: Identity vs. Identity Confusion
(Adolescence)

 adolescents search for a  Children are becoming

sense of self and more independent, and
personal identity, begin to look at the future
through an intense in terms of career,
exploration of personal relationships, families,
values, beliefs, and goals housing, etc. The
individual wants to
belong to a society and fit
in
Example: Identity vs. Identity Confusion
(Adolescence)

 Success in this stage will lead to the virtue

of fidelity
 Fidelity involves being able to commit one's
self to others on the basis of accepting
others, even when there may be ideological
differences.
 Example: Identity vs. Identity Confusion
(Adolescence)

 Role confusion involves the individual not being

sure about themselves or their place in society.
 In response to role confusion or identity crisis,
an adolescent may begin to experiment with
different lifestyles (e.g., work, education or
political activities).
 Example: Intimacy vs. Isolation
(Early Adulthood)

 Individuals face the developmental task of

forming intimate relationships with others.
 Intimacy is defined as finding oneself yet
losing oneself in another.
 Intimacy is achieved through the formation
of healthy friendships and an intimate
relationship with another individual.
 Isolation results from failure to achieve the
above.
 Example: Intimacy vs. Isolation
(Early Adulthood)

 the major conflict  we begin to share

centers on forming ourselves more
intimate, loving intimately with others
relationships with other
people.
 explore relationships
leading toward longer-
term commitments with
someone other than a
family member
 Example: Intimacy vs. Isolation
(Early Adulthood)

 Success in this stage will  Avoiding intimacy,

lead to the virtue of love. fearing commitment
 this stage can result in and relationships can
happy relationships and a lead to isolation,
sense of commitment,
loneliness, and
safety, and care within a
relationship sometimes depression.
 Generativity vs. Stagnation
 generativity refers to "making your mark" on the world
through creating or nurturing things that will outlast an
individual
 individuals experience a need to create or nurture things
that will outlast them, often having mentees or creating
positive changes that will benefit other people
 we give back to society through raising our children,
being productive at work, and becoming involved in
community activities and organizations.
 Generativity vs. Stagnation
 Success in this stage will lead to the virtue of care.
 Success leads to feelings of usefulness and
accomplishment, while failure results in shallow
involvement in the world.
 By failing to find a way to contribute, we become
stagnant and feel unproductive.
 These individuals may feel disconnected or uninvolved
with their community and with society as a whole.
 Example: Integrity vs. Despair
(Late Adulthood)

 This involves reflecting on the past and either

piecing together a positive review or
concluding that one’s life has not been well
spent.
 Integrity is achieved through reflecting on a
past deemed worthwhile.
 If the older adult resolved many of the earlier
stages negatively, looking back will lead to
doubt or gloom (despair).
 Example: Integrity vs. Despair
(Late Adulthood)

 we contemplate our accomplishments and can

develop integrity if we see ourselves as leading
a successful life
 individuals who reflect on their life and regret
not achieving their goals will experience
feelings of bitterness and despair
 Example: Integrity vs. Despair
(Late Adulthood)

 If we see our lives as unproductive, feel guilt about our

past, or feel that we did not accomplish our life goals,
we become dissatisfied with life and develop despair,
often leading to depression and hopelessness.
 Success in this stage will lead to the virtue of wisdom.
 Wisdom enables a person to look back on their life
with a sense of closure and completeness, and also
accept death without fear.