Erik Erikson proposed 8 stages of psychosocial development that occur throughout the lifespan: 1. Trust vs. Mistrust - Infancy, developing trust or mistrust based on caregiver consistency 2. Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt - Early Childhood, gaining independence and willpower or feeling shame 3. Initiative vs. Guilt - Preschool, exploring initiative or feeling guilt 4. Industry vs. Inferiority - School Age, developing competence or inferiority 5. Identity vs. Role Confusion - Adolescence, forming identity or experiencing role confusion 6. Intimacy vs. Isolation - Young Adulthood, developing intimacy or feeling

1. Erik Erikson:
Eight Stages of
Development
HAZEL JANE V. HISOLER

2. Erik Erikson: The Father of
Psychosocial Development
“Children love and want to be loved and
they very much prefer the joy of
accomplishment to the triumph of hateful
failure. Do not mistake a child for his
symptom”
- Erik Erikson

3. Personality
• Personality consists of all the relatively
stable and distinctive styles of thought,
behavior, and emotional responses that
characterize a person’s adaptations to
surrounding situations

5. Psychosocial Stages
• Stage 1- Trust vs. Mistrust
• Stage 2- Autonomy vs. Shame & Doubt
• Stage 3- Initiative vs. Guilt
• Stage 4- Industry vs. Inferiority
• Stage 5- Identity vs. Role Confusion
• Stage 6- Intimacy vs. Isolation
• Stage 7- Generativity vs. Stagnation
• Stage 8- Integrity vs. Despair

6. Stage 1-Trust vs. Mistrust
• Age- Birth to 18 months
• Conflict- Trust vs. Mistrust
• Relationship- Mother
• Strength- Hopes
• Question- Can I trust the world?
• Key Event- Feeding

7. Stage 1-Trust vs. Mistrust
• Children are completely dependent on others
• Trust: Established when babies given
adequate warmth, touching, love, and
physical care-Dependable & Reliable.
• Mistrust: Caused by inadequate or
unpredictable care and by cold,
indifferent, and rejecting parents-
Undependable, Unpredictable &
Dangerous.

8. Trust vs Mistrust:
Infancy)
Children begin to learn the
ability to trust others based
upon the consistency of their
caregiver
If a child successfully develops
trust, he or she will feel safe
and secure in the world.
Caregivers who are
inconsistent, emotionally
unavailable, or rejecting
contribute to feelings of
mistrust in the children they
care for. Failure to develop
trust will result in fear and a
belief that the world is
inconsistent and
unpredictable.

9. Stage 2-
Autonomy vs. Shame & Doubt
• Age- 18 month to 3 years
• Conflict- Autonomy vs. Shame
• Relationship- Parents
• Strength- Will
• Question- Is it ok to be me?
• Key Event- Toilet Training

10. Stage 2-
Autonomy vs. Shame & Doubt
• Autonomy: Doing things for themselves
such as body control & making choices.
- Secure and confident self.
• Shame: Overprotective or ridiculing parents
may cause children to doubt abilities
and feel shameful about their
actions- Inadequacy & self doubt.

11. Autonomy vs Shame and
Doubt: Early Childhood
Child learns to feed and
dress themselves and toilet
training begins
Gaining more control over
food choices, toy
preferences, and clothing
selection.
Children who successfully
complete this stage feel
secure and confident, while
those who do not are left with
a sense of inadequacy and
self-doubt.

12. Stage 3- Initiative vs. Guilt
• Age- 3 years to 6 years
• Conflict- Initiative vs. Guilt
• Relationship- Family
• Strength- Purpose
• Question- Is it okay for me to do,
move & act?
• Key Event- Independence

13. Stage 3- Initiative vs. Guilt
• Initiative: Parents reinforce via giving
children freedom to play, use imagination,
and ask questions- Creative, Constructive.
• Guilt: May occur if parents criticize,
prevent play, or discourage a child’s
questions- Always being wrong, Failed
to explore world.
• Initiative and Guilt should be balanced
in order to have moral judgment.

14. Initiative vs Guilt:
Preschool
Preschool children encounter a
widening social world, and a lot
more challenges
Children are asked to assume
responsibility for their bodies,
their behavior, their toys and
their pets
Children make enormous
cognitive leaps, and those
developing abilities provide the
impetus for exploration in all
areas of their lives

15. Stage 4- Industry vs. Inferiority
• Age- 6 years to 12 years
• Conflict- Industry vs. Inferiority
• Relationship- Neighbors, School
• Strength- Competence
• Question- Can I make it in the world
of people and things?
• Key Event- School

16. Stage 4- Industry vs. Inferiority
• Children's have to cope with new social
and academic demands
• Industry: Occurs when child is praised for
productive activities, such as painting and
building- Sense of competence
• Inferiority: Occurs if child’s efforts are
regarded as messy or inadequate-
Weak sense of self, Incapable to take
responsibility

17. Industry vs Inferiority:
School Age
Through social interactions,
children begin to develop a
sense of pride in their
accomplishments and
abilities.
Children who are encouraged
and commended by parents
and teachers develop a
feeling of competence and
belief in their skills. Those
who receive little or no
encouragement from parents,
teachers, or peers will doubt
their ability to be successful.

18. Stage 5-
Identity vs. Role Confusion
• Age- 12 years to 18 years
• Conflict- Identity vs. Role Confusion
• Relationship- Peers, Role Model
• Strength- Fidelity
• Question- Who am I? what can I be?
• Key Event- Peer relationships

19. Stage 5-
Identity vs. Role Confusion
• Children learn a number of different roles.
• Identity: One’s organization of individual
drives, abilities, beliefs, and experience
into consistent image of self. Who we are.
• Role Confusion: Failure to establish
an individual identity separate from
the family and having no peer
relationships and plans for an
occupation- Ego diffusion

20. Identity vs Confusion:
Adolescence
Adolescents experience
major physical,
intellectual and emotional
changes. Many go
through growth spurts
and their coordination
often doesn’t keep up
with their bodies
Adolescents experience
new sexual feelings and
are not quite know how
to respond, they are
frequently confused

21. Stage 6-Intimacy vs. Isolation
• Age- 19 years to 40 years
• Conflict- Intimacy vs. Isolation
• Relationship- Friends, Partners
• Strength- Love
• Question- Can I love?
• Key Event- Love relationships

22. Stage 6-Intimacy vs. Isolation
• Start of families
• Intimacy: Ability to care about others and
to share experiences with them-
Strong relationship
• Isolation: Feeling alone and uncared
for in life- Loneliness

23. Intimacy vs Isolation:
Young Adulthood
This stage covers the
period of early adulthood
when people are faced
with the developmental
task of forming intimate
relationships
Giving for the sake of
giving, without expecting
something in return
characterizes a positive
resolution of the crisis at
this stage

24. Stage 7-
Generativity vs. Stagnation
• Age- 40 years to 65 years
• Conflict- Generativity vs. Stagnation
• Relationship- Household, Workmates
• Strength- Care
• Question- Can I make my life count?
• Key Event- Parenting

25. Stage 7-
Generativity vs. Stagnation
• Primary developmental task is one of
contributing to society and helping to
guide future generation.
• Generativity: Interest in guiding the next
generation- Social involvement, Parenting
• Stagnation: When one is only
concerned with one’s own needs and
comforts- Material possession,
Physical well being, Non productive

26. Generativity vs Stagnation:
Middle Adulthood
During adulthood, we
continue to build our lives,
focusing on our career and
family.
Generative adults try to
contribute to the
betterment of society by
working for principles such
as a clean physical
environment, a safe and
drug-free social world and
adherence to the
principles of freedom and
dignity for individuals

27. Stage 8-Integrity vs. Despair
• Age- 65 years to Death
• Conflict- Integrity vs. Despair
• Relationship- Mankind, My kind
• Strength- Wisdom
• Question- Is it ok to have been me?
• Key Event-Reflecting on and
acceptance of one’s life

28. Stage 8-Integrity vs. Despair
• In the last stages of life individuals look
back over their lives and judge them.
• Integrity: Self-respect; developed when
people have lived richly and responsibly-
Feeling of wisdom and meaning
• Despair: Occurs when previous life
events are viewed with regret;
experiences heartache and remorse-
Regret, Bitterness

29. Identity vs Despair:
Old Age
This phase occurs during
old age and is focused on
reflecting back on life.
Those who are
unsuccessful during this
phase will feel that their
life has been wasted and
will experience many
regrets. The individual
will be left with feelings of
bitterness and despair.

30. Erikson’s
Psychosocial Development
Stage Psychosocial
Crisis
Psychosocial
Strength
Environmental
Influence
Age
(Years)
1 Infancy Trust vs. Mistrust Hope Maternal
2-3 Early childhood Autonomy vs.
Shame and Doubt
Willpower Both parents or
adult substitutes
4-5 Preschool Initiative vs. Guilt Purpose
6-11 Middle Childhood Competence
Parents, family and
friends
School
12-18 Adolescence Fidelity Peers
18-35 Young adulthood Love
35-65 Middle age Care
Spouse, lover,
friends
Family, society
Over 65 Old age
Industry vs.
Inferiority
Identity vs. Role
confusion
Intimacy vs.
Isolation
Generativity vs.
Stagnation
Integrity vs. Despair Wisdom All humans