Erik Erikson proposed eight stages of psychosocial development across the human lifespan. Each stage presents a developmental crisis centered around trust, autonomy, initiative, industry, identity, intimacy, generativity, and integrity. Successful resolution of earlier crises helps individuals develop virtues like hope, will, purpose, competence, fidelity, love, care and wisdom to progress through life. Failure to resolve crises can lead to weaknesses like sensory distortion, compulsion, inhibition, inferiority, identity confusion, isolation, stagnation and despair. Erikson's theory emphasizes the importance of social experiences and relationships in psychological development.
1. THE THEORY OF DEVELOPMENT AND
THE EGO
By Erik Erikson
2. ERIKSON’S PSYCHOLOGICAL THEORY
The developmental changes throughout the human
life span.
Eight stages of human development.
Each stage consists of a unique developmental
task that confronts individuals with a crisis, which is
a turning point of increased vulnerability and
enhanced potential that must be resolved.
3. Erikson’s Stages Developmental Period
Trust vs. Mistrust Infancy (first year)
Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt Toddler (2 to 3 years)
Initiative vs. Guilt Preschool (3 to 5 years)
Industry vs. Inferiority School age (elementary school
years, 6 years to puberty)
Identity vs. Identity Confusion Adolescence (10 to 20 years)
Intimacy vs. Isolation Early adulthood (20s, 30s)
Generativity vs. Stagnation Middle adulthood (40s, 50s)
Integrity vs. Despair Late adulthood (60s onward)
6. AUTONOMY VS. SHAME AND DOUBT
Erikson’s second psychological stage
occurs in late infancy and toddlerhood (1 to 3 years)
infants begin to discover that their behavior is their own.
start to assert their sense of independences, or autonomy.
realizing their will.
If infants are restrained too much or punished too harshly, they are
likely to develop a sense of shame and doubt.
8. INITIATIVE VS. GUILT
Erikson’s third stage of development
Preschool years
As preschool children encounter a widening social world, they are
challenged more than they were infants.
Children are asked to assume responsibility for their bodies,
behaviors, toys, and pets.
Developing a sense of responsibility increases initiative.
Uncomfortable guilt feelings may arise if the child is irresponsible
Erikson believes that most guilt is quickly compensated for by a
sense of accomplishment.
10. INDUSTRY VS. INFERIORITY
Erikson’s fourth developmental stage
Occurs approximately in the elementary years
Children’s initiative brings them in contact with a wealth of new
experiences.
As they move into middle and late childhood, they direct their energy
toward mastering knowledge and intellectual skills.
Children then become more enthusiastic about learning than at the
end of early childhood’s period of expansive imagination.
Children can also develop a sense of inferiority, which they would
feel incompetent and unproductive.
12. IDENTITY VS. IDENTITY CONFUSION
Erikson’s fifth developmental stage
Individual experience during the adolescent years.
Faced with finding out who they are, what they are all about, and
where they are going in life.
confronted with many new roles and adult statuses – vocational and
romantic, for example.
Parents need to allow adolescents to explore many different roles
and different paths within a particular role.
• If the adolescent explores such roles in a healthy manner and arrives at a
positive path to follow in life, then a positive identity will be achieved.
• If an identity is pushed on the adolescent by parents, if the adolescent
does not adequately explore many roles, and if a positive future path is not
defined, then identity confusion reign.
14. INTIMACY VS. ISOLATION
Erikson’s sixth developmental stage
Individuals experience during the early adulthood years
Face the developmental task of forming intimate relationship with
others
Erikson describes intimacy as finding oneself yet losing oneself in
another
For example, if the young adult forms healthy friendships and an
intimate relationship with another individual, intimate will be
achieved; if not, isolation will result.
16. GENERATIVITY VS. STAGNATION
Erikson’s seventh developmental stage
Individuals experience during middle adulthood
A chief concern is to assist the younger generation
in developing and leading useful lives – this is what
Erikson means by generativity.
The feeling of done nothing to the next generation
is stagnation.
18. INTEGRITY VS. DESPAIR
Erikson’s eighth and final developmental stage
Individuals experience in late adulthood
During this stage, a person reflects on the past and either pieces
together a positive review or concludes that life has not been spent
well.
For example, the older person may have developed a positive
outlook in most or all of the previous stages of development. If so,
the retrospective glances will reveal a picture of a life well spent, and
the person will feel a sense of satisfaction – integrity will be
achieved. If the older adult resolved many of the earlier stages
negatively, the retrospective glances likely will yield doubt or gloom –
the despair Erikson described.