Erik Erikson's Psychosocial Theory of Development

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
Who is Erik Erikson?

Born in Germany on June 15th 1902.
He was an artist and a teacher in the
late 1920s when he met Anna Freud,

an Austrian psychoanalyst. With
Annas encouragement, he began to
study child psychoanalysis at the
Vienna Psychoanalytic Institute.
He immigrated to the US in 1933 and
taught at Yale and Harvard University.
It was at this point in his life that he
became interested in the influence of
society and culture on child
development. To satisfy his curiosity,
he studied groups of American Indian
Children to help formulate his
theories. Studying these children
enabled him to correlate personality
growth with parental and societal
values.
Field of Research
He studied groups of Aboriginal
children to learn about the influence of

society and culture on child
development. From this, he developed
a number of theories, the most famous
being his psychosocial development.
He believed that humans have to
resolve different conflicts as they
progress through each stage of
development in the life cycle.
Eriksons theory consists of eight
stages of development. Each stage is
characterized by a different conflict
that must be resolved by the
individual. If a person is unable to
resolve a conflict at a particular stage,
they will be confront and struggle with
it later in life.
Eriksons Contributions
He made major contributions in
the area of child development by

studying groups of Native
American children and
developed the concept of
identity crisis.
He was concerned with the
relationship between
society/culture and child
development, which he termed
psychosocial development.
This interest led him to develop
the Eight Stages of
Development.
In each stage, the individual
encounters a developmental
crisis.
In order to move on to the next
stage, the individual must
resolve the crisis.
Erik Erikson
A neo-Freudian
Adheres to some of Freuds ideas, but focuses more on social

influences.
Stage Theorist
Focus on Crisis Resolution
At each stage a crisis must be resolved

If the crisis is not resolved, the individual may lack the positive
characteristic in the stage.
Eriksons Psychosocial Development

Age
(Years)
Stage
Psychosocial
Crisis
Psychosocial
Strength
Environmental
Influence
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
Parents, family
and friends
6-11
Middle Childhood
Industry vs.
Inferiority
Competence
School
12-18
Adolescence
Identity vs. Role

confusion
Fidelity
Peers
18-35
Young adulthood
Intimacy vs.
Isolation
Love
Spouse, lover,
friends
35-65
Middle age
Generativity vs.
Stagnation
Care
Family, society
Over 65
Old age
Integrity vs.
Despair
Wisdom
All humans
TRUST vs. MISTRUST

Birth 1yr.
Needs being met

Basic trust develops when needs are met (Attachment)
Loving relationship is formed with caregiver
Important event: Feeding
AUTONOMY vs. SHAME AND DOUBT

1 2 years
Learning to do things for oneself

Development of physical activities (ex. walking)
Important event: toilet training
INITIATIVE vs. GUILT

3 5 years
Preschoolers learn to initiate tasks

One becomes more independent
COMPETENCE/ INDUSTRY vs. INFERIORITY

6 years puberty
Child completes tasks themselves

Learning on your own
Important Event: school
Q What is an inferiority complex?
IDENTITY vs. ROLE CONFUSION

Teens early 20s
Teens refine sense of self

Test new roles and incorporate them into an identity
Q Know anyone that is very different now vs. when they were
pre teen 10,11 and 12?
Important events: forming relationships with friends
INTIMACY vs. ISOLATION

20s 40s
Young adults develop intimate relationships

Gaining the capacity for intimate love
Important event: forming love and/or strong relationships
GENERATIVITY vs. STAGNATION

40s 60s
Middle-aged discover a sense of contribution to this world

Family and work oftentimes satisfy this desire
Supporting and satisfying future generation
Important event: Parenting
INTEGRITY vs. DESPAIR

60s +
Reflection on entire life

Did I contribute to this world?
Sense of fulfillment
Evaluation of Eriksons Theory

Theory does attempt to show development
throughout life span

Children and adults may overcome problems that
occur during development
Stages are more descriptive than explanatory

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Erik Erikson: The Father of

CHILDREN LOVE AND WANT TO BE LOVED

Who is Erik Erikson?

late 1920s when he met Anna Freud,

children to learn about the influence of

the area of child development by

Adheres to some of Freuds ideas, but focuses more on social

At each stage a crisis must be resolved

Eriksons Psychosocial Development

Trust vs. Mistrust

Initiative vs. Guilt

Identity vs. Role

TRUST vs. MISTRUST

Needs being met

AUTONOMY vs. SHAME AND DOUBT

Learning to do things for oneself

INITIATIVE vs. GUILT

Preschoolers learn to initiate tasks

COMPETENCE/ INDUSTRY vs. INFERIORITY

Child completes tasks themselves

IDENTITY vs. ROLE CONFUSION

Teens refine sense of self

INTIMACY vs. ISOLATION

Young adults develop intimate relationships

GENERATIVITY vs. STAGNATION

Middle-aged discover a sense of contribution to this world

INTEGRITY vs. DESPAIR

Reflection on entire life

Evaluation of Eriksons Theory

throughout life span

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