“Erik Erikson”

Psychosocial theory of
Life-Span
 Erik Erikson: The Father of
Psychosocial Development

“Psychoanalysis is always the starting point.”

Erikson extended Freud’s theory in three ways:

First, he elaborated on Freud’s stages of
development.
Second he placed greater emphasis on the ego
than on the id.
Third, Erikson recognized the impact on
personality of cultural and historical forces.
 Erik Erikson
Life & Theory
• Personal Identity Crisis
• Child Developmental Study
• Identity Confusion
 Erik Erikson

• Erikson was an ego psychologist. He emphasized

the role of culture and society and the conflicts
that can take place within the ego itself.

• According to Erikson, the ego develops as it

successfully resolves crises that are distinctly
social in nature. These involve establishing a
sense of trust in others, developing a sense of
identity in society, and helping the next
generation prepare for the future.
 EPIGENETIC PRINCIPLE
There Is A Natural, Predetermined Order
To Development.

Personality growth follows a sequence of

inner, predetermined laws.
Each person develops through a
sequence of stages that emerge in
accordance with this preset plan.
5
Environment heredity
Erikson’s Life-Span Development Theory
■ Development proceeds in
stages
■ Each stage is
characterized by a
psychosocial challenge or
crisis
■ Each crisis is represented
by a healthy versus an
unhealthy resolution that
can be represented as
polar opposites.
7
The stages are sequential but they are
NOT HIERARCHICAL.

Each new stage emerges according to the

predetermined biological plan
irrespective of how successful the
resolution of the previous stage was.

However, the unhealthy resolution of a

stage negatively affects the resolution of
all subsequent stages.
• Each stage in Erikson's theory builds on the preceding stages
and paves the way for following periods of development.
• In Erikson's view, these conflicts are centered on either
developing a psychological quality or failing to develop that
quality. During these times, the potential for personal growth
is high but so is the potential for failure.
• If people successfully deal with the conflict, they emerge
from the stage with psychological strengths that will serve
them well for the rest of their lives. If they fail to deal
effectively with these conflicts, they may not develop the
essential skills needed for a strong sense of self.
• Erikson also believed that a sense of competence motivates
behaviors and actions. Each stage in Erikson's theory is
concerned with becoming competent in an area of life. If the
stage is handled well, the person will feel a sense of mastery,
which is sometimes referred to as ego strength or ego quality.
If the stage is managed poorly, the person will emerge with a
sense of inadequacy in that aspect of development.
 1. Trust vs. Mistrust 0–1 year
Is the world a safe place or is it full of unpredictable events
and accidents waiting to happen?
❑ Erikson's first psychosocial crisis occurs during the first year .
❑ The crisis is of trust vs. mistrust.
❑ During this stage the infant is uncertain about the world in which they
live. To resolve these feelings of uncertainty the infant looks towards
their primary caregiver for stability and consistency of care.
❑ If the care the infant receives is consistent, predictable and reliable,
they will develop a sense of trust which will be carried with them to
other relationships, and they will be able to feel secure even when
threatened.
❑ Success in this stage will lead to the virtue of hope.
❑ By developing a sense of trust, the infant can have hope that as new
crises arise, there is a real possibility that other people will be there as a
 1. Trust vs. Mistrust 0–1 year
❑ Failing to acquire the virtue of hope will lead to the development of fear.
❑ For example, if the care has been harsh or inconsistent, unpredictable and
unreliable, then the infant will develop a sense of mistrust and will not have
confidence in the world around them or in their abilities to influence events.

❑ This infant will carry the basic

sense of mistrust with them
to other relationships. It may
result in anxiety, heightened
insecurities, and an over-
feeling of mistrust in the
world around them.
 2. Autonomy vs. Shame and doubt (2-3 years)
Is It Okay to Be Me?
❑ As the child gains control over eliminative functions and motor
abilities, they begin to explore their surroundings.
❑ The parents still provide a strong base of security from which the
child can venture out to assert their will.
❑ The parents' patience and encouragement help foster autonomy in
the child.
❑ Children at this age like to explore the world around them and they
are constantly learning about their environment.
❑ Caution must be taken at this age while children may explore things
that are dangerous to their health and safety.
❑ At this age children develop their first interests.
❑ For example, a child who enjoys music may like to play with the
radio. Children who enjoy the outdoors may be interested in
animals and plants.
 2. Autonomy vs. Shame and doubt (2–3 years)
Is It Okay to Be Me?

❑ Highly restrictive parents, however, are more likely

to instill in the child a sense of doubt and reluctance
to attempt new challenges. As they gain increased
muscular coordination and mobility, toddlers
become capable of satisfying some of their own
needs. They begin to feed themselves, wash and
dress themselves, and use the bathroom.

❑ If caregivers encourage self-sufficient behavior,

toddlers develop a sense of autonomy—a sense of
being able to handle many problems on their own.
But if caregivers demand too much too soon, refuse
to let children perform tasks of which they are
capable, or ridicule early attempts at self-sufficiency,
children may instead develop shame and doubt
about their ability to handle problems.
 3. Initiative vs. Guilt(4–5 years)
Is it Okay for Me to Do, Move, and Act?
❑ Initiative adds to autonomy the quality of undertaking, planning
and performing a task for the sake of just being active and on
the move.
❑ The child is learning to master the world around them, learning
basic skills and principles of physics. Things fall down, not up.
Round things roll. They learn how to zip and tie, count and
speak with ease.
❑ At this stage, the child wants to begin and complete their own
actions for a purpose. Guilt is a confusing new emotion. They
may feel guilty over things that logically should not cause guilt.
They may feel guilty when this initiative does not produce
desired results.
❑ The development of courage and independence are what set
preschoolers apart from other age groups. Young children in this
category face the challenge of initiative versus guilt.
❑ During this stage, the child learns to take initiative and prepare
for leadership and goal achievement roles. Activities sought out
by a child in this stage may include risk-taking behaviors, such as
crossing a street alone or riding a bike without a helmet; both of
these involve self-limits.
 3. Initiative vs. Guilt(4–5 years)
Is it Okay for Me to Do, Move, and Act?
❑ Within instances requiring initiative, the child may also develop
negative behaviors. These behaviors are a result of the child
developing a sense of frustration for not being able to achieve a
goal as planned and may engage in behaviors that seem
aggressive, ruthless, and overly assertive to parents. Aggressive
behaviors, such as throwing objects, hitting or yelling, are
examples of observable behaviors during this stage.
❑ Preschoolers are increasingly able to accomplish tasks on their
own, and can start new things. With this growing independence
comes many choices about activities to be pursued.
❑ Sometimes children take on projects they can readily accomplish,
but at other times they undertake projects that are beyond their
capabilities or that interfere with other people's plans and
activities.
❑ If parents and preschool teachers encourage and support
children's efforts, while also helping them make realistic and
appropriate choices, children develop initiative-independence in
planning and undertaking activities. But if, instead, adults
discourage the pursuit of independent activities or dismiss them
as silly and bothersome, children develop guilt about their needs
and desires.
 4. Industry vs. inferiority
(6–12 years)
Can I Make it in the World of People and Things?
❑ The aim is to bring a productive situation to completion gradually
replaces the impulses and wishes of play. The fundamentals of
technology are developed.
❑ The failure to master trust, autonomy, and industrious skills may
cause the child to doubt his or her future, leading to shame, guilt, and
the experience of defeat and inferiority.
❑ "Children at this age are becoming more aware of themselves as
individuals." They work hard at "being responsible, being good and
doing it right." They are now more reasonable to share and
cooperate.
❑ Children grasp the concepts of space and time in more logical,
practical ways. They gain a better understanding of cause and effect,
and of calendar and time.
❑ At this stage, children are eager to learn and accomplish more
complex skills: reading, writing, telling time. They also get to
form moral values, recognize cultural and individual differences and
are able to manage most of their personal needs and grooming with
minimal assistance. At this stage, children might express their
independence by talking back and being disobedient and rebellious.
 4. Industry vs. inferiority
(6–12 years)
Can I Make it in the World of People and Things?
❑ Erikson viewed the elementary school years as critical for the
development of self-confidence. Ideally, elementary school
provides many opportunities to achieve the recognition of teachers,
parents and peers by producing things - drawing pictures, solving
addition problems, writing sentences, and so on.
❑ If children are encouraged to make and do things and are then
praised for their accomplishments, they begin to demonstrate
industry by being diligent, persevering at tasks until completed,
and putting work before pleasure. If children are instead ridiculed
or punished for their efforts or if they find they are incapable of
meeting their teachers' and parents' expectations, they develop
feelings of inferiority about their capabilities.
❑ At this age, children start recognizing their special talents and
continue to discover interests as their education improves. They
may begin to choose to do more activities to pursue that interest,
such as joining a sport if they know they have athletic ability, or
joining the band if they are good at music. If not allowed to
discover their own talents in their own time, they will develop a
sense of lack of motivation, low self-esteem, and lethargy.
 5. Identity vs. Role Confusion
(13 to 18 years)
Who Am I?
❑ Children are becoming more independent, and begin to look at
the future in terms of career, relationships, families, housing, etc.
The individual wants to belong to a society and fit in.

❑ This is a major stage in development where the child has to learn

the roles he will occupy as an adult. It is during this stage that the
adolescent will re-examine his identity and try to find out exactly
who he or she is.

❑ According to Bee (1992), what should happen at the end of this

stage is “a reintegrated sense of self, of what one wants to do or
be, and of one’s appropriate sex role”. During this stage the body
image of the adolescent changes.

❑ Erikson claims that the adolescent may feel uncomfortable about

their body for a while until they can adapt and “grow into” the
changes. Success in this stage will lead to the virtue of fidelity.
 5. Identity vs. Role Confusion
(13 to 18 years)
Who Am I?
❑ Fidelity involves being able to commit one's self to others on
the basis of accepting others, even when there may be
ideological differences.

❑ During this period, they explore possibilities and begin to

form their own identity based upon the outcome of their
explorations. Failure to establish a sense of identity within
society ("I don’t know what I want to be when I grow up") can
lead to role confusion.

❑ 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). Also pressuring someone
into an identity can result in rebellion in the form of
establishing a negative identity, and in addition to this feeling
of unhappiness.
6. Intimacy vs. Isolation
❑ Occurring in young adulthood (ages 19 to 40 years), we begin to share
ourselves more intimately with others.

❑ We explore relationships leading toward longer term commitments with

someone other than a family member.

❑ Successful completion of this stage can lead to comfortable relationships

and a sense of commitment, safety, and care within a relationship.

❑ Avoiding intimacy, fearing commitment and relationships can lead to

isolation, loneliness, and sometimes depression. Success in this stage will
lead to the virtue of love.
7. Generativity vs.
Stagnation
❑ During middle adulthood (ages 41 to 64 years), we establish our careers,
settle down within a relationship, begin our own families and develop a
sense of being a part of the bigger picture.

❑ We give back to society through raising our children, being productive at

work, and becoming involved in community activities and organizations.

❑ By failing to achieve these objectives, we become stagnant and feel

unproductive. Success in this stage will lead to the virtue of care.
 8. Ego Integrity vs. Despair
❑ As we grow older (above 65 years) and become senior citizens, we tend to slow
down our productivity, and explore life as a retired person.

❑ It is during this time that we contemplate our accomplishments and are able to
develop integrity if we see ourselves as leading a successful life.

❑ Erik Erikson believed if we see our lives as unproductive, feel guilty 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.
Erikson’s Human Development Stages

1 - Trust vs. Mistrust Developed through

0–1 year consistent love and
support
2 - Autonomy vs. Independence fostered
Shame and by support and
Doubt encouragement
2–3 years
Developed by exploring
3 - Initiative vs. Guilt and accepting challenges
4–5 years
Erikson’s Human Development Stages

4 - Industry vs.
Mastery comes from
Inferiority
success and recognition
6 years–puberty
5 - Identity vs. Role Exploration of different
Confusion paths to attain a healthy
Adolescence identity

6 - Intimacy vs. Form positive, close

Isolation relationships with others
Early adult years
Erikson’s Human Development Stages

7 - Generativity vs. Transmitting

Stagnation something positive
Middle Adulthood to the next
generation
8 - Integrity vs. Despair
Late Adulthood Life review and
retrospective
evaluation of one’s
past
Assessment in Erikson’s Theory
• Psychohistorical Analysis
• Application of lifespan theory to lives of historical figures
• Psychological Tests:
• Instruments based on crises in stages
Research in Erikson’s Theory
• Trust
• Early strong bonds with mother later were more curious, sociable
and popular
• Identity
• Strong identity associated with greater cognitive and emotional
functioning in college students
• Crisis may begin later than age 12
• Continuing process over the lifespan
Research in Erikson’s Theory
• Generativity
• Evokes need to feel closer to others
• Correlated with extraversion, openness to new experiences
• Likely to be involved in community, social relationships
Research in Erikson’s Theory
• Maturity
• High ego integrity: spent much time reviewing their lives
• Ethnic Identity
• Ethnic minorities: ethnic identity significant factor in determining
sense of self
Contributions of Erikson
• Personality develops throughout the lifetime
• Identity crisis in adolescence
• Impact of social, cultural, personal and situational forces in
forming personality
Criticisms of Erikson
• Ambiguous terms and concepts
• Lack of precision
• Some terms are not easily measured empirically
• Experiences in stage may only apply to males
• Identity crisis may only apply to those affluent enough to
explore identities
THANK YOU