Erik Erikson

Psychosocial Development

Erikson Versus Freud

• Erikson felt Freud placed undue emphasis on sexual instincts in regard to personality.

• Eriskon said the climate of the mother-infant relationship is much more important to personality development.

Psychosocial Development

• Proposed stages of personality development based on social stages of life.

• Erikson’s stages focus on conflicts throughout our life spans and how we deal with and make decisions regarding those conflicts.

The Stages of Development

• Each is labeled according to possible outcomes, which are opposites.

• Resolution of each stage is extremely important.• Erikson assumed most people would end up with

a blending of the outcomes of these stages.• Erikson said the goal of adolescence was to attain

ego identity, or a firm sense of what one stands for.

Importance of Ego Identity

• Connecting skills learned in elementary school with occupations in adult years

• Without a firm grasp on ego identity, one is likely to submit to peer pressure and short-sighted hedonism.

Trust vs. Mistrust (birth- 1 1/2 yrs)

Infants are totally dependent on others – learns to trust others.

• At this stage the caregiver provides food, warmth, and the comfort of physical closeness.

Trust means the child can rely on the caregiver whereas mistrust would mean the child can not rely on the caregiver for meeting basic needs.

Trust vs. Mistrust Outcomes

Adequate Resolution• Basic sense of safety, security; ability to

rely on forces outside oneself

Inadequate Resolution• Insecurity, anxiety

Autonomy vs. Self-Doubt1 1/2 – 3 yrs)

• Child tries to become an individual by simple tasks such as walking, talking, using the bathroom

• Autonomy means the child has been able to master a few task on his/her own and therefore feels like a worthy person.

Autonomy vs. Self-DoubtOutcomes

Adequate Resolution• Perception of self as agent; capable of

controlling one’s own body

Inadequate Resolution• Feelings of inadequacy about self-control or

control over events

Initiative vs. Guilt(3 – 6 yrs)

• Child tries to take control of environment-choosing what the wear and what to eat

Initiative Guilt

Often initiate activities Spend time imagining what they want to do, then

think of ways to do those things. Children need to know their ideas, questions &

concepts matter to others Children need chances to create play ideas and put

them into action

Parents scold instead of encourage

Children’s play ideas are not praised

Belittle and ridicule children

Punishing children for acting on their ideas

No encouragement to think or be creative

Parents convey to children that their ideas are not valuable or worthwhile

Initiative vs. GuiltOutcomes

Adequate Resolution• Confidence in oneself as being able to

initiate or create

Inadequate Resolution• Feeling a lack of self-worth

Competency vs. Inferiority(6 – puberty)

School activities, sports, social affiliation is extremely important during these years

We become interested in how things are made, how they work, and what they do

Parents are no longer the only influence on stages.

Competency vs. InferiorityOutcomes

Adequate Resolution• Adequacy in basic social and intellectual

skills; acceptance by peers

Inadequate Resolution• Lack of self-confidence, feelings of failure

both academically and socially

Identity vs. Identity Role Confusion(13 – 18 yrs)

Seeks to answer “Who am I?” “Will someone love who I am?” “What is my role in life?”

Peers & group identity are important. Confusion results if fail to develop

sense of self

Identity vs. Identity Role ConfusionOutcomes

Adequate Resolution• Comfortable sense of self as a person, both

unique and socially accepted

Inadequate Resolution• Sense of self as fragmented , shifted,

unclear sense of self

Intimacy vs. Isolation(18 - 30 yrs)

Formation of permanent relationships Sharing on an intimate level Weeding out of social affiliations Loneliness results without intimacy

Intimacy vs. IsolationOutcomes

Adequate Resolution• Capacity for closeness and commitment to

others

Inadequate Resolution• Feelings of aloneness, loneliness,

separation; denial of intimacy needs

Generativity vs. Stagnation(30 – 65 yrs)

Person must give (generate) something important to the world

If does not generate, then he/she is psychologically at a stand-still (stagnation)

Generativity vs. StagnationOutcomes

Adequate Resolution• Focus on concern beyond oneself, to family,

society, future generations

Inadequate Resolution• Self-indulgent concerns; lack of future

orientation

Ego Integrity vs. Ego Despair( from 65 yrs on)

Accept the end is near. Find that life was worthwhile – Ego

Integrity. When one looks back and feels no

sense of accomplishment – Ego Despair

Ego Integrity vs. Ego DespairOutcomes

Adequate Resolution• Sense of wholeness; basic satisfaction with

life

Inadequate Resolution• Feelings of futility, disappointment