Erik Erikson's Psychosocial Theory of Development
Stage 2 Positive:Personal responsibility leads to self-esteem Negative:Parents not satisfied lead to shame and doubt
Toddlerhood (18 mos.-3 years) Autonomy vs. Doubt
Stage 4 Positive:Learns to value achievement Negative:Inability to "keep up"
Middle/Late Childhood (6-12 years) Industry vs. Inferiority
Stage 5 Positive:Establishes a concept of self Negative: Confusion about identity/role
(Adolescence) Identity vs. Confusion
Stage 8 Positive: Self-acceptance and satisfaction Negative:Bitterness and resentment
(Late adulthood to Death) (Ego) Integrity vs. Despair
Stage 7 Positive: Genuine concern for future generations Negative: Self-absorption leads to boredom
(Middle adulthood) Generativity vs. Stagnation (Boredom)
Stage 6 Positive: Share intimacy and feel empathy Negative:Inability to form meaningful relationships
(Young adulthood) Intimacy vs. Isolation
Erik Erikson's Psychosocial Theory of Development
Development of identity: values, beliefs, and ideals that guide behavior
Stage 3 Positive: Parents support independence Negative:Overcontrolling parents lead to guilt
Early Childhood (3-6 years) Initiative vs. Guilt
Divided life span into eight psychosocial stages, each associated with a different drive and a problem or crisis to resolve Outcome of each stage varies along a continuum from positive to negative, and lays the groundwork for identity
Erik Erikson's Psychosocial Theory of Development
Stage 1 Positive:If needs are met, trust is formed Negative:If not, distrust and pessimism
Infancy (Birth-18 months) Trust vs. Mistrust
Q: Is my world predictive and supportive? Infants must rely on others for care (+) Consistent and dependable caregiving and meeting infant needs leads to a sense of trust (-) Infants who are not well cared for will develop mistrust
Stage 1 (Birth-18 months) Trust vs. Mistrust
Q: Can I do things myself, or must I always rely on others? Children are discovering their own independence. (+) Those given the opportunity to experience independence will gain a sense of autonomy. (-) Children that are overly restrained or punished harshly will develop shame and doubt.
Stage 2 (18 mos.-3 years) Autonomy vs. Doubt
Q: Am I good, or am I bad? Children are exposed to the wider social world and given greater responsibility. (+) Sense of accomplishment leads to initiative (-) Feelings of guilt can emerge if the child is made to feel too anxious or irresponsible
Stage 3 (3-6 years) Initiative vs. Guilt
Q: Am I competent, or am I worthless? Stage of life surrounding mastery of knowledge and intellectual skills (+) Sense of competence and achievement leads to industry (-) Feeling incompetent and unproductive leads to inferiority
Stage 4 (6-12 years) Industry vs. Inferiority
Q: Who am I, and where am I going? Developing a sense of who one is and where one is going in life (+) Successful resolution leads to positive identity (-) Unsuccessful resolution leads to identity confusion or a negative identity
Stage 5 (Adolescence) Identity vs. Confusion
Q: Shall I share my life with another person, or live alone? Time for sharing oneself with another person (+) Capacity to hold commitments with others leads to intimacy (-) Failure to establish commitments leads to feelings of isolation
Stage 6 (Young adulthood) Intimacy vs. Isolation
Q: Will I produce something of real value? (+) Caring for others in family, friends, and work leads to sense of contribution to later generations (-) Stagnation comes from a sense of boredom and meaninglessness
Stage 7 (Middle adulthood) Generativity vs. Stagnation
(+) Successful resolutions of all previous crises leads to integrity and the ability to see broad truths and advise those in earlier stages (-) Despair arises from feelings of helplessness and the bitter sense that life has been incomplete
Stage 8 (Late adulthood to Death) Integrity vs. Despair
