ERIKSONS PSYCHOSOCIAL THEORY Rachel L Taulbee University of
ERIKSON’S PSYCHOSOCIAL THEORY Rachel L. Taulbee University of West Georgia
BACKGROUND ON BELIEFS � Erikson believed…. . � Development is social in nature and a result of a desire to affiliate with other people. � A person encounters 8 developmental stages in life. � Each stage presents individuals with a crisis that must be faced. � “The more successfully an individual resolves the crisis, the healthier development will be” (Santrock, 2008, p. 18).
TRUST VS. MISTRUST � Age � Infancy: First year of life � Virtue � Hope � Question � Is the world a good and pleasant place to live? � Characteristics � Infants need food, comfort, and warmth to develop a sense of trust. If these needs are not meet, a sense of mistrust will follow. STAGE 1
� Age � � Will Question � � Infancy: 1 to 3 years Virtue � � AUTONOMY VS. SHAME AND DOUBT Can I do things by myself or must I always rely on others? Characteristics: � Caregivers provide a strong sense of security and encourage children to accomplish self-sufficient behaviors such as crawling, walking, changing clothes, and bathing. “If restrained too much or punished too harshly, they are likely to develop shame and doubt. ” STAGE 2
INITIATIVE VS. GUILT � Age � � Virtue � � Purpose Question � � Preschool: 3 to 5 years Am I good or bad? Characteristics � Children are faced with new challenges and learning to master the world around them. They begin to act with purpose and also experience guilt when a particular action does not occur as planned. It is important not to belittle or make a child feel anxious about their attempts. STAGE 3
INDUSTRY VS. INFERIORITY � Age � � Virtue � � Competence Question � � Elementary: 6 years to puberty Am I successful or worthless? Characteristics � Children begin mastering knowledge and intellectual skills. This stage is imperative to foster self-confidence. Children should be encouraged to create and do things and then receive praise. If children are made to feel incompetent, they will develop feelings of inferiority and may be unwilling to try new things. STAGE 4
IDENTITY VS. IDENTITY CONFUSION � Age � Adolescence: 10 to 20 years � Virtue � Fidelity � Question � Who am I and what am I all about? � Characteristics � Adolescents try a variety of roles to identify where they fit in. They must decide who they are and decipher who society expects them to be. They start using their experiences to influence their future. STAGE 5
INTIMACY VS. ISOLATION � Age � Early adulthood: 20 s and 30 s � Virtue � Love � Question � Am I loved or wanted by someone? � Characteristics � Upon establishing identity, people are able to form long term commitments. Without healthy friendships and intimate relationships, isolation occurs. STAGE 6
GENERATIVITY VS. STAGNATION � Age � Middle adulthood: 40 s and 50 s � Virtue � Care � Question � Will I produce something of real value? � Characteristics � “Generativity” is a concern for helping the younger generation lead successful lives. In contrast, feeling like they’ve done nothing to help leads to stagnation. STAGE 7
INTEGRITY VS. DESPAIR � Age � Late adulthood: 60 s onward � Virtue � Wisdom � Question � Was my life well spent? � Characteristics �A person reflects on the past. If a person feels their life was well spent, they develop a sense of integrity. If they look back on a life of disappointments and missed goals, they develop a sense of despair or gloom. STAGE 8
REFERENCES Santrock, J. W. (2008). Essentials of life-span development. New York, NY: Mc. Graw-Hill. Erikson's psychosocial development theory. Retrieved from http: //www. businessballs. com/erik_erikson_psychosocial_t heory. htm.
- Slides: 11