CHAPTER 7 Erikson: Post Freudian Theory

identity crisis

a turning point in one's life that may either strengthen or weaken personality.

ego

person's ability to unify experiences and actions in an adaptive manner

three interrelated aspects of ego

body ego, ego ideal, ego identity

body ego

refers to experiences with our body; a way of seeing our physical self as different from other people.

ego ideal

represents the image we have of ourselves in comparison with an established ideal

ego ideal

it is responsible for our being satisfied or dissatisfied not only with our physical self but with our entire personal identity.

ego identity

the image we have of ourselves in the variety of social roles we play

pseudospecies

an illusion perpetrated and perpetu ated by a particular society that it is somehow chosen to be the human species.

epigenetic principle

meaning that each component proceeds in a step-by-step fashion with later growth building on earlier development.

interaction of opposites

that is, a con flict between a syntonic (harmonious) element and a dystonic (disruptive) element.

syntonic element

harmonious

dystonic element

disruptive

a syntonic tendency

For example, during infancy basic trust

a dystonic tendency

opposed to basic mistrust

basic strength

the conflict between the dystonic and syntonic elements produces an ego quality or ego strength

core pathology

too little basic strength at any one stage

psychosocial stages

Erikson referred to his eight stages, he never lost sight of the biological aspect of human development.

Ego identity

shaped by a multiplicity of conflicts and events

identity crisis

during each stage, but especially from adolescence forward, personality development is characterized by an

identity crisis

Erikson (1968) called "a turning point, a crucial period of increased vulnerability and heightened potential"

Infancy

characterized by the oral
sensory mode, the psychosocial crisis of basic trust versus mistrust, the
basic strength of hope, and the core pathology of withdrawal.

oral-sensory

, a phrase that includes infants' principal psychosexual mode of adapting

receiving and accepting what is given

oral-sensory stage is characterized by two modes of incorporation

Basic Trust

ordinarily syntonic

basic mistrust

dystonic

Hope

emerges from the conflict between basic trust and basic mistrust.

Early Childhood

children experience the anal, urethral, and
muscular psychosexual mode; the psychosocial conflict of autonomy
versus shame and doubt; the basic strength of will; and the core
pathology of compulsion.

Anal-Urethral-Muscular Mode

children learn to control their body, especially in relation to cleanliness and mobility.

Shame

a feeling of self consciousness, of being looked at and exposed

Doubt

feeling of not being certain, the feeling that something remains hidden and cannot be seen.

Will

The basic conflict during early childhood is between the child's striving for autonomy and the parent's attempts to control the child through the use of shame and doubt.

Play Age

children experience genital-locomotor psychosexual
development and undergo a psychosocial crisis of initiative versus guilt,
with either the basic strength of purpose or the core pathology of inhibition.

genital-locomotor

the Oedipus complex is a drama played out in the child's imagination and includes the budding understanding of such basic concepts as reproduction, growth, future, and death.

initiative

may lead to chaos and a lack of moral principles.

Inhibition

which is the antipathy of purpose, consti tutes the core pathology of the play age.

Purpose

the stage in which children are developing a conscience and beginning to attach labels such as right and wrong to their behavior. This youthful conscience becomes the "cornerstone of morality"

School Age

in a period of sexual latency but face the
psychosocial crisis of industry versus inferiority, which produces either
the basic strength of competence or the core pathology of inertia.

Latency

important because it allows children to divert their energies to learning the technology of their culture and the strategies of their social interactions.

Industry

a willingness to remain busy with something and to finish a job.

inferiority

As children learn to do things well, they develop a sense of industry, but if their work is insufficient to accomplish their goals—the dystonic quality of the school age.

Competence

the confidence to use one's physical and cog nitive abilities to solve the problems that accompany school age.

Adolescence

a crucial stage because a person's sense of
identity should emerge from this period.

Puberty

important psychologically because it triggers expectations of adult roles yet ahead—roles that are essentially social and can be filled only through a struggle to attain ego identity.

Identity

defined both positively and negatively, as adolescents are deciding what they want to become and what they believe while also discovering what they do not wish to be and what they do not believe.

Identity confusion

a syndrome of problems that includes a divided self image, an inability to establish intimacy, a sense of time urgency, a lack of con centration on required tasks, and a rejection of family or community standards

Fidelity

the basic strength of adolescence

role repudiation

the core pathology of adolescence that blocks one's ability to synthesize various self-images and values into a workable identity.ore pathology of adolescence that blocks one's ability to synthesize various self-images and values into a workable identity.

Young adulthood

the time from about age 18 to 30, is characterized by the
psychosexual mode of genitality, the psychosocial crisis of intimacy versus
isolation, the basic strength of love, and the core pathology of exclusivity.

Genitality

can develop only during young adulthood when it is distinguished by mutual trust and a stable sharing of sexual satisfactions with a loved person.

Intimacy

the ability to fuse one's identity with that of another person without fear of losing it.

mature intimacy

means an ability and willingness to share a mutual trust. It involves sacrifice, compromise, and commitment within a relationship of two equals.

isolation

defined as "the inca pacity to take chances with one's identity by sharing true intimacy"

Love

as mature devotion that over comes basic differences between men and women.

exclusivity

The antipathy of love

Adulthood

is a time when people experience the psychosexual mode of
procreativity, the psychosocial crisis of generativity versus stagnation,
the basic strength of care, and the core pathology of rejectivity

procreativity

refers to more than genital contact with an intimate partner. It includes assuming responsibility for the care of offspring that result from that sexual contact.

generativity

defined as "the generation of new beings as well as new products and new ideas"

generativity

which is concerned with establishing and guiding the next generation, includes the procreation of children, the production of work, and the creation of new things and ideas that contribute to the building of a better world.

self-absorption and stagnation

gen erational cycle of productivity and creativity is crippled when people become too absorbed in themselves, too self-indulgent. Such an attitude fosters a pervad ing sense of stagnation.

Care

arises from each earlier basic ego strength. One must have hope, will, purpose, competence, fidelity, and love in order to take care of that which one cares for.

rejectivity

the unwillingness to take care of certain persons or groups

Rejectivity

manifested as self-centeredness, provincialism, or pseudospeciation: that is, the belief that other groups of people are inferior to one's own

Old age

is marked by the psychosexual mode of generalized sensuality,
the crisis of integrity versus despair, and the basic strength of wisdom
or the core pathology of disdain.

Generalized Sensuality

a greater appreciation for the traditional lifestyle of the opposite sex. Men become more nurturant and more acceptant of the pleasures of nonsexual relationships, including those with their grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Women become more interested and involved in politics, finance, and world affairs

Integrity

a feeling of wholeness and coher ence, an ability to hold together one's sense of "I-ness" despite diminishing physical and intellectual powers

Ego integrity

sometimes difficult to maintain when people see that they are losing familiar aspects of their existence: for example, spouse, friends, physical health, body strength, mental alertness, independence, and social usefulness.

Despair

literally means to be without hope

Wisdom

People with detached concern do not lack concern; rather, they exhibit an active but dis passionate interest.

disdain

defined as "a reaction to feeling (and seeing others) in an increasing state of being finished, confused, helpless." / continuation of rejectivity, the core pathology of adulthood.