Erik Erikson

Psychosocial stages of development

Erik Homburger Erikson’s post-freudian theory

Erik Erikson

• he studied in the Montessori System, which influenced his interest in play therapy and child analysis

• he conducted a large-scale longitudinal study of child development

Life Cycle theory

Erikson became a professor at Harvard university, where his —- became popular

child psychoanalyst

Erikson was the first — in Massachusetts and held positions in Harvard Psychological Clinic

epigenetic model of human development

• this model asserts that every system of the body has a pre-determined sequences of development

• the strengths and capacities developed at each stage are related to the entire personality and can be affected by development at any point in one’s life

crisis

• each stage has a — in which the strengths and skills that form the essential elements of that stage

• a — is a turning point, a moment of decision between progress and regression, integration and retardation

creative ego

• — is a socialized and historical (developmental) ego, one that develops and influenced through the years via socialization with others

• it is an ego that can find solutions to the new problems that best fit at each stage

body ego

it is one’s experience with own body

ego ideal

it is the image we have of ourselves as compared with established ideal

ego identity

it is the image we have of ourselves in a variety of social roles

1. factuality

2. universality/sense of reality

3. actuality

4. chance or luck

four aspects of reality upon which Ego Identity is Anchored

factuality

it refers to a universe of facts, data, techniques that can be verified with the observational methods

universality/sense of reality

this aspect of reality combines the practical and the concrete in a visionary world image

actuality

this refers to a new way of relating to each other, of activating and invigorating each other in the service of a common goal

infancy stage

in this stage, — develops a sense of certainty/trustfulness that the primary care giver will always return for his/her needs

Basic trust vs basic mistrust

psychological crisis of infancy stage

psychosocial identity

routines, consistency, and continuity in the infant’s environment provide the earliest basis for a sense of —

hope

• basic strength of infancy stage

• this is the product of the proper ratio of basic trust and basic mistrust results into this

• it is the earliest and most indispensable virtue inherent in the state of being alive

withdrawal

• core pathology of infancy stage

• if infants do not develop sufficient hope during infancy, they will demonstrate the opposite of hope, which is —

numinous

• basic ritualization of infancy stage

• this is the baby’s sense of the presence of the mother, her looking, holding, touching, smiling, feeding, naming, and recognizing

estrangement

• lack of recognition cause—

• it is the sense of separation and abandonment

idolism

• the ritualism of infancy stage

• — is expressed in adult life by idolatrous hero worship

autonomy vs shame and doubt

psychological crisis of early childhood stage

shame

is used to tame the child’s willfulness

encouragement

parents use— for the child to develop a sense of autonomy

good will and pride

a sense of self-control gives the child a lasting feeling of —-

shame and doubt

a sense of loss of self-control gives the child a lasting feeling of —

will

• basic strength of early childhood stage

• — is the ever-increasing strength to make free choices, to decide, to exercise self-restraint, and to apply oneself

compulsion

• core pathology of early childhood stage

• when the child experiences too much shame and doubt, the children do not adequately develop Will, and inadequate will is express as —-

judicious

• the ritualization of early childhood stage

• this is shown when the child begins to discriminate self/our kind from others and good from bad

divided species

Erikson believes that judicious is the ontogenetic basis of worldwide estrangement called —

legalism

• the ritualism of early childhood stage

• this is the victory of the letter of the law over its spirit, retribution over compassion

play age stage

• this is an age of expanding mastery and responsibility

• the child is more advanced and more together

• the child is eager to learn at this stage

initiative vs guilt

psychological crisis of play age stage

sense of initiative

together with sense of autonomy, —- provides the child a quality of pursuing, planning, and determination of achieving tasks and goals

guilt

is experienced when child is overzealous for goals, genital fantasies

purpose

• basic strength of play age stage

• this basic strength stems from the play activity of the child, whether they are physical plays, mental plays, or make-believe/imitation plays

Play

— gives the child an intermediate reality, teaching him/her the purpose of things

inhibition

• core pathology of play age stage

• if the child develops more guilt than initiative, he or she may become compulsively moralistic

dramatic

• the ritualization of play age stage

• this consists of play-acting, wearing costumes, imitating adults, pretending to be something/someone else

impersonation

• the ritualism of play age stage

• this is manifested when the adult plays roles or acts in order to present in an image that is not representative of one’s true self

school age stage

• at this stage, the child must submit to controlling its imagination and setting down to formal education

• interest in toys and play is gradually superseded by an interest in productive situations and the tools used for work

industry vs inferiority

psychosocial crisis of school age stage

competence

• basic strength of school age stage

• — is achieved by applying oneself to work and to completing task

workmanship

competence eventually develops —

inferiority

without competence and a sense of workmanship, the child would experience —

inertia

• core pathology of school age stage

• is the struggle in this stage favors either inferiority or and too much of industry, children are likely to give up and regress to an earlier stage of development. this regression is called —

formal

• the ritualization of school age stage

• this is the watching and learning of proper methods/ ways of performance provides the child with an overall quality of craftmanship and perfection

formalism

• the ritualism of school age stage

• consists of the repetition of meaningless formalities and empty rituals

identity vs identity confusion

psychological crisis of adolescence stage

identity confusion

• is brought about by the translation from childhood to adulthood on one hand, and sensitivity to social and historical change on the other

• it makes one feel that the society is pushing him/her to make decisions, and this makes one more resistant

identity crisis

this is the necessity to resolve the transitory failure to form a stable identity or a confusion of roles

negative identity

this is the sense of possessing a set of potentially bad or unworthy characteristics

projection

is a common way of dealing with negative identity; “they are bad not me”

fidelity

• basic strength of adolescence stage

• is the ability to sustain loyalties freely pledged in spite of the inevitable contradiction of value systems

• this is the foundation upon which a continuous set of identity is formed, which is based upon the need to feel that one belongs to some particular kind of people

Role Repudiation

• core pathology of adolescence stage

• blocks one’s ability to synthesize various self-images and values into a whole workable unit

diffidence

is the extreme lack of self-trust or self-confidence

ideology

• the ritualization of adolescence stage

• this is the solidarity of conviction that incorporates ritualizations from previous life stages into a coherent set of ideal and ideals

totalism

• the ritualism of adolescence stage

• — is the fanatic and exclusive preoccupation with what seems to be unquestionably right or ideal

young adulthood stage

• the adult here seeks relationships of intimacy, partnership, and affiliation

• for the first time, the person can develop true sexual genitality in mutuality with a loved partner

intimacy vs isolation

psychological crisis of young adulthood stage

isolation

is the avoidance of relationships because one is unwilling to commit oneself to intimacy

Love

• basic strength of young adulthood stage

• is the dominant virtue of the universe

• mutuality of devotion forever subduing the antagonisms inherent in divided attention

exclusivity

• core pathology of young adulthood stage

• it is the absolute limiting of love to someone or a group of persons so much so that in block one’s ability to cooperate, compete, or compromise— all prerequisites for intimacy and love

affiliative

• the ritualization of young adulthood stage

• this is the sharing together of work, friendship and love

elitism

• the ritualism of young adulthood stage

• is the formation of exclusive groups that are a form of communal narcissism

adulthood stage

this stage is characterized by the presence of progeny, products, ideas, and so forth— and the setting forth of guidelines for upcoming generations

generativity vs stagnation

psychological crisis of adulthood stage

stagnation

happens when generativity is weak or not given expression

care

• basic strength of adulthood stage

• is expressed by one’s concern for others, by wanting to take care of those who need it, and to share one’s knowledge and experience with them

rejectivity

• core pathology of adulthood stage

• unwillingness to take care of certain persons or groups

generational

• the ritualization of adulthood stage

• is the ritualization of parenthood, production, teaching, healing, and so forth

authoritism

• the ritualism of adulthood stage

• is the authority without care

integrity vs despair

psychological crisis of old age stage

integrity

is the stage one reaches after having taken care of things and people, generated products and ideas and having adapted to the successes and failure of existence

despair

is the frustration over the circumstances of one’s life, social and historical conditions, nakedness of existence in the face of death

wisdom

• basic strength of old age stage

• is the detached concern with life itself, in the face of death itself

• is associated with a feeling of wholeness and completeness, which alleviates feelings of helplessness and dependence that can mark the end of life

disdain

• core pathology of old age stage

• is defined as the reaction to feeling and seeing others in an increasing state of being finished, confused, and helpless

• is the continuation of rejectivity

integral

• the ritualization of old age stage

• reflected in the wisdom of the ages such as in spiritual and philosophical teachings

sapientism

• the ritualism of old age stage

• is the unwise pretense of being wise

anthropological study

practiced by Erikson in the study of children in Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and Yurok Indians

psychohistory

combination of case history and psychoanalysis

play construction

Erikson discovered that children could often reveal their concerns better when playing with toys