perdev lesson 4

Erik Erikson

Erik Erikson

“Socialization is an important process”

Born: 15 June 1902 & Germany (illegitimate child of Danish Parents)

Erikson’s Birthday and Birthplace

Erik Erikson

• Known for his theory on psychosocial development 

• Served as professor at Harvard and Yale

• Studied young people in different cultures

• Became interested in how young people acquire a personal identity and how society helps shape it

Psychoanalysis, Anna Freud

Met Sigmund Freud and studied ___ with Freud's daughter, _ Freud

Stage 1. Trust vs Mistrust
Stage 2. Autonomy vs Shame and Doubt
Stage 3. Initiative vs Guilt
Stage 4. Industry vs Inferiority
Stage 5 (Adolescence). IIdentity vs Role Confusion
Stage 6 (Young Adulthood). Intimacy vs Isolation
Stage 7 (Middle Adulthood). Generativity vs Stagnation
Stage 8 (Late Adulthood). Integrity vs Despair

8 STAGES OF PSYCHOSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

Birth - 1 yr.

Stage One: Trust versus Mistrust 

Infancy (2 to 3 years)

Stage Two: Autonomy versus Shame and Doubt

3-5 years old

Stage Three: Initiative versus Guilt

6-11 years old

Stage Four: Industry versus Inferiority

12-18 years old

Stage Five (Adolescence): Identity versus Role Confusion

19-40 years old

Stage Six (Young Adulthood): Intimacy versus Isolation

40 – 65 years old

Stage Seven (Middle Adulthood): Generativity versus Stagnation

65 years - up

Stage Eight (Late Adulthood): Integrity versus Despair

Stage One: Trust versus Mistrust

• Trust: Established when babies given adequate warmth, touching, love, and physical care 

• Mistrust: Caused by inadequate or unpredictable care and by cold, indifferent, and rejecting parents 

Stage Two: Autonomy versus Shame and Doubt

• Autonomy: Doing things for themselves

• Overprotective or ridiculing parents may cause children to doubt abilities and feel shameful about their actions

Stage Three: Initiative versus Guilt

• Initiative: Parents reinforce via giving children freedom to play, use imagination, and ask questions

• Guilt: May occur if parents criticize, prevent play, or discourage a child's questions

Stage Four: Industry versus Inferiority

• Industry: Occurs when child is praised for productive activities, such as painting and building

• Inferiority: Occurs if child's efforts are regarded as messy or inadequate

Stage Five (Adolescence): Identity versus Role Confusion

• Identity: For adolescents; problems answering, "Who am I?” 

• Role Confusion: Occurs when adolescents are unsure of where they are going and who they are

Stage Six

• Intimacy: Ability to care about others and to share experiences with them 

• Isolation: Feeling alone and uncared for in life

Stage Seven (Middle Adulthood)

• Generativity: Interest in guiding the next generation 

• Stagnation: When one is only concerned with one's own needs and comfort

Stage Eight (Late Adulthood)

• Integrity: Self-respect; developed when people have lived richly and responsibly 

• Despair: Occurs when previous life events are viewed with regret; experiences heartache and

1. This phase occurs during old age and is focused on reflecting back on life. 

2. Those who are unsuccessful during this phase will feel that their life has been wasted and will experience many regrets. The individual will be left with feelings of bitterness and despair.

• Trust

• Identity

• Generativity

• Maturity

• Ethnic Identity

Research in Erikson’s Theory

1. Personality develops throughout the lifetime

2. Identity crisis in adolescence

3. Impact of social, cultural, personal and situational forces in forming personality

Contributions of Erikson

Trust

• Early strong bonds with mother later were more curious, sociable and popular

Identity

• Strong identity associated with greater cognitive and emotional functioning in college students

• Crisis may begin later than age 12 

• Continuing process over the lifespan

Generativity

• Evokes need to feel closer to others 

• Correlated with extraversion, openness to new experiences 

• Likely to be involved in community, social relationships

Maturity

High ego integrity: spent much time reviewing their lives

Ethnic Identity

Ethnic minorities: ethnic identity significant factor in determining sense of self