AP Psychology Erikson's Stages of Psychosocial Development

Infancy (0-1 years)

Trust vs. Mistrust

If needs are dependably met, infants develop a sense of basic trust.

Toddlerhood (1-3 years)

Autonomy (independence) vs. Shame and Doubt

Toddlers learn to exercise their will and do things for themselves, or they doubt their abilities.

Preschool (3-6 years)

Initiative vs. Guilt

Preschoolers learn to initiate tasks and carry out plans, or they feel guilty about their efforts to be independent.

Elementary School (6 years-Puberty)

Industry vs. Inferiority

Children learn the pleasure of applying themselves to task, or they feel inferior.

Adolescence (teen years-20s)

Identity vs. Role Confusion

Teenagers work at refining a sense of self by testing roles and then integrating them to form a single identity, or they become confused about who they are.

Young Adulthood (20s-early 40s)

Intimacy vs. Isolation

struggle to form close relationships and to gain the capacity for intimate love, or they feel socially isolated.

Middle Adulthood (40s-60s)

Generactivity vs. Stagnation

In middle age, people discover a sense of contributing to the world, usually through family and work, or they may feel a lack of purpose.

Late Adulthood (late 60s and up)

Integrity vs. Despair

Reflecting on his or her life, an older adult may feel a sense of satisfaction or failure.

Identity

our consistent and comfortable sense of self; according to Erikson, the adolescent's task is to solidify a sense of self by testing and integrating various roles

Social Identity

the "we" aspect of our self-concept; the part of our answer to "Who am I?" that comes from our group memberships

Intimacy

in Erikson's theory, the ability to form close, loving relationships; a primary developmental task in late adolescence and early adulthood