Erikson's Stages

Infancy (to 1 year)

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

Toddler-hood(1 to 3 years)

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

Preschool (3 to 6 years)

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

Elementary school (6 years to puberty)

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

Adolescence (teen years into 20s)

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 to early 40s)

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

Middle adulthood (40s to 60s)

These 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)

Reflecting on their lives, older adults may feel a sense of satisfaction or failure.