Theory of Development (Neo-Freudian Erik Erikson's 8 Stages)

Background of Erik Eriksons 8 Stages

Pre-determined, progress requires success in prior stage

Result of stage passed:

virtue and psychosocial strength/progress

Result of stage failed:

Future development impaired

Two different possible failures in each stage

Malignancy and Maladaptation

Malignancy

Worse of the two (too little positive and too much negative)

Maladaptation

A little better than malignancy (too much positive and too little negative)

List of Erik’s Stages

1. Infancy (0-1)

2. Toddler (1-2)

3. Early Childhood (2-6)

4. Elementary/Middle (6-12)

5. Adolescent (12-18)

6. Young Adulthood (19-40)

7. Middle Adulthood (40-65)

8. Late Adulthood (65+)

Stage 1: Infancy (Age, Crisis, Pass, Maladaptive failure, Malignant Failure)

Age: 0-1 years

Crisis: Trust vs. Mistrust: completely dependent on caregiver for all needs. this is how we develop parental attachment and environmental trust

Pass: Secure parental attachment, able to trust environment

Maladaptive Failure: Overly trusting/gullible/can’t perceive danger

Malignant Failure: Pervasive mistrust/depression/paranoia/complete emotional and social development

Stage 2: Toddler (Age, Crisis, Pass, Maladaptive failure, Malignant Failure)

Age: 1-2

Crisis: Independence vs. Shame: Child learns to walk/talk/potty train. These experiences are how one develops self control and confidence

Pass: Confident, ability to cope, have the needed control and independence to succeed in next steps

Maladaptive Failure: Jumping into tasks/decisions without forethought, lacking healthy shame to regulate risky behavior

Malignant Failure: Perfectionism, overly rigid, bound by rules, terrorized by mistakes

Stage 3: Early Childhood (Age, Crisis, Pass, Maladaptive failure, Malignant Failure)

Age: 2-6

Crisis: initiative vs. Guilt: developed motor skills, advanced interactions with environment, these experiences are how we develop purpose and maturity

Pass: able to accept imperfections w/o guilt and hate boundaries with strong imagination/play

Maladaptive Failure: intense drive and ambition with no mercy or guilt steps on anyone necessary to get ahead

Malignant Failure: A lot of guilt, refusal to try new things bc of fear, failure, blame

Stage 4: Elementary/Middle (Age, Crisis, Pass, Maladaptive failure, Malignant Failure)

Age: 6-12 years

Crisis: Industry vs. Inferiority: learning new skills and moving into real world

Pass: finds pleasure in learning/being productive/positive reinforcement

Maladaptive Failure: pushed into a single area of achievement and child is unable to develop/participate in activities normally

Malignant Failure: Gives up after early struggles; huge inferiority complex

Stage 5: Adolescence (Age, Crisis, Pass, Maladaptive failure, Malignant Failure)

Age: 12-18

Crisis: Identity vs. Role Confusion: Asks “who am I” most important stage of development. MUST have successfully developed the basic trust, independence, competence from previous stages to be successful at this stage

Pass: string identity and ready for future

Maladaptive Failure: blindly and aggressively intolerant of any different viewpoint/lifestyle and forcefully pushes identity onto others

Malignant Failure: Rejects membership in adult world, destructive friendships, loosing coherent sense of self.

Stage 6: Young Adulthood Adolescence (Age, Crisis, Pass, Maladaptive failure, Malignant Failure)

Age: 19-40

Crisis: Intimacy vs. Isolation: Develop intimate relationships/extremely important ability

Pass: Benefits from close relationships with others and being capable of nurturing and sustaining them

Maladaptive Failure: Too freely intimate, unable to sustain deep commitments

Malignant Failure: Isolating self from love/friendships entirely bitter/disdain toward others

Stage 7: Middle Adulthood (Age, Crisis, Pass, Maladaptive failure, Malignant Failure)

Age: 40-65

Crisis: Generativity vs. Stagnation: Looking outside of self and caring for others. there is a need to create a living legacy by having children or helping youth

Maladaptive Failure: Sacrifice self to help

Malignant Failure: self absorbed and refuses to invest in next generation

Stage 8: Late Adulthood (Age, Crisis, Pass, Maladaptive failure, Malignant Failure)

Age: 65- dead

Crisis: Integrity vs. Despair: Reflection of life, either filled with pride and pleasure or disappointment with failures

Pass: no fear of death and peace

Maladaptive Failure: presuming peace/wisdom without doing the hard work to reflect and reconcile

Malignant Failure: Contempt for life, bitter, fear of death