6 erik erikson
Overview of Erik Erikson
Birth and Life Span: Erik Erikson (1902-1994)
Life marked by stigma of illegitimacy due to being born out of wedlock.
Raised by stepfather which led to abandonment issues and an identity crisis.
Did not know biological identity for years, leading to exploration of cultural identity (Danish, German, Jewish).
Early Life Influences
Experienced an identity crisis while searching for personal identity.
Welcomed socio-cultural factors into understanding personality development.
Academic Background
Trained in psychoanalysis, influenced by Anna Freud (enhanced awareness of social influences).
Married Joan Serson, who became his intellectual companion and editor.
Migration and Professional Growth
Immigrated in 1933 to Denmark, then the U.S., establishing practice in Boston.
Developed a psychoanalytic practice focused on children and was invited to teach at Yale's medical school.
Studied Sioux child-rearing practices which fostered a belief in cultural influences on childhood development.
Identity Theory
Focus on personality development throughout life span via 8 psychosocial stages.
Each growth stage tied to individual crises that need resolution, impacting human behavior and development.
Crisis Definition: A turning point that must be faced at each stage of psychosocial development.
Psychosocial Stages of Development
Epigenetic Principle
Development governed by a sequence of genetically influenced stages.
Social and environmental forces shape and actualize these stages.
Personality influenced by biological and social factors.
Crisis Resolution
Positive or negative responses to crises define developmental outcomes.
Failure to resolve stage conflicts may hinder progression to future stages, making adaptation to later problems difficult.
Basic Strengths and Weaknesses
Each stage holds the potential for developing basic strengths, the motivators emerging from satisfactory crisis resolution.
Basic Weaknesses: Result from unresolved crises can lead to maladaptive or unbalanced personality traits.
Stages of Psychosocial Development
Trust vs. Mistrust (Infancy)
Dependence on caregivers.
Trust leads to consistent expectations; mistrust results in fearfulness.
Autonomy vs. Doubt and Shame (Early Childhood)
Development of independence and self-control, emergence from toilet training.
Independence develops autonomy, while shame fosters self-doubt.
Initiative vs. Guilt (Preschool Years)
Initiative in activities, potential for guilt over perceived wrongdoings and desire for control.
Industry vs. Inferiority (School Age)
New social experiences that influence self-esteem and skill acquisition.
Identity Cohesion vs. Role Confusion (Adolescence)
Development of ego identity, critical for future relationships and career paths.
Intimacy vs. Isolation (Young Adulthood)
Ability to form intimate relationships versus feeling isolated.
Generativity vs. Stagnation (Adulthood)
Involvement in guiding the next generation; stagnation leads to feelings of unfulfillment.
Ego Integrity vs. Despair (Mature Age)
Reflection on life leads to feelings of contentment (integrity) or regret (despair).
Assessment in Erikson's Theory
Involves personalized techniques
Play therapy: used with emotionally disturbed children to understand personality through play.
Psychohistorical analysis: applying Erikson’s theory to significant historical figures to understand crises and coping mechanisms.
Research Impact
Studied concepts such as trust, identity, generativity, and their implications across life spans without age limitation.
Contributions to Psychology
Validated the importance of identity crises and social influences on development.
Inspired the growth of life-span development psychology.
Introduced play therapy methodologies, enhancing therapeutic practices.
Criticisms of Erikson's Theory
Ambiguity in concepts and definitions.
May not fully apply to individuals in lower economic circumstances, raising questions about stage applicability.