Erikson's stages of development

Erikson’s psychosocial development 

  • Says that people go through different stages and face different challenges (a presented with two different options) that they must overcome in order to move to the next stage 

  • Stage 1: basic trust vs mistrust 

  • Ages 1-2 

  • Can we trust the world around us 

  • Are we able to trust our parents or do we fear them 


  • Stage 2: autonomy vs shame and doubt 

  • Ages 2-4

  • We discover ourselves and our body 

  • “ is it ok to be me”

  • If we are allowed to discover ourselves we develop self confidence


  • Stage 3: initiative vs guilt 

  • Ages 4-5 

  • We ask is it ok for me to do what I do 

  • If we are encouraged than we follow our interest if we are told it is dumb we may hold back 


  • Stage 4: industry vs inferiority 

  • Age 5-12 

  • Can we make it in this world 

  • Hard working vs inferior 

  • Do we have motivate to keep going 


  • Stage 5: identity vs rogue confusion 

  • Ages: 13-19 

  • people trying to figure out their identity 

  • If our parents allow us to explore we can figure out our identity 


  • Stage 6: intimacy vs isolation 

  • Ages: 20-40 

  • We know more of who we are 

  • Are we able to make intimate connections with people and if we are not we tend to feel isolated from the world 

  • Can we love 


  • Stage 7: generativity vs stagnation

  • Ages 40 - 65 

  • If we think we can lead the next generation than we feel happy but if not we feel sad 



  • Stage 8: ego integrity vs despair 

  • Ages: 65-death 

  • Did we live a good life and get to do all the things we wanted to do