6. Erikson

Theories of Personality

Overview of Post-Freudian Theory

• Aim: Extend Freud’s Assumptions

• Focus on:

  • Infantile Development

  • Life-Cycle Approach to Personality

  • Social and Historical Influences

• Stages characterized by psychosocial struggles

  • Example: Identity crisis

Biography of Erik Erikson

• Birth: Frankfurt, Germany in 1902

• Family Background: Son of Jewish mother; unknown father

• Childhood: Experienced rejection from both Jewish and Gentile communities

• Youth: Left home at 18; lived as an itinerant artist in Europe for 7 years

• Psychoanalysis Introduction: In Vienna, introduced to psychoanalysis by Anna Freud

• Education: Graduated from the Vienna Psychoanalytic Institute

• Career:

  • 1933: Research position at Harvard Medical School

  • 1950: Published Childhood and Society

  • Taught at Yale, Berkeley, and others

• Position: Professor of Human Development at Harvard (1960)

• Death: Died in Cape Cod in 1994

The Ego in Post-Freudian Theory

• Ego Psychology Description

• Three Interrelated Aspects of the Ego:

  1. Body Ego: An individual's perception and feelings about their physical body, which influence their sense of self.

  2. Ego Ideal: Represents the standards and aspirations that a person strives to achieve, reflecting their values and personal goals.

  3. Ego Identity: Refers to how an individual defines themselves in relation to their social and personal experiences, shaping their overall sense of identity.

• Society’s Influence:

  • Ego largely shaped by culture

• Epigenetic Principle: Ego grows sequentially, changes arise at specific times

Stages of Psychosocial Development

• Basic Points:

  • Follows epigenetic principle

  • Every stage involves interaction of opposites

  • Conflict produces ego strength

• Consequences:

  • Too little strength results in core psychopathology later

  • Stages characterized as biological

  • Personality development involves identity crisis from adolescence

Trust vs Mistrust (Birth to 18 months)

• Mode: Oral-Sensory

  • Modes of Incorporation: Receiving and Accepting

• Development of Trust:

  • Influenced by caregiver quality

  • Responsive, caring caregiver  secure trust

  • Neglectful caregiver  insecure mistrust

• Outcomes:

  • If trust predominates: Hope

  • If mistrust predominates: Withdrawal

Autonomy vs Shame & Doubt (18 months to 3 years)

• Stage: Early Childhood, Anal-Urethral-Muscular

• Focus: Independence

  • Toilet training

  • Freedom to express preferences

• Outcomes:

  • Empowered parents lead to confident children: Will

  • Overprotective parents result in lack of confidence: Compulsion

Initiative vs Guilt (3 - 6 years)

• Stage: Play Age, Genital-Locomotor Mode

• Focus: Regulation between desire to act and need for approval

• Outcomes:

  • Successful individuals gain Purpose

  • Those restricted develop Inhibition

Industry vs Inferiority (6 to 11/12 years)

• Stage: School Age, Latency

• Focus: Building self-esteem through skill acquisition

• Outcomes:

  • Successful resolution leads to Competence

  • Too little support results in inertia, low self-esteem

  • Too much support leads to over-industriousness (overly eager approach to work or productivity)

Identity vs Identity Confusion (11/12 to 20 years)

• Focus: Adolescents resolving key issues

  • Choice of occupation

  • Adoption of values

  • Development of sexual identity

• Outcomes:

  • Successful resolution leads to Fidelity

  • Failure can result in Role Repudiation or Defiance

Intimacy vs Isolation (20-40 years)

• Focus: Deep personal commitments

• Outcomes:

  • Successful resolution leads to Love

  • Failure results in Exclusivity and isolation

Generativity vs Stagnation (40-65 years)

• Focus: Caring for the next generation

• Outcomes:

  • Resolution leads to Care

  • Failure results in Rejectivity

Ego Integrity vs Despair (>65 years)

• Focus: Reflection on life accomplishments

• Outcomes:

  • Successful resolution results in Wisdom

  • Failure leads to Disdain

Summary of Stages

Erikson’s Method of Investigation

• Anthropological Studies: Consistency with strong cultural values

  • Example: Sioux and Yurok Nations

• Psychohistory: Combines psychoanalysis with historical research

  • Examples: Martin Luther & Gandhi

Related Research

• Generativity and Parenting:

  • Bauer and McAdams (2004)

  • Peterson (2013)

• Sense of generativity important for effective parenting

• Generativity vs. Stagnation:

  • Van Hiel et al. (2013)

  • Operate independently in adult development

Critique of Erikson

• Strengths:

  • High on generating research and internal consistency

• Moderate Performance:

  • Organizing knowledge, falsifiability, guiding action, parsimony

Concept of Humanity

• Key Dualities:

  • Determinism vs Free Choice

  • Optimism vs Pessimism

  • Causality vs Teleology

• Developmental Focus:

  • Consciousness influences life stages

• Cultural vs Biological Emphasis:

  • Highlighting uniqueness over similarity

Reflective Questions

1. Choose one developmental stage from Erikson’s theory that significantly impacts you today.

2. As someone entering Young Adulthood, what experiences do you hope to have to build a complete personality? Are there specific challenges as you begin this stage?