Erik Erikson developed a theory called
the “Eight Stages of Psychosocial Development.” He theorized that stages are
precipitated by crises that all individuals face as they move from birth to
death. According to Erikson, each stage presents the individual with a
psychosocial conflict that must be resolved. Each stage has a positive and
negative pole. For instance, during the first stage the infant struggles
with whether to trust the environment or not. If he or she is born into a
relatively stable, dependable environment the infant learns to trust and out of
that trust hope emerges. If, however, the infant is born into an environment
that is erratic, and undependable he or she may grow up considering the world
to be an untrustworthy place. This will colour future life experiences
and rather than entering the world with a hopeful outlook, the individual may
feel hopeless.
By looking at the development of personality characteristics through the lens of Erikson’s life-stages, in the order in which they may be acquired, we can see a path through life, that if navigated successfully could lead to maturity and wisdom.
The model also helps us see what psychological work we need to do when there has been difficulty navigating a particular stage in life. As we move towards life completion, the desire to heal, to become whole, becomes predominant as the more physical aspects of living take on less significance, relatively speaking. Identifying psychological blocks and working in a psychotherapeutic relationship, helps us to make peace with our passage through life.
By looking at the development of personality characteristics through the lens of Erikson’s life-stages, in the order in which they may be acquired, we can see a path through life, that if navigated successfully could lead to maturity and wisdom.
The model also helps us see what psychological work we need to do when there has been difficulty navigating a particular stage in life. As we move towards life completion, the desire to heal, to become whole, becomes predominant as the more physical aspects of living take on less significance, relatively speaking. Identifying psychological blocks and working in a psychotherapeutic relationship, helps us to make peace with our passage through life.
Stage
|
Crisis
|
Result
|
Stage 1 Hope - Infant stage
Social environment
caring , stable or erratic and threatening.
|
Basic Trust vs. Mistrust - Does the child believe its
caregivers to be reliable? Does he environment foster hope or mistrust?
|
Child becomes trusting,
hopeful in life or frightened, insecure and mistrustful.
|
Stage 2 Will - Toddler stage
child supported and
encouraged or, either unknowingly neglected or through malevolent intent
shamed and punished
|
Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt – Does the child believe
him/herself to be intrinsically worthy, good or intrinsically bad
|
Child learns autonomy or
internalizes sense of shame, self-doubt and criticism.
|
Stage 3 Purpose-Kindergarten
Child taught to do
things for self and praised or child is not taught or criticized for
failures.
|
Initiative vs. Guilt- Does child believe in own
ability to plan and act or does he/she feel it is wrong to function
independently?
|
Child learns a sense of
accomplishment. Otherwise, develops
guilt about functioning independently.
|
Stage 4 Competence-age 6 to puberty. As
child enters larger social environment, compares self worth to others (such
as in a classroom).
|
Industry vs. Inferiority - begins to recognise major
disparities in personal abilities relative to other children and judges self through
attitudes of significant others, i.e., teachers
|
Child develops
self-worth and learns comptetency in concrete world or develops sense of inferiority in relation to
others.
|
Stage 5 Fidelity - Teenager. Questioning of self: encouraged to explore
and create self-identity or pushed to conform
|
Identity vs. Role Confusion- separates views from parents and
authority figures, identifies with peers, explores new outlooks constructively or rebels destructiveley
|
Teenager either develops
an identity of his/her own, or becomes confused and easily led by others, unable to discern roles, loyalties, best
interests, direction in life
|
Stage 6 Love - Young adult. Lasting
longer as young adults choose to stay in school and not settle but has
typically been a stage of forming significant relationships and settling down.
|
Intimacy vs. Isolation – through dating and exploring
relationship, develops capacity for emotional connection and love or experiences inadequacy or failure in
relating to others
|
Young adult able to
connect with significant other and be intimate, establish committed
relationshp or learns to isolate from others, becomes alienated.
|
Stage 7 Caring - Mid-life crisis: self-evaluation occurs, leading to
positive new direction and sense of role relationship in the life cycle
|
Generativity vs. Stagnation-through measuring success and
failures of life, adult is inspired to helping others, next generation or
experiences crisis and is unable to relate to or guide next generation
|
Adult becomes
inspiration and guide for younger generation or stagnates and is unable to
relate to next generations
|
Stage 8 Wisdom - Old age. Elder suffers decline due to aging, illness,
possibility of dying, role displacement.
|
Ego Integrity vs. Despair-reflecting on past, elder
reviews accomplishments, failures and has crisis between acceptance and
bitterness
|
Elder is able to resolve
previous and present challenges and develops wisdom or is unable to resolve
earlier crises or face current illness or possibility of death and despairs
in face of aging challenges
|
