Erik Erikson was a German-American developmental psychologist known for his theory of psychosocial development. The theory describes 8 stages of human development across the lifespan. Each stage presents a psychosocial crisis that must be resolved through how one relates to others. Successful resolution leads to a healthy personality and the acquisition of basic virtues or strengths. Erikson made important contributions in applying psychoanalytic ideas to social and cultural influences on development.
2. BIOGRAPHY
ï‚¢ Born on june 15, 1902 in frankfurt, germany.
ï‚¢ Studied art and a variety of languages during
his school years.
ï‚¢ Instead of going to college he travelled
around europe, where he kept a journal of all
his life experiences along the way.
ï‚¢ After traveling he then went to art school in
1927, where he then began to teach art and
other subjects to children of americans who
had come to vienna for freudian training.
ï‚¢ After teaching the children in vienna he then
was admitted into the vienna psychoanalytic
institute
3. …CONTINUED
ï‚¢ 1933 moved to the united states.
 There he became boston’s first child analyst and
received a position at the harvard medical
school.
ï‚¢ Moved to california to the center for advanced
study in the behavioural sciences at palo alto and
later mount zion hospital in san francisco where
he was a clinician and psychiatric consultant.
ï‚¢ Erik Erikson's early work focused chiefly on
testing and extending Freudian theory in relation
to the effect of social and cultural factors upon
human psychology, in addition he focus more on
how society affects childhood and development.
4. …CONTINUED
ï‚¢ 1950 moved to Massachusetts, where he taught
and worked for ten years.
ï‚¢ In the same year he wrote his first book, which is
said to be his most important one called
Childhood and Society, it was in this book he
first explained his eight stages theory of human
development.
ï‚¢ He also wrote many other books that talked
about his interest in humanistic and society
perspectives
ï‚¢ He later retired from clinical practice but did not
stop his research and his writing.
ï‚¢ Died on May 12th 1994 at the age of 91.
5. PSYCHOSOCIAL STAGES OF
PERSONALITY
DEVELOPMENT
ï‚¢8 successive stages over the lifespan
ï‚¢ Addresses bio, social, situational, personal
influences
ï‚¢ Crisis: must adaptively or maladaptively
cope with task in each developmental
stage
ï‚— Respond adaptively: acquire strengths needed
for next developmental stage
ï‚— Respond maladaptively: less likely to be able
to adapt to later problems
ï‚¢ Basicstrengths: Motivating
characteristics and beliefs that derive
from successful resolution of crisis in each
stage
6. 8 STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT
ï‚¢ Stage 1: Basic Trust vs. Mistrust
ï‚¢ Stage 2: Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt
ï‚¢ Stage 3: Initiative vs. Guilt
ï‚¢ Stage 4: Industriousness vs. Inferiority
ï‚¢ Stage 5: Identity vs. Role Confusion
ï‚¢ Stage 6: Intimacy vs. Isolation
ï‚¢ Stage 7: Generativity vs. Stagnation
ï‚¢ Stage 8: Ego Integrity vs. Despair
7. STAGE 1: BASIC TRUST VS.
MISTRUST
ï‚¢ Birth to age 1
ï‚¢ Totally dependent on others
ï‚¢ Caregiver meets needs: child develops trust
ï‚¢ Caregiver does not meet needs: child develops
mistrust
ï‚¢ Basic strength: Hope
ï‚— Beliefour desires will be satisfied
ï‚— Feeling of confidence
8. STAGE 2: AUTONOMY VS.
SHAME AND DOUBT
ï‚¢ Ages 1-3
ï‚¢ Child able to exercise some degree of choice
 Child’s independence is thwarted: child develops
feelings of self-doubt, shame in dealing with
others
ï‚¢ Basic Strength: Will
ï‚— Determination to exercise freedom of choice in face of
society’s demands
9. STAGE 3: INITIATIVE VS. GUILT
ï‚¢ Ages 3-5
ï‚¢ Child expresses desire to take initiative in
activities
ï‚¢ Parents punish child for initiative: child develops
feelings of guilt that will affect self-directed
activity throughout life
ï‚¢ Basic strength: Purpose
ï‚— Courage to envision and pursue goals
10. STAGE 4: INDUSTRIOUSNESS
VS. INFERIORITY
ï‚¢ Ages 6-11
ï‚¢ Child develops cognitive abilities to enable in
task completion (school work, play)
 Parents/teachers do not support child’s efforts:
child develops feelings of inferiority and
inadequacy
ï‚¢ Basci strength: Competence
ï‚— Exertion of skill and intelligence in pursuing and
completing tasks
11. ï‚¢ Stages 1-4
ï‚— Largely determined by others (parents, teachers)
ï‚¢ Stages 5-8
ï‚— Individual has more control over environment
ï‚— Individual responsibility for crisis resolution in each
stage