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Erik Erikson:Eight Stages ofDevelopmentRocky 20123529Dan 20082449 

2. 2. ContentsWho is Erik Erikson? - BackgroundStages of Development 1 – 4 (Rocky)Stages of
Development 5 – 8 (Dan)Additional Works and Criticisms11223344 
3. 3. Erik Erikson: The Father ofPsychosocial Development“Children love and want to be loved andthey
very much prefer the joy ofaccomplishment to the triumph of hatefulfailure. Do not mistake a child for
hissymptom”- Erik Erikson 
4. 4. Erik Erikson’s Biography• Born June 15,1902 Frankfurt, Germany• Died May 12, 1994
Massachusetts, USA• Nationality American/ German• Fields Developmental Psychology• Influences
Sigmund Freud/ Anna Freud• Coined the term Lifespan Development• Key Idea Theories of
SocialPsychological DevelopmentErik Erikson 1902-1994 
5. 5. Erik Erikson’s Biography• He was an artist and a teacher in the late 1920s when he met Anna
Freud,an Austrian psychoanalyst. With Anna’s encouragement, he began to studychild psychoanalysis
at the Vienna Psychoanalytic Institute.• He immigrated to the US in 1933 and taught at Yale and
Harvard University.• It was at this point in his life that he became interested in the influence ofsociety
and culture on child development. To satisfy his curiosity, hestudied groups of American Indian
Children to help formulate histheories. Studying these children enabled him to correlate
personalitygrowth with parental and societal values. 
6. 6. Field of Research• He studied groups of Aboriginal children to learn about the influence ofsociety
and culture on child development. From this, he developed anumber of theories, the most famous
being his psychosocial development.• He believed that humans have to resolve different conflicts as
they progressthrough each stage of development in the life cycle.• Erikson’s theory consists of eight
stages of development. Each stage ischaracterized by a different conflict that must be resolved by
theindividual. If a person is unable to resolve a conflict at a particularstage, they will be confront and
struggle with it later in life. 
7. 7. ELEMENTS• Ego Identity• Ego Strength• Conflict 
8. 8. Ego Identity• Ego identity is developed by humaninteraction and how an individualbecomes more
conscious of themselvesand their surrounding. 
9. 9. Ego Strength• Ego strength deals with an individualbecoming competent in different areas oflife, by
becoming competent in life theyfeel more important. 
10. 10. Conflict• Conflict is a turning point during which anindividual struggles to attain
somepsychological quality. Sometimes referredto as a psychosocial crisis, this can be atime of both
vulnerability and strength,as the individual works towardsuccess or failure. 
11. 11. Erik Erikson and the8 Stages of Development• Best known theories of personality
anddevelopment.• Personality develops in a series ofpredetermined stages.• Psychosocial, and not
psychosexual.• In each stage of developmentconflicts acts as turning points in life. 
12. 12. Personality• Personality consists of all the relativelystable and distinctive styles of
thought,behavior, and emotional responses thatcharacterize a person’s adaptations tosurrounding
situations 
13. 13. Why Study Personality?• Identify patterns in the way peoplebehave.• Explain the differences
betweenpeople.• Explore how people function in life (Thegood and bad).• How to improve life. 
14. 14. Psychosexual Stages ofDevelopment-Sigmund Freud• Oral Stage (Birth to 1) Sucking/Pleasure
With Mouth• Anal Stage (1 to 3)• Controlling Bowel Movements• Phallic Stage (3 to 6)• Discovery of
reproductive organs• Latency Period (6 to 13)• Cognitive skills learned while interest in sexuality isin
the background• Genital Phase (adolescence)• Sexual interests arise 
15. 15. Psychosocial Development• Refers to the emotional and psychologicalchanges across the life
cycle that occursin the context of the individual’s socialenvironment. 
16. 16. Psychosocial Development• According to Erikson- Each part of thepersonality has a particular
time in the lifespan when it must develop, if it is going todevelop at all. If it failed to developed
onschedule, the rest of the development isunfavorably altered. The individual isthen hindered from
dealing effectivelywith reality. 
17. 17. Psychosocial Stages• Stage 1- Trust vs. Mistrust• Stage 2- Autonomy vs. Shame & Doubt• Stage
3- Initiative vs. Guilt• Stage 4- Industry vs. Inferiority• Stage 5- Identity vs. Role Confusion• Stage 6-
Intimacy vs. Isolation• Stage 7- Generativity vs. Stagnation• Stage 8- Integrity vs. Despair 
18. 18. Stage 1-Trust vs. Mistrust• Age- Birth to 18 months• Conflict- Trust vs. Mistrust• Relationship-
Mother• Strength- Hopes• Question- Can I trust the world?• Key Event- Feeding 
19. 19. Stage 1-Trust vs. Mistrust• Children are completely dependent on others• Trust: Established when
babies givenadequate warmth, touching, love, andphysical care-Dependable & Reliable.• Mistrust:
Caused by inadequate orunpredictable care and by cold,indifferent, and rejecting parents-
Undependable, Unpredictable &Dangerous. 
20. 20. Stage 2-Autonomy vs. Shame & Doubt• Age- 18 month to 3 years• Conflict- Autonomy vs.
Shame• Relationship- Parents• Strength- Will• Question- Is it ok to be me?• Key Event- Toilet
Training 
21. 21. Stage 2-Autonomy vs. Shame & Doubt• Autonomy: Doing things for themselvessuch as body
control & making choices.- Secure and confident self.• Shame: Overprotective or ridiculing
parentsmay cause children to doubt abilitiesand feel shameful about theiractions- Inadequacy & self
doubt. 
22. 22. Stage 3- Initiative vs. Guilt• Age- 3 years to 6 years• Conflict- Initiative vs. Guilt• Relationship-
Family• Strength- Purpose• Question- Is it okay for me to do,move & act?• Key Event- Independence 
23. 23. Stage 3- Initiative vs. Guilt• Initiative: Parents reinforce via givingchildren freedom to play, use
imagination,and ask questions- Creative, Constructive.• Guilt: May occur if parents criticize,prevent
play, or discourage a child’squestions- Always being wrong, Failedto explore world.• Initiative and
Guilt should be balancedin order to have moral judgment. 
24. 24. Stage 4- Industry vs. Inferiority• Age- 6 years to 12 years• Conflict- Industry vs. Inferiority•
Relationship- Neighbors, School• Strength- Competence• Question- Can I make it in the worldof
people and things?• Key Event- School 
25. 25. Stage 4- Industry vs. Inferiority• Childrens have to cope with new socialand academic demands•
Industry: Occurs when child is praised forproductive activities, such as painting andbuilding- Sense of
competence• Inferiority: Occurs if child’s efforts areregarded as messy or inadequate-Weak sense of
self, Incapable to takeresponsibility 
26. 26. Stage 5-Identity vs. Role Confusion• Age- 12 years to 18 years• Conflict- Identity vs. Role
Confusion• Relationship- Peers, Role Model• Strength- Fidelity• Question- Who am I? what can I be?•
Key Event- Peer relationships 
27. 27. Stage 5-Identity vs. Role Confusion• Children learn a number of different roles.• Identity: One’s
organization of individualdrives, abilities, beliefs, and experienceinto consistent image of self. Who
we are.• Role Confusion: Failure to establishan individual identity separate fromthe family and having
no peerrelationships and plans for anoccupation- Ego diffusion 
28. 28. Stage 6-Intimacy vs. Isolation• Age- 19 years to 40 years• Conflict- Intimacy vs. Isolation•
Relationship- Friends, Partners• Strength- Love• Question- Can I love?• Key Event- Love
relationships 
29. 29. Stage 6-Intimacy vs. Isolation• Start of families• Intimacy: Ability to care about others andto share
experiences with them-Strong relationship• Isolation: Feeling alone and uncaredfor in life- Loneliness 
30. 30. Stage 7-Generativity vs. Stagnation• Age- 40 years to 65 years• Conflict- Generativity vs.
Stagnation• Relationship- Household, Workmates• Strength- Care• Question- Can I make my life
count?• Key Event- Parenting 
31. 31. Stage 7-Generativity vs. Stagnation• Primary developmental task is one ofcontributing to society
and helping toguide future generation.• Generativity: Interest in guiding the nextgeneration- Social
involvement, Parenting• Stagnation: When one is onlyconcerned with one’s own needs andcomforts-
Material possession,Physical well being, Non productive 
32. 32. Stage 8-Integrity vs. Despair• Age- 65 years to Death• Conflict- Integrity vs. Despair•
Relationship- Mankind, My kind• Strength- Wisdom• Question- Is it ok to have been me?• Key Event-
Reflecting on andacceptance of one’s life 
33. 33. Stage 8-Integrity vs. Despair• In the last stages of life individuals lookback over their lives and
judge them.• Integrity: Self-respect; developed whenpeople have lived richly and responsibly-Feeling
of wisdom and meaning• Despair: Occurs when previous lifeevents are viewed with
regret;experiences heartache and remorse-Regret, Bitterness 
34. 34. Erikson’sPsychosocial DevelopmentAge(Years)Stage
PsychosocialCrisisPsychosocialStrengthEnvironmentalInfluence1 Infancy Trust vs. Mistrust Hope
Maternal2-3 Early childhood Autonomy vs.Shame and DoubtWillpower Both parents oradult
substitutes4-5 Preschool Initiative vs. Guilt Purpose Parents, family andfriends6-11 Middle Childhood
Industry vs.InferiorityCompetence School12-18 Adolescence Identity vs. RoleconfusionFidelity
Peers18-35 Young adulthood Intimacy vs.IsolationLove Spouse, lover,friends35-65 Middle age
Generativity vs.StagnationCare Family, societyOver 65 Old age Integrity vs. Despair Wisdom All
humans 
35. 35. Assessment in Erikson’s Theory• Psycho historical Analysis– Application of lifespan theory to
lives ofhistorical figures• Psychological Tests:– Instruments based on crisis in stages 
36. 36. Research in Erikson’s Theory• Generativity– Evokes need to feel closer to others– Correlated with
extraversion, openness tonew experiences– Likely to be involved in community, socialrelationships 
37. 37. Research in Erikson’s Theory• Maturity– High ego integrity: spent much time reviewingtheir
lives• Ethnic Identity– Ethnic minorities: ethnic identity significantfactor in determining sense of self 
38. 38. Erikson’s Contributions• He made major contributions in the area of child development
bystudying groups of Native American children and developed theconcept of identity crisis.• He was
concerned with the relationship between society/culture andchild development, which he termed
“psychosocial development”.• This interest led him to develop the Eight Stages of Development.• In
each stage, the individual encounters a developmental crisis.• In order to move on to the next stage,
the individual must resolvethe crisis. 
39. 39. Criticisms of Erikson• Ambiguous terms and concepts• Lack of precision• Some terms are not
easily measuredempirically• Experiences in stage may only apply tomales• Identity crisis may only
apply to thoseaffluent enough to explore identities