G- PSYC101 UNDERSTANDING THE SELF

Module 2. Psychological Self

Lesson 1: Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory of Development

At the end of this lesson, you are expected describe the concept of self from Erikson’s
psychosocial theory of development and explain how it influences the development of the Self.

Lesson Proper:

Erik Erikson

One of Erikson's chief contributions to personality theory was his emphasis on ego rather
than id functions. According to Erikson, the ego is the center of personality and is responsible
for a unified sense of self.

The ego develops within a given society and is influenced by child-rearing practices and other
cultural customs. Further, it develops according to the epigenetic principle; that is, it grows
according to a genetically established rate and in a fixed sequence (Schultz and Schultz, 2017).
Stages of Psychosocial Development
In Erikson’s theory, human development involves a series of personal conflicts. The potential
for these conflicts exists at birth as innate predispositions (Schultz and Schultz, 2017, p.163),
each of which will become prominent at different stages when our environment demands
certain adaptations .

Each of the eight stages of development is marked by a conflict between a syntonic (harmonious)
element and a dystonic (disruptive) element, which produces a basic strength or ego quality.
Also, from adolescence on, each stage is characterized by an identity crisis or turning point, which
may produce either adaptive or maladaptive adjustment.

1. Infancy
Erikson's view of infancy (the first year of life) was similar to Freud's concept of the oral stage,
except that Erikson expanded the notion of incorporation beyond the mouth to include sense
organs such as the eyes and ears. The psychosexual mode of infancy is oral-sensory, which is
characterized by both receiving and accepting. The psycho-social crisis of infancy is basic trust
versus basic mistrust. From the crisis between basic trust and basic mistrust emerges hope, the
basic strength of infancy. Infants who do not develop hope retreat from the world, and this
withdrawal is the core pathology of infancy.

2. Early Childhood
The second to third year of life is early childhood, a period that compares to Freud's anal stage,
but it also includes mastery of other body functions such as walking, urinating, and holding. The
psychosexual mode of early childhood is anal-urethral-muscular, and children of this age behave
both impulsively and compulsively. The psychosocial crisis of early childhood is autonomy versus
shame and doubt. The psychosocial crisis between autonomy on the one hand and shame and
doubt on the other produces will, the basic strength of early childhood. Will involves a
determination to exercise freedom of choice and self-restraint in the face of society’s demands
(Schultz and Schultz, 2017, p. 165). The core pathology of early childhood is compulsion.

3. Play Age
From about the third to the fifth year, children experience the play age, a period that parallels
Freud's phallic phase. Unlike Freud, however, Erikson saw the Oedipus complex as an early model
of lifelong playfulness and a drama played out in children's minds as they attempt to understand
the basic facts of life. The primary psychosexual mode of the play age is genital-locomotor,
meaning that children have both an interest
in genital activity and an increasing ability to move around. The psychosocial crisis of the play age
is initiative versus guilt. The conflict between initiative and guilt helps children to act with
purpose and to set goals. But if children have too little purpose, they develop inhibition, the core
pathology of the play age.
4. School Age
The period from about 6 to 12 or 13 years of age is called the school age, a time of psychosexual
latency, but it is also a time of psychosocial growth beyond the family. Because sexual
development is latent during the school age, children can use their energies to learn the customs
of their culture, including both formal and informal education. The psychosocial crisis of this age
is industry versus inferiority. Children need to learn to work hard, but they also must develop
some sense of inferiority. From the conflict of industry and inferiority emerges competence, the
basic strength of school age children. Lack of industry leads to inertia, the core pathology of this
stage.

5. Adolescence
Adolescence begins with puberty and is marked by a person's struggle to find ego identity. It is
a time of psychosexual growth, but it is also a period of psychosocial latency. The psychosexual
mode of adolescence is puberty or genital maturation. The psychosocial crisis of adolescence is
identity versus identity confusion. Psychologically healthy individuals emerge from
adolescence with a sense of who they are and what they believe; but some identity confusion is
normal. The conflict between identity and identity confusion produces fidelity, or faith in some
ideological view of the future. Fidelity consists of “the ability to sustain loyalties freely pledged
in spite of the inevitable contradictions of some value system” (Erikson, 1964 in Engler, 2014, p.
159). Lack of belief in one's own selfhood results in role repudiation, or an inability to bring
together one's various self-images.

6. Young Adulthood
Young adulthood begins with the acquisition of intimacy at about age 18 and ends with the
development of generativity at about age 30. The psychosexual mode of young adulthood is
genitality, which is expressed as mutual trust between partners in a stable sexual relationship.
Its psychosocial crisis is intimacy versus isolation. Intimacy is the ability to fuse one's identity
with that of another without fear of losing it; whereas isolation is the fear of losing one's identity
in an intimate relationship (Feist, Feist and Roberts, 2018). The crisis between intimacy and
isolation results in the capacity to love. The core pathology of young adulthood is exclusivity, or
inability to love.

7. Adulthood
The period from about 31 to 60 years of age is adulthood, a time when people make significant
contributions to society. The psychosexual mode of adulthood is procreativity, or the caring for
one's children, the children of others, and the material products of one's society. The
psychosocial crisis of adulthood is generativity versus stagnation, and the successful resolution
of this crisis results in care. The adults need to be needed (Engler, 2014, p. 160). Erikson saw
care as taking care of the persons and products that one has learned to care for. The core
pathology of adulthood is rejectivity, or the rejection of certain individuals or groups that one is
unwilling to take care of.
8. Old Age
The final stage of development is old age, from about age 60 until death. The psychosexual mode
of old age is generalized sensuality; that is, taking pleasure in a variety of sensations and an
appreciation of the traditional lifestyle of people of the other gender (Feist, Feist and Roberts,
2018). The psychosocial crisis of old age is the struggle between integrity (the maintenance of
ego-identity) and despair (the surrender of hope). The struggle between integrity and despair
may produce wisdom (the basic strength of old age), but it may also lead to disdain (a core
pathology marked by feelings of being finished or helpless).

youtube.com/sprouts

Illustrative Summary of the Psychosocial Stages of Development

References:

Engler, B. (2014). Personality theories. An introduction. (9th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth
Cengage Learning.

Schultz, D.P., & Schultz, S. E. (2017). Theories of personality. (11th ed.). Boston: Cengage
Learning

Sprouts. 8 Stages of Development by Erik Erikson.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYCBdZLCDBQ