Learning Plan

This learning plan gives the different topics that introduces the life of Erik Erikson and his
contribution to psychology, the Post-Freudian Theory.

Learning Objectives:
At the end of this chapter, students will be able to:

1. Describe similarities and differences between the personality theories of

Erikson and Freud.
2. Write about the importance of the ego in Erikson’s theory.
3. Discuss ways in which social and cultural factors influence personality.

Chapter 7 Erikson: Post-Freudian Theory

Specific Objectives:

1. To emphasize the importance of social and cultural factors within lifespan;

2. Enumerate and describe the three interrelated aspects of ego;
3. Understand that each stage of psychosocial development, a psychosocial struggle
contributes to the formation of personality.

Motivation/Prompting Questions:

1. Who was Erik Erikson and what did he contribute to psychology?

2. What is your understanding of Post-Freudian Theory?

Discussion

Post-Freudian theory extended Freud’s infantile developmental stages into adolescence,

adulthood, and old age. Erikson’s post-Freudian theory, like those of other personality theorists,
is a reflection of his background.

Overview of Post-Freudian Theory

Biography of Erik Erikson

The Ego in Post-Freudian Theory

 Society’s Influence
 Epigenetic Principle
 Stages of Psychosocial Development
 Infancy
 Early Childhood
 Play Age
 School Age
 Adolescence
 Young Adulthood
 Adulthood
 Old Age
 Summary of the Life Cycle

Erikson’s Methods of Investigation

 Anthropological Studies
 Psychohistory

Related Research
 Ego Identity Status in Adolescents Across Cultures
 Does Identity Precede Intimacy?

Critique of Erikson

Concept of Humanity

Key Terms and Concepts

Suggested Learning Activity/Exercise:

Discussion

Reflection

Practice Task/Assessment

A. It implies a step-by-step growth of fetal organs.

B. Enumerate the stages of Psychosocial Development.
C. Discuss the three interrelated aspects of ego.

Feedback to Practice Task/Assessment

A. Epigenetic Principle
B. The stages of Psychosocial Development: Infancy, Early Childhood, Play Age,
School Age, Adolescence, Young Adulthood, Adulthood, and Old Age.
 C. Refer to the Ego in Post-Freudian Theory.

Assignment
A. In your own understanding, how psychosocial development influence a person’s
development?
B. Discuss and reflect what you have learned in this chapter with minimum of 300
words.
C. Create a venn diagram that compare and contrast Freud’s Psychosexual and Erik
Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory.

Suggested Readings/Reference

Check out these links for more information on Erik Erikson and his theory of
psychosocial development.

Allan Clifton's Erikson Notes. Explores the relationship between the theories of Erikson and
Freud. http://www.haverford.edu/psych109/erikson.allan.HTML

Erikson's Developmental Stages. Abrief summary that's part of a faculty development guide for
Honolulu CommunityCollege. Links to Maslow and other developmental
theories. http://www.hcc.hawaii.edu/education/hcc/facdev/Erikson2.html

UT Austin Employee Assistance Program.Advice applying Erikson's and other's developmental

theories to infants,children and youth. http://gopherhost.cc.utexas.edu/admin/eap/stages.html