Erik Erikson’s

Psychoanalytic
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

Erik Homberger Erikson 2

(1902-1904)

was a German-American
developmental psychologist
and psychoanalyst who
developed the theory of
Psychosocial development.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

Erik Homberger Erikson (1902-1994) 3

» He was born in Frankfurt, Germany in June » He met a Canadian-American Joan
15, 1902 Serson, and promptly fallen in love with
» her.
Erikson's mother, Karla Abrahamsen, came
from a prominent Jewish family » In 1933, he came to the US and secured a
in Copenhagen, Denmark. position at Harvard Medical School,
» Boston Massachusetts as a child analyst.
When he became an American citizen he
changed his name to Erikson. » In 1936, he accepted a position at the
» Yale University Institute of Human
His biological father was an unnamed
Relations. New Haven Connecticut.
Danish man who abandoned Erik’s mother
before he was born. » In 1938, his third child Sue was born,
» that same year he left New Haven to
In 1927, he became an art teacher at a small,
observe the behavior of Sioux children at
experimental American nursery school in
Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota
Vienna.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

Erik Homberger Erikson (1902-1904) 4

» In 1939, move to California and became affiliated with the Institute of Child Welfare
at the University of California at Berkeley
» In 1950, he published “Childhood and Society”
» In 1951,he worked at Austen Riggs Center in Stockbridge, Massachusetts
» In 1958, he published a psychohistorical account of Martin Luther, Young Man
Luther: A Study in Psychoanalysis and History
» In 1960, he returned to Harvard, where he taught undergraduate course entitled “The
Human Life Cycle”. He remained at Harvard until his retirement in 1970.
» In 1978, Harvard awarded Erikson an honorary doctorate, and in 1982 he established
the Erik H. and Joan M. Erikson Center .
» Erikson passed away in Massachusetts in 1994.
Published Books 5
Ego Psychology:
Liberalizing the Psychoanalytic Position
emphasizes the integration of biological
and psychosocial forces in the determination of
personality functioning. Ego has organizing
function that help people
Ego is not always controlled by resolve inner conflicts as well
biological impulses, but often functions as environmental challenges.
independently of these urges

Ego’s main job was to

establish and maintain a strong
sense of identity
 The Epigenetic Principle
- development occurs in a series of stages, universal to
humankind, that unfold the predetermined sequence.

Each stage is marked by a particular psychosocial crisis: a crucial

period in which a decisive turn one way or another is unavoidable

Virtues: qualities or strengths that emerge from successful resolution

of the crises
PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT 8

“
The Stages of Ego
»
Development
Erikson postulated eight stages of
ego development.
THE EIGHT STAGES OF EGO DEVELOPMENT 9

Stage Estimated Ego Crisis Ego Strength

Age

1. Oral-sensory Birth-1 Basic trust vs. mistrust Hope

2. Muscular-anal 2-3 Autonomy vs. shame and Will
3. Locomotor- 3-5 doubt Purpose
genital 6-11 Initiative vs. guilt Competence
4. Latency 12-18 Industry vs. Inferiority Fidelity
5. Adolescence 19-35 Identity vs. role confusion Love
6. Young adulthood 35-55 Intimacy vs. isolation Care
7. Middle adulthood 55+ death Generativity vs. Wisdom
8. Maturity
Source: – old
Adapted from Rickman, 2007 stagnation
age Ego Integrity vs. despair
Oral-Sensory Stage: Basic trust vs. Mistrust 10

» Occurs during the first year of life

» The infant is totally dependent on
the mother for survival, security,
and affection
» During this stage the mouth is of
vital importance

Ego Strength: Hope

Muscular-Anal Stage: Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt 11

» Between the ages 2-3 years

» Children develop a variety of
physical and mental abilities and
are able to do many things for
themselves.
» During this period, the child’s
muscles begin to mature, and
he/she starts to learn how to
exercise control over them.
Ego Strength: Will
Locomotor-Genital Stage: Initiative vs. Guilt 12

» Occurs between ages 3-5,

» Motor and mental abilities are
continuing to develop, and children
can accomplish more on their own.
» They express a strong desire to take
the initiative in many activities.

Ego Strength:
Purpose
 Latency Stage: Industry vs. Inferiority 13

» Occurs from the ages 6 to 11,

» Child learns good work study habits
primarily as means of attaining
praise and obtaining the satisfaction
from successful completion of task.

Ego Strength:
Competence
 Adolescence: Identity vs. Role Confusion 14

» Adolescence, between ages 12-18, is the

stage at which we must meet and resolve
the crisis of our basic ego identity
» People who emerge from this stage with
a strong sense of self-identity are
equipped to face adulthood with
certainty and confidence

Ego Strength:
Fidelity
 Young Adulthood: Intimacy vs. Isolation 15

» end of adolescence to about age 35

» Intimacy was not restricted to sexual
relationships but also encompassed
feelings of caring and commitment
» People who are unable to establish such
intimacies in young adulthood will
develop feelings of isolation

Basic Strength:
Love
 Middle Adulthood: Generativity vs. Stagnation 16

» Approximately ages 35 to 55
» is a stage of maturity in which we
need to be actively involved in
teaching and guiding the next
generation

Ego Strength: Care

 Maturity-Old Age: Ego Integrity vs. Despair 17

» are confronted with a choice between

ego integrity and despair. These
attitudes govern by the way we
evaluate the whole of our life.
» If we review our life with a sense of
frustration, angry about missed
opportunities and regretful mistakes.

Ego Strength:
Wisdom
 Research
Support for the
Theory of Ego
Development
 Industry in the Latency Stage 19

They found highly industrious

children were more motivated to
succeed in school and obtained
higher grades than children who
were low in industriousness. (Kowaz
and Marcia, 1991)
Industry in the Latency Stage 20

Highly industrious children:

 More motivated to succeed in
school and obtain higher grades
 Stronger preferences to make and
do things rather than to engage in
fantasy by making things up
 More content with their school
experiences
 in Adolescence 21

J. Marcia identified four

distinct positions or identity
statuses, implicit in
Erikson’s theorizing about
identity development in
adolescence
James E. Marcia 22

James Marcia is a Canadian clinical

and developmental psychologist. He
expanded off of Erik Erikson's 8
stages of psychosocial development,
crisis and identity confusion by
developing four statuses of identity
in adolescents.
Identity Statuses 23

1. Identity Diffusion
the stage in which the young person is not
currently going through a crisis and has not made a
commitment

2. Identity Foreclosure
the stage in which the young person has made a
commitment without having gone through a crisis
Identity Statuses 24

3. Identity Moratorium
the stage in which the young person is
currently in a crisis but has not made a
commitment

4. Identity Achievement
the stage in which the person has gone
through a crisis and has made a commitment to a
certain value or role.
 25

6 distinct statuses associated with intimacy issues

during early adulthood (J.L. Orlofsky et.al, 1973)
Intimacy in Early Adulthood 26

1. Intimate individuals
have deep relationships with male and
female friends and are involved in
enduring, committed heterosexual
relationships.
Intimacy in Early Adulthood 27

2. Pre-intimate individuals

Also have close emotional

ties to others, but are ambivalent
about committing themselves to
enduring love relationships
Intimacy in Early Adulthood 28

3. Stereotyped individuals
have many relationships, but
they are superficial and utilitarian
and lacking closeness and
commitment.
Intimacy in Early Adulthood 29

4. Pseudointimate individuals
like stereotyped people, form
relationships that lack depth;
unlike stereotyped people, ,
however they have entered into
enduring heterosexual
commitments.
Intimacy in Early Adulthood 30

5. Isolated individuals
are completely, or nearly
completely withdrawn from social
situations and relationships with
peers.
Intimacy in Early Adulthood 31

6. Merger individuals
are those who have committed
themselves to enduring relationships
or those who are uncommitted but
are seeking committed relationships.
Generative Statuses 32

1. generative style
Individuals with generative style
represent the highest level of
generativity.
Generative Statuses 33

2. conventional style
People with conventional style are extremely
hardworking and conscientious, creative, and
productive, but are nevertheless low in
inclusivity. (Bradley & Marcia, 1998)
Generative Statuses 34

3. agentic style
Individuals with agentic style are very productive
and contribute to society, but are low in
inclusivity.
Generative Statuses 35

4. Communal style
People with communal style are not committed as
much to their own personal growth, but instead
are almost obsessively concerned with the
welfare of the younger generation.
Generative Statuses 36

5. Stagnant style
Individuals with a stagnant style show the lowest
level of generativity. They show little self-
satisfaction and a lack of concern with helping
the younger generation.
 Therapeutic Assessment
Techniques
 Erikson adopted a more egalitarian and personal stance towards
his patience that Freud did.
 Same Techniques as Freud, but interpretation center around
search of identity
- Free association
- Transference
- Dream analysis
 Theory’s Implication for
Therapy
 Neurotics and psychotics have confused identities and
lack of sense of mastery over their experiences
 Their egos are fragmented and weak
 They are unable to relate well to others or to take their
place in society
 These difficulties are an outgrowth of their failure to
resolve successfully one or more of the crises inherent
in their life cycles
Thank
39

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