ERIKSON’S EIGHT STAGES OF

PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT

Erik Erikson’s eight stages of

personality development define each
stage of human development with a
crisis or a conflict. Each crisis or
conflict either gets resolved or may
be left unresolved, resulting in
favorable or unfavorable outcomes.
 Stage Influential Conflict or Possible Results from Resolving Conflict or
Figure Crisis to be Crisis
Resolved Favorable Results Unfavorable Results

Infancy Parents Trust vs. Able to trust others Mistrusting others,

(from Mistrust when primary withdrawal or
birth to caregiver (usually estrangement
18 the mother) provide
months) caring, attention, and
love.

Early Parents Autonomy vs. Develops self- Compulsive self-

Childhoo Shame and control and physical restraint or compliance
d (18 Doubt skills, and sense of Willfulness and
months independence defiance Failure will
to 3 without losing self- result in feelings of
years) esteem. Ability to shame and doubt
cooperate and to
express oneself.
Develops feeling of
autonomy
 Stage Influential Conflict or Possible Results from Resolving Conflict or
Figure Crisis to be Crisis
Resolved Favorable Results Unfavorable Results

Late Parents and Initiative vs. Learns that being When using too much
Childhoo Teachers Guilt assertive, using power and control,
d (Pre- power, and being might experience
school) purposeful can disapproval resulting in
(3-5 influence their lack of self-confidence
years) environment. and sense of guilt.
Develops sense of Pessimism, fear of
purpose Starts to being wrongly judge
evaluate one’s
behavior.
School Parents and Industry vs. Learns how to cope Loss of hope, sense of
Age (6- Teachers Inferiority with the school being mediocre
12 years) environment and its Develops feelings of
demands. Learns how
inferiority Withdrawal
to create, develop, and
manipulate. Develops a from school and peers
sense of competence
and perseverance.
 Stage Influential Conflict or Possible Results from Resolving Conflict or
Figure Crisis to be Crisis
Resolved
Favorable Results Unfavorable Results

Adolesce Teachers Identity vs. Develops a sense of Feeling of Confusion,

nce (12- and Role self and identity. indecisiveness, and
20 years) Significant Confusion Plans to actualize anti-social behavior
Others one’s abilities. Weak sense of self
Develops the ability
to stay true to
oneself.
Young Friends Intimacy vs. Develops a strong need Impersonal, weak
Adulthoo Isolation to form intimate, loving relationships Avoidance
d (20-25 relationships with a of relationship, career,
group of people or with
years) or lifestyle
another person.
Develops strong commitments. May
relationships Learns result in isolation and
commitment to work loneliness
and with another person
or group.
 Stage Influential Conflict or Possible Results from Resolving Conflict or
Figure Crisis to be Crisis
Resolved Favorable Results Unfavorable Results

Adulthoo Community Generativity Creates or nurture things Self-indulgence, self-

d (25-65 vs. Stagnation that will outlast them, concern, or lack of
years) either by having children interests and
or creating a positive
commitments
change that benefits
others. Creativity, Shallow involvement
productivity, feeling of in the world,
usefulness and pessimism
accomplishment, and
concern for others.

Maturity Community Integrity vs. Sense of fulfillment as Sense of loss,

(65 years Despair one looks back in one’s contempt for others
to death) life and develops feelings May results in regret,
of wisdom. Acceptance
bitterness and despair
of worth and uniqueness
of one’s own life.
Acceptance of the
inevitability of death and
transitioning.
Identity is the concept of an individual
about himself and is often referred to as
“self-identity,” molded through various
interactive experiences around himself,
such as their family and community, and his
responses in terms of thinking, attitude and
behavior to external stimuli. Identity is a self-
belief of what the individual thinks and feels
about himself.
Role confusion is the negation of
self-identity, in a sense that there is
confusion over one’s self-concept or
the absence or lack of such a
concept. Role confusion affects an
individual’s relationship with others,
because there is no clear definition
of what he/she is and how he/she
relates to others.
The adolescent’s physiological transitioning is
very pronounced at this stage. Puberty kicks in
and is fueled by the hormonal changes that are
occurring and pushing the adolescent toward
sexual maturation. At this stage, the brain also
continues to develop. Cognitive growth among
adolescents is usually marked by the way they are
able to comprehend abstract concepts, such as
freedom and human rights. Their beliefs about
morality, religion, and politics are also starting to
evolve.