Erikson's Psychosocial Stages

Summary Chart
Stage Basic Conflict Important Events Outcome

Children develop
a sense of trust
when caregivers
Infancy (birth to provide reliabilty,
Trust vs. Mistrust Feeding
18 months) care, and
affection. A lack
of this will lead to
mistrust.
 Erikson's Psychosocial Stages
Summary Chart
Stage Basic Conflict Important Events Outcome

Children need to
develop a sense
of personal
control over
physical skills and
a sense of
Early Childhood (2 Autonomy vs.
Toilet Training independence.
to 3 years) Shame and Doubt
Success leads to
feelings of
autonomy, failure
results in feelings
of shame and
doubt.
 Erikson's Psychosocial Stages
Summary Chart
Stage Basic Conflict Important Events Outcome

Children need to
begin asserting
control and power
over the
environment.
Success in this
Preschool (3 to 5 stage leads to a
Initiative vs. Guilt Exploration
years) sense of purpose.
Children who try
to exert too much
power experience
disapproval,
resulting in a
sense of guilt.
 Erikson's Psychosocial Stages
Summary Chart
Stage Basic Conflict Important Events Outcome

Children need to
cope with new
social and
academic
School Age (6 to Industry vs. demands. Success
School
11 years) Inferiority leads to a sense of
competence,
while failure
results in feelings
of inferiority.
 Erikson's Psychosocial Stages
Summary Chart
Stage Basic Conflict Important Events Outcome

Teens needs to
develop a sense
of self and
personal identity.
Success leads to
Adolescence (12 Identity vs. Role Social
an ability to stay
to 18 years) Confusion Relationships
true to yourself,
while failure leads
to role confusion
and a weak sense
of self.
 Erikson's Psychosocial Stages
Summary Chart
Stage Basic Conflict Important Events Outcome

Young adults need

to form intimate,
loving
relationships with
other people.
Yound Adulthood Intimacy vs. Success leads to
Relationships
(19 to 40 years) Isolation strong
relationships,
while failure
results in
loneliness and
isolation.
 Erikson's Psychosocial Stages
Summary Chart
Stage Basic Conflict Important Events Outcome

Adults need to
create or nurture
things that will
outlast them,
often by having
children or
creating a positive
change that
Middle Adulthood Generativity vs. Work and
benefits other
(40 to 65 years) Stagnation Parenthood
people. Success
leads to feelings of
usefulness and
accomplishment,
while failure
results in shallow
involvement in the
world.
 Erikson's Psychosocial Stages
Summary Chart
Stage Basic Conflict Important Events Outcome

Older adults need

to look back on life
and feel a sense of
fulfillment.
Success at this
Maturity(65 to Ego Integrity vs.
Reflection on Life stage leads to
death) Despair
feelings of
wisdom, while
failure results in
regret, bitterness,
and despair.
TRADITIONAL CONSCIOUS
(OLD PARENTING (NEW PARENTING
PARADIGM) PARADIGM)
• Conditional Love • Unconditional Love
• Judgment • Empathy
• Discipline • Guidance
• Control • Freedom with control
• Punishment • Problem Solving
• Respect for Elders/ • Respect for all
Authority