Erik Erikson: The Father of

Psychosocial Development

CHILDREN LOVE AND WANT TO BE LOVED

AND THEY VERY MUCH PREFER THE JOY OF
ACCOMPLISHMENT TO THE TRIUMPH OF
HATEFUL FAILURE. DO NOT MISTAKE A
CHILD FOR HIS SYMPTOM
-ERIK ERIKSON

Who is Erik Erikson?

Born in Germany on June 15th 1902.
He was an artist and a teacher in the

late 1920s when he met Anna Freud,

an Austrian psychoanalyst. With
Annas encouragement, he began to
study child psychoanalysis at the
Vienna Psychoanalytic Institute.
He immigrated to the US in 1933 and
taught at Yale and Harvard University.
It was at this point in his life that he
became interested in the influence of
society and culture on child
development. To satisfy his curiosity,
he studied groups of American Indian
Children to help formulate his
theories. Studying these children
enabled him to correlate personality
growth with parental and societal
values.

Field of Research
He studied groups of Aboriginal

children to learn about the influence of

society and culture on child
development. From this, he developed
a number of theories, the most famous
being his psychosocial development.
He believed that humans have to
resolve different conflicts as they
progress through each stage of
development in the life cycle.
Eriksons theory consists of eight
stages of development. Each stage is
characterized by a different conflict
that must be resolved by the
individual. If a person is unable to
resolve a conflict at a particular stage,
they will be confront and struggle with
it later in life.

Eriksons Contributions
He made major contributions in

the area of child development by

studying groups of Native
American children and
developed the concept of
identity crisis.
He was concerned with the
relationship between
society/culture and child
development, which he termed
psychosocial development.
This interest led him to develop
the Eight Stages of
Development.
In each stage, the individual
encounters a developmental
crisis.
In order to move on to the next
stage, the individual must
resolve the crisis.

Erik Erikson
A neo-Freudian

Adheres to some of Freuds ideas, but focuses more on social

influences.
Stage Theorist
Focus on Crisis Resolution

At each stage a crisis must be resolved

If the crisis is not resolved, the individual may lack the positive
characteristic in the stage.

Eriksons Psychosocial Development

Age
(Years)

Stage

Psychosocial
Crisis

Psychosocial
Strength

Environmental
Influence

Infancy

Trust vs. Mistrust

Hope

Maternal

2-3

Early childhood

Autonomy vs.
Shame and Doubt

Willpower

Both parents or
adult substitutes

4-5

Preschool

Initiative vs. Guilt

Purpose

Parents, family
and friends

6-11

Middle Childhood

Industry vs.
Inferiority

Competence

School

12-18

Adolescence

Identity vs. Role

confusion

Fidelity

Peers

18-35

Young adulthood

Intimacy vs.
Isolation

Love

Spouse, lover,
friends

35-65

Middle age

Generativity vs.
Stagnation

Care

Family, society

Over 65

Old age

Integrity vs.
Despair

Wisdom

All humans

TRUST vs. MISTRUST

Birth 1yr.

Needs being met

Basic trust develops when needs are met (Attachment)
Loving relationship is formed with caregiver
Important event: Feeding

AUTONOMY vs. SHAME AND DOUBT

1 2 years

Learning to do things for oneself

Development of physical activities (ex. walking)
Important event: toilet training

INITIATIVE vs. GUILT

3 5 years

Preschoolers learn to initiate tasks

One becomes more independent

COMPETENCE/ INDUSTRY vs. INFERIORITY

6 years puberty

Child completes tasks themselves

Learning on your own
Important Event: school
Q What is an inferiority complex?

IDENTITY vs. ROLE CONFUSION

Teens early 20s

Teens refine sense of self

Test new roles and incorporate them into an identity
Q Know anyone that is very different now vs. when they were
pre teen 10,11 and 12?
Important events: forming relationships with friends

INTIMACY vs. ISOLATION

20s 40s

Young adults develop intimate relationships

Gaining the capacity for intimate love
Important event: forming love and/or strong relationships

GENERATIVITY vs. STAGNATION

40s 60s

Middle-aged discover a sense of contribution to this world

Family and work oftentimes satisfy this desire
Supporting and satisfying future generation
Important event: Parenting

INTEGRITY vs. DESPAIR

60s +

Reflection on entire life

Did I contribute to this world?
Sense of fulfillment

Evaluation of Eriksons Theory

Theory does attempt to show development

throughout life span

Children and adults may overcome problems that
occur during development
Stages are more descriptive than explanatory