...development. The theory and its fundamental principals are reviewed through experts views the and various aspects of the eight stages of human development. Erikson profoundly affected the psychological views of human development. Furthermore, he accented and formulated the development of personality and identity in relation and social roles based on psychoanalytic theory. Erik Homberger Erikson’s theory of development is perhaps one of the most widely applied models to emerge from the field of psychology during the last century. Born in Frankfurt, Germany to Danish parents in 1902, Erikson was an indifferent student who felt he did not “fit in” with regard to formal educational settings. Perhaps his self-awareness helped him to formulate his very unique theory. Erikson might be described as a disciple of Sigmund Freud. He considered himself psychoanalytic in terms of theoretical or philosophical perspective, and he agreed with Freud on many basic assumptions . Like Jung, Horney, and others, Erikson began with Freudian assumptions and built upon them. The result is a theoretical perspective quite distinct from that of the “master.” Erikson’s theory, then, is characterized by several “points of departure” from his mentor’s approach. The most immediately obvious difference is that Erikson places considerably less emphasis on the role of sexual instincts and drives and more on the social context in which the individual grows and develops . This...
Words: 1867 - Pages: 8
...principle theory which is developed into eight stages and based on how one encounters their culture. I chose Erikson mainly because when I first read about him some time ago I was really intrigued with his stages of development and thought that they blew Feud out of the water. I’m no longer as fascinated with it as I was but still find it rather interesting. What I like is that Erikson uses the idea of a pendulum for his stages of development. Take his first stage trust vs. mistrust (which we will get into more of later). If one develops too much trust they become naïve and gullible while too much mistrust and the individual will not trust anyone which would cause them to have abnormal relationships since neither extreme is an acceptable outcome, what is desired is a middle state with aspects of both extremes. Erik Erikson ideas were greatly influenced by Freud, he went along with Freud’s ideas about the structure of personality. However, Erikson emphasized the role of culture and society and the conflicts that took place within the ego itself, whereas Freud emphasized the conflict between the id and the superego. According to Erikson,”… the ego develops as it successfully resolves crises that are distinctly social in nature”(Engler 2008). Erikson developed stages which involved establishing a sense of trust in others, developing a sense of identity in society. “Erikson extends on Freudian thoughts by focusing on the adaptive and creative characteristic of the ego, and...
Words: 831 - Pages: 4
...Erik Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development is one of the best-known theories of personality in psychology. Much like Sigmund Freud, Erikson believed that personality develops in a series of stages. Unlike Freud’s theory of psychosexual stages, Erikson’s theory describes the impact of social experience across the whole lifespan. One of the main elements of Erikson’s psychosocial stage theory is the development of ego identity. Ego identity is the conscious sense of self that we develop through social interaction. Erikson believed people experience a conflict that serves as a turning point in development. In Erikson’s view, these conflicts are centered on either developing a psychological quality or failing to develop that quality. During these times, the potential for personal growth is high, but so is the potential for failure. The first stage of Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development (Trust vs. Mistrust) occurs between birth and one year of age and is the most fundamental stage in life. Because an infant is utterly dependent, the development of trust is based on the dependability and quality of the child’s caregivers. If a child successfully develops trust, he or she will feel safe and secure in the world. Caregivers who are inconsistent, emotionally unavailable, or rejecting contribute to feelings of mistrust in the children they care for. Failure to develop trust will result in fear and a belief that the world is inconsistent and unpredictable. The second stage...
Words: 523 - Pages: 3
...Eriksons’ Developmental Theory as Applied to Me Psychological development is crucial in the early stages of life. Children are shaped by the things they witness throughout their early years. Experiences life and developing relationships is “Erikson’s initial psychosocial stage of development” (Ginsburg). This stage occurs from when an infant is born until about one and a half years of age. Erikson developed eight stages of psychosocial development. Starting from the stage of trust vs. mistrust the next stage that occurs in an infant’s life is autonomy vs. shame; this creates a sense of will and is experienced from the early age of one and a half to age three. After experiencing this stage at age three the infant begins to develop in the stage of initiative vs. guilt developing a sense of purpos euntil the age of five. From the ages of five to twelve, young children experience the stage of industry vs. inferiority, developing competency in their skills. Upon developing into an adolescent at age twelve and up until age eighteen, young adults experience ego identity vs. role confusion, attempting to find where they belong. Leading into the next stage of intimacy vs. isolation, during which young adults experience love from the ages eighteen to forty. Once this sense of love is developed, the sense of care is experienced during the stage of generativity vs. stagnation from the ages of forty to sixty-five. To conclude Erikson’s theory, the final stage one experiences in life is ego...
Words: 1060 - Pages: 5
...Erik Erikson's theory of psychosocial development is one of the best-known theories of personality in psychology. Much like Sigmund Freud, Erikson believed that personality develops in a series of stages. Unlike Freud's theory of psychosexual stages, Erikson's theory describes the impact of social experience across the whole lifespan (Dolgin, 37). In each stage, Erikson believed people experience a conflict that serves as a turning point in development. In Erikson's view, these conflicts are centered on either developing a psychological quality or failing to develop that quality. During these times, the potential for personal growth is high, but so is the potential for failure (Dolgin, 38). Erik Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development has helped me understand the individual I am today. “Conflict” has served has a major turning point in my life. This conflict being the sudden illness of my father. This tragic event quickly helped me mature and really understand the meaning of life. “That’s not fair” was my signature quotation as a little girl. A life full of Barbie’s, tea parties, and several rounds of Go-Fish card games was very demanding for a six year old. I could only assume the world revolved around which Barbie I wanted to be, what frilly dress I wanted to wear, and my pristine skills of winning every round of Go-Fish. As a little princess, fairness was vital to what made me happy. Being daddy’s little girl, I hate to say, I did acquire all the fairness a little...
Words: 1638 - Pages: 7
...Lorenz- Erik Erikson was born on June 15, 1902 in Frankfurt, Germany. His parents had separated from each other before he was born and his mother married a Jewish doctor. His peers saw him as Jewish, but his Jewish temple did not accept him because of his appearance. Therefore, during his youth, Erikson had many struggles with identity. Erikson's family wanted him to study science. Erikson did not do well in school and did not continue on to a university. Instead of pursuing the science degree, he went to art school and enjoyed eight years of traveling Europe as a wandering artist. After Erikson had graduated from art school, he began to teach at a private school. In the early 1930's, Erikson moved his family to the United States. He became US citizen in 1939 and changed his last name from Homburger to Erikson. Erikson worked at Harvard Medical School, Yale University, and several private appointments in their clinics for disturbed children. In the year 1950, Erikson published a very influential book titled, Childhood and Society. The book included Erikson's famous Eight Stages of Psychosocial Development. He continued to work at Harvard until he retired in 1970. After retirement, the Erikson's moved to the Bay Area of California, and continued to work at training another generation of child workers. He led many seminars on his Eight Stages and other psychological topics. The Erikson's relocated to Massachusetts in the early 1990's and Erik died in 1994. The Eight Stages...
Words: 1457 - Pages: 6
...award-winning writer and this review does not convey the richness of Erikson's own explanations. It's also interesting to see how his ideas develop over time, perhaps aided by his own journey through the 'psychosocial crisis' stages model that underpinned his work. Erik Erikson first published his eight stage theory of human development in his 1950 book Childhood and Society. The chapter featuring the model was titled 'The Eight Ages of Man'. He expanded and refined his theory in later books and revisions, notably: Identity and the Life Cycle (1959); Insight and Responsibility (1964); The Life Cycle Completed: A Review (1982, revised 1996 by Joan Erikson); and Vital Involvement in Old Age (1989). Erikson's biography lists more books. Various terms are used to describe Erikson's model, for example Erikson's biopsychosocial or bio-psycho-social theory (bio refers to biological, which in this context means life); Erikson's human development cycle or life cycle, and variations of these. All refer to the same eight stages psychosocial theory, it being Erikson's most distinct work and remarkable model. The word 'psychosocial' is Erikson's term, effectively from the words psychological (mind) and social (relationships). Erikson believed that his psychosocial principle is genetically inevitable in shaping human...
Words: 10395 - Pages: 42
...The Developmental Psychology of Erik Erikson Erik Erikson was a follower of Sigmund Freud who broke with his teacher over the fundamental point of what motivates or drives human behavior. For Freud it was biology or more specifically the biological instincts of life and aggression. For Erikson, who was not trained in biology and/or the medical sciences (unlike Freud and many of his contemporaries), the most important force driving human behavior and the development of personality was social interaction. Erikson left his native Germany in the 1930's and immigrated to America where he studied Native American traditions of human development and continued his work as a psychoanalyst. His developmental theory of the "Eight Stages of Man" was unique in that it covered the entire lifespan rather than childhood and adolescent development. Erikson's view is that the social environment combined with biological maturation provides each individual with a set of "crises" that must be resolved. The individual is provided with a "sensitive period" in which to successfully resolve each crisis before a new crisis is presented. The results of the resolution, whether successful or not, are carried forward to the next crisis and provide the foundation for its resolution. |Erikson's Theory of Socioemotional Development | |Stage |Age |Expected Resolution ...
Words: 2148 - Pages: 9
...Erik Erikson Erikson’s theory has 8 stages. Like Freud he includes the notion of conflict in each stage. The resolution of each conflict creates a new emerging part of total personality. The person must move through the 8 stages and resolve the conflict in order to achieve a healthy Personality. Erikson suggests that each individual must learn how to hold both extremes of each specific life stage challenge in tension or the other Only when both extremes in life stage challenge are understood and accepted as required and useful 12- 18 years old comes in stage 5 according to Erikson which is : identity vs. role confusion Teenager seeks to answer questions such as: who am I? Where do I fit in? Where am I going in life? If parents allow their children to explore, they will find their own identity. If parents force their child to conform to their view the child will have an identity crisis Erikson’s view of this stage was to define a sense of self identity Identity incorporating parent’s culture and roles, also embracing teenager’s uniqueness and society’s current offering. The transition from childhood to adulthood is most important. Children are becoming more independent and begin to look at the future in terms of career, relationship, families and housing. The individual want to belong to a society and fit in This is a major stage of development where the child has to learn the roles he will occupy as an adult It’s during this stage the individuals try to find out exactly who...
Words: 395 - Pages: 2
...Multiple Choice Questions 1. According to Erikson Sara is in which of the following stages: a) Latency b) Muscular-anal c) Locomotor d) Adolescence e) None of the above 2. What is the crisis of the stage that Sara is in: a) Autonomy vs. Shame b) Initiative vs. Guilt c) Trust vs. Mistrust d) Industry vs. Inferiority e) None of the above 3. What is the positive outcome of the latency stage: a) Repeated frustration and failure which leads to feelings of inferiority b) A child will be able to initiate activities and enjoy learning c) The child will acquire skills for and develop competence in work and enjoy achievement d) Develop their own identity e) b) and c) 4. According to Erikson what should Sara’s teacher have done for work enjoyment and industry to result: a) Praise her for doing her best b) Tell her she can do better c) Encourage her to finish tasks d) b) and c) e) a) and c) 5. What stages has Sara passed through in Erikson’s theory? a) The oral-sensory stage b) The anal-muscular stage c) The locomotor stage d) a) and b) e) All of the above 6. According to Erikson, what is the important event for the stage Sara is in? a) Feeding b) Toilet Training c) Independence d) Schooling e) All of the above 7. According to Erikson, what should Sara’s teacher have done during the math and language...
Words: 1592 - Pages: 7
...Erik Erikson Born on the 15th of June 1902, Erik Erikson was a German born American developmental psychologist and psychoanalyst. He is most famous for coining the phrase identity crisis. Erik’s mother was from a prominent Jewish family who lived in Copenhagen, Denmark, little is known about Erik’s biological father and he was adopted by his stepfather in 1911. He was a tall, blond, blue-eyed boy who was raised in the Jewish religion, making him the centre of bullying at his temple for being a Nordic and at his grammar school for being a Jew. The development of identity became one of Erikson’s greatest concerns. In 1930 he married Joan Mowat Serson, a Canadian dancer and artist whom Erikson had met at a dress ball. He converted to Christianity during his marriage and they had two sons together. During 1930, with Hitler’s rise to power in Germany, the burning of Freud’s books in Berlin and the potential Nazi threat to Austria the Eriksons left to Copenhagen only to find out they were unable to regain Danish citizenship, so they left for the United States. In the U.S. Erikson became the first chid psychoanalyst in Boston. Erikson served as a professor at prominent institutions such as Harvard and Yale even though he lacked even a bachelor degree. Sigmund Freud described personality development as a series of stages. Early childhood being the most important. He believed that personality developed by the age of about 5. Like Freud, Erik Erikson believed in the importance of...
Words: 977 - Pages: 4
...string of psychosocial crises that shape personality, according to Erik Erikson. Each crisis focuses on a particular aspect of personality and involves the person’s relationship with other people. STAGE I: TRUST VERSUS MISTRUST ( BIRTH TO 18 MONTHS) The goal of in-fancy is to develop a basic trust in the world. Erikson ( 1968, p. 96) defined basic trust as “ an essential trustfulness of others as well as a fundamental sense of one’s own trust-worthiness.” The mother, or maternal figure, is usually the first important person in the child’s world. She is the one who must satisfy the infant’s need for food and affection. If the mother is inconsistent or rejecting, she becomes a source of frustration for the infant rather than a source of pleasure ( Cummings, Braungart- Rieker, & Du Rocher- Schudlich, 2003; Thompson, Easterbrooks, & Padilla- Walker, 2003). The mother’s behavior creates in the infant a sense of mistrust for his or her world that may persist throughout child-hood and into adulthood. STAGE II: AUTONOMY VERSUS DOUBT ( 18 MONTHS TO 3 YEARS) By the age of 2, most babies can walk and have learned enough about language to communicate with other people. Children in the “ terrible twos” no longer want to depend totally on others. Instead, they strive toward autonomy, the ability to do things for themselves. The child’s desires for power and independence often clash with the wishes of the parent. Erikson believes that children at this stage have the dual desire to hold on...
Words: 970 - Pages: 4
...Analyzing Erik Erikson Erik Erikson brought to the field of psychology a great insight development of person through ones lifespan with his well-known concepts, the Stages of psychosocial development, as well as his Identity crisis at each stage. For Erikson, his theories were influenced by his childhood and his obsession over his identity. It led to the development of his theories. Erikson was born June 15, 1902 in Frankfurt, Germany. He never saw his birth father or his mother's first husband. His young Jewish mother raised Erik by herself for a time before marrying a physician, Dr. Theodor Homberger. The fact that Homberger was not in fact his biological father was held from him for many years. When he finally did learn the truth, he was left with a feeling of confusion about who he really was. This early experience helped spark his interest in the formation of identity.(Erik Erikson) In his stages of Psychosocial development, at the stage of Identity vs. Role confusion, Erikson stressed that this stage is important for the adolescent as he is transitioning to adulthood. The individual wants to belong to a society and fit in. It is during this stage that the adolescent will re-examine his identity and try to find out exactly who he or she is. During this period, they explore possibilities and begin to form their own identity based upon the outcome of their explorations. Failure to establish a sense of identity within society ("I don’t know what I want to be when I grow...
Words: 1438 - Pages: 6
...Erikson’s Psycho-Social Stages Ashley Haslam National University Erikson’s Psycho-Social Stages Erik Erikson’s seven stages of personal and social development describes a series of psychosocial crises that shape personality (Slaven, 2015). These social crises deal with a person’s personality as well as their relationships with other people (Slaven, 2015). Personal Stage The sixth stage of Erikson’s theory occurs sometime during young adulthood. It is during this stage that an adult either finds happiness in their relationships (both sexual and non-sexual) or becomes distant and standoffish which eventually leads to isolation (Slaven, 2015). Myself, I would fall into this, the Intimacy vs. Isolation Stage, as I am thirty years old. Throughout life it is necessary to form healthy bonds and relationships with other people in order to avoid isolation and loneliness. According to Slaven (2015), a relationship is healthy if all parties involved are enhanced without stifling the growth of each other. As an educator, being able to form meaningful relationships with students, parents, and coworkers. A teacher who is in this stage of development will be able to connect with the students and their families thus create a healthy, trusting relationship. A teacher who lacks the ability to bond with a student, will have a much more difficult time reaching the children on an academic level. Stages in the Classroom Building self-confidence and a sense of industry is the main goal...
Words: 497 - Pages: 2
...The sixth stage that Erikson proposed was that of intimacy versus isolation, which is a sub-stage under Freud’s genital stage and takes place during the ages of eighteen and twenty-four (Engler, 2014). Erikson emphasizes intimacy in that one begins to focus on genital coupling and being able to find a close affiliation with another, and that work should not present as a barrier to one developing their love for others (Engler, 2014). The latter trait, associated with this stage, is isolation, which is understood as self-absorption and isolation of others who seek intimate relations (Erikson, 1963). This is then sought in a balance due to the stress of productivity and success within a time that also stresses close affiliation with others (Engler,...
Words: 274 - Pages: 2
