Erik Erikson Integrity Vs Despair

Erik Erikson was an ego psychologist who adult 1 of the about popular and influential theories of development. While his theory was impacted by psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud'due south work, Erikson's theory centered on psychosocial development rather than psychosexual evolution.

The stages that make up his theory are as follows:

Stage 1: Trust vs. Mistrust (Infancy from nascence to 18 months)
Phase 2: Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt (Toddler years from 18 months to three years)
Phase 3: Initiative vs. Guilt (Preschool years from iii to five)
Stage iv: Manufacture vs. Inferiority (Eye school years from half-dozen to 11)
Stage five: Identity vs. Confusion (Teen years from 12 to 18)
Stage 6: Intimacy vs. Isolation (Young adult years from 18 to twoscore)
Phase 7: Generativity vs. Stagnation (Middle age from 40 to 65)
Stage 8: Integrity vs. Despair (Older adulthood from 65 to expiry)

Allow'south take a closer look at the background and different stages that make up Erikson's psychosocial theory.

Erikson's Stages of Psychosocial Development — Verywell / Joshua Seong

Overview of Erikson's Stages of Evolution

So what exactly did Erikson's theory of psychosocial development entail? Much like Sigmund Freud, Erikson believed that personality developed in a series of stages.

Dissimilar Freud's theory of psychosexual stages, however, Erikson'due south theory described the bear upon of social feel across the whole lifespan. Erikson was interested in how social interaction and relationships played a role in the development and growth of human being beings.

Erikson's theory was based on what is known every bit the epigenetic principle. This principle suggests that people grow in a sequence that occurs over time and in the context of a larger community.

Click Play to Learn More About Erik Erikson's Stages of Psychosocial Development

Conflict During Each Stage

Each stage in Erikson'south theory builds on the preceding stages and paves the style for following periods of evolution. In each stage, Erikson believed people experience a conflict that serves equally a turning betoken in development.

In Erikson'due south 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 just so is the potential for failure.

If people successfully deal with the conflict, they emerge from the stage with psychological strengths that will serve them well for the rest of their lives. If they fail to deal finer with these conflicts, they may not develop the essential skills needed for a stiff sense of self.

Mastery Leads to Ego Force

Erikson as well believed that a sense of competence motivates behaviors and actions. Each stage in Erikson's theory is concerned with becoming competent in an surface area of life.

If the phase is handled well, the person will feel a sense of mastery, which is sometimes referred to equally ego strength or ego quality. If the phase is managed poorly, the person will emerge with a sense of inadequacy in that attribute of development.

Psychosocial Stages: A Summary Nautical chart
Age	Conflict	Important Events	Upshot
Infancy (nascence to 18 months)	Trust vs. Mistrust	Feeding	Hope
Early Childhood (2 to 3 years)	Autonomy vs. Shame and Uncertainty	Toilet Grooming	Will
Preschool (3 to v years)	Initiative vs. Guilt	Exploration	Purpose
Schoolhouse Age (6 to xi years)	Industry vs. Inferiority	School	Confidence
Adolescence (12 to 18 years)	Identity vs. Part Defoliation	Social Relationships	Fidelity
Young Adulthood (xix to 40 years)	Intimacy vs. Isolation	Relationships	Love
Eye Adulthood (forty to 65 years)	Generativity vs. Stagnation	Work and Parenthood	Care
Maturity (65 to death)	Ego Integrity vs. Despair	Reflection on Life	Wisdom

A brief summary of the eight stages

Stage ane: Trust vs. Mistrust

The first phase of Erikson'due south theory of psychosocial development occurs between birth and 1 yr of age and is the most primal stage in life. Because an infant is utterly dependent, developing trust is based on the dependability and quality of the child's caregivers.

At this point in development, the child is utterly dependent upon adult caregivers for everything they demand to survive including food, love, warmth, rubber, and nurturing. If a caregiver fails to provide acceptable intendance and love, the child will come to feel that they cannot trust or depend upon the adults in their life.

Outcomes

If a child successfully develops trust, the kid will feel safe and secure in the globe. Caregivers who are inconsistent, emotionally unavailable, or rejecting contribute to feelings of mistrust in the children under their care. Failure to develop trust will outcome in fear and a belief that the world is inconsistent and unpredictable.

During the first stage of psychosocial evolution, children develop a sense of trust when caregivers provide reliability, care, and affection. A lack of this will lead to mistrust.

No child is going to develop a sense of 100% trust or 100% doubt. Erikson believed that successful development was all virtually striking a balance betwixt the two opposing sides. When this happens, children acquire promise, which Erikson described as an openness to experience tempered by some wariness that danger may be present.

Subsequent work by researchers including John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth demonstrated the importance of trust in forming healthy attachments during childhood and machismo.

Stage ii: Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt

The second phase of Erikson'south theory of psychosocial development takes place during early childhood and is focused on children developing a greater sense of personal control.

The Role of Independence

At this point in development, children are just starting to gain a little independence. They are starting to perform basic actions on their ain and making simple decisions nigh what they prefer. By allowing kids to make choices and gain control, parents and caregivers tin assistance children develop a sense of autonomy.

Potty Training

The essential theme of this stage is that children demand to develop a sense of personal control over physical skills and a sense of independence. Potty training plays an important part in helping children develop this sense of autonomy.

Like Freud, Erikson believed that toilet training was a vital office of this process. Nevertheless, Erikson'southward reasoning was quite different than that of Freud's. Erikson believed that learning to control one's bodily functions leads to a feeling of command and a sense of independence. Other important events include gaining more control over food choices, toy preferences, and clothing choice.

Outcomes

Children who struggle and who are shamed for their accidents may be left without a sense of personal control. Success during this stage of psychosocial development leads to feelings of autonomy; failure results in feelings of shame and uncertainty.

Finding Rest

Children who successfully consummate this phase feel secure and confident, while those who do not are left with a sense of inadequacy and cocky-doubtfulness. Erikson believed that achieving a residual between autonomy and shame and dubiety would pb to volition, which is the belief that children can human action with intention, within reason and limits.

Stage 3: Initiative vs. Guilt

The third stage of psychosocial development takes identify during the preschool years. At this betoken in psychosocial development, children begin to assert their power and control over the earth through directing play and other social interactions.

Children who are successful at this stage feel capable and able to lead others. Those who fail to acquire these skills are left with a sense of guilt, self-doubt, and lack of initiative.

Outcomes

The major theme of the third stage of psychosocial evolution is that children need to begin asserting control and power over the environment. Success in this phase leads to a sense of purpose. Children who try to exert too much power experience disapproval, resulting in a sense of guilt.

When an ideal rest of private initiative and a willingness to work with others is achieved, the ego quality known aspurpose emerges.

Stage 4: Manufacture vs. Inferiority

The fourth psychosocial stage takes place during the early school years from approximately ages 5 to 11. Through social interactions, children begin to develop a sense of pride in their accomplishments and abilities.

Children need to cope with new social and academic demands. Success leads to a sense of competence, while failure results in feelings of inferiority.

Outcomes

Children who are encouraged and commended by parents and teachers develop a feeling of competence and belief in their skills. Those who receive little or no encouragement from parents, teachers, or peers will doubt their abilities to be successful.

Successfully finding a remainder at this stage of psychosocial evolution leads to the strength known equally competence, in which children develop a conventionalities in their abilities to handle the tasks prepare before them.

Stage 5: Identity vs. Confusion

The fifth psychosocial stage takes place during the ofttimes turbulent teenage years. This phase plays an essential role in developing a sense of personal identity which will go along to influence behavior and development for the rest of a person's life. Teens demand to develop a sense of self and personal identity. Success leads to an ability to stay truthful to yourself, while failure leads to function defoliation and a weak sense of cocky.

During adolescence, children explore their independence and develop a sense of self. Those who receive proper encouragement and reinforcement through personal exploration volition emerge from this stage with a stiff sense of self and feelings of independence and control. Those who remain unsure of their beliefs and desires will feel insecure and confused about themselves and the time to come.

What Is Identity?

When psychologists talk about identity, they are referring to all of the beliefs, ideals, and values that help shape and guide a person's behavior. Completing this phase successfully leads to fidelity, which Erikson described as an ability to alive by society's standards and expectations.

While Erikson believed that each stage of psychosocial development was of import, he placed a item emphasis on the development of ego identity. Ego identity is the conscious sense of self that we develop through social interaction and becomes a central focus during the identity versus confusion stage of psychosocial development.

According to Erikson, our ego identity constantly changes due to new experiences and information we learn in our daily interactions with others. As nosotros have new experiences, nosotros also accept on challenges that can help or hinder the evolution of identity.

Why Identity Is Important

Our personal identity gives each of usa an integrated and cohesive sense of cocky that endures through our lives. Our sense of personal identity is shaped by our experiences and interactions with others, and information technology is this identity that helps guide our actions, beliefs, and behaviors equally nosotros age.

Stage six: Intimacy vs. Isolation

Young adults need to form intimate, loving relationships with other people. Success leads to strong relationships, while failure results in loneliness and isolation. This stage covers the menstruum of early machismo when people are exploring personal relationships.

Erikson believed it was vital that people develop close, committed relationships with other people. Those who are successful at this step will form relationships that are enduring and secure.

Edifice On Earlier Stages

Remember that each step builds on skills learned in previous steps. Erikson believed that a strong sense of personal identity was important for developing intimate relationships. Studies have demonstrated that those with a poor sense of cocky tend to take less committed relationships and are more than likely to struggler with emotional isolation, loneliness, and low.

Successful resolution of this stage results in the virtue known as love. It is marked by the ability to form lasting, meaningful relationships with other people.

Stage vii: Generativity vs. Stagnation

Adults need to create or nurture things that volition outlast them, ofttimes by having children or creating a positive modify that benefits other people. Success leads to feelings of usefulness and achievement, while failure results in shallow interest in the world.

During adulthood, we continue to build our lives, focusing on our career and family. Those who are successful during this phase will feel that they are contributing to the earth by being agile in their home and community. Those who neglect to attain this skill volition feel unproductive and uninvolved in the world.

Care is the virtue achieved when this stage is handled successfully. Beingness proud of your accomplishments, watching your children abound into adults, and developing a sense of unity with your life partner are important accomplishments of this stage.

Stage 8: Integrity vs. Despair

The final psychosocial stage occurs during old age and is focused on reflecting dorsum on life. At this point in development, people await back on the events of their lives and determine if they are happy with the life that they lived or if they regret the things they did or didn't practise.

Erikson'south theory differed from many others because it addressed evolution throughout the entire lifespan, including old age. Older adults need to await back on life and feel a sense of fulfillment. Success at this phase leads to feelings of wisdom, while failure results in regret, bitterness, and despair.

At this stage, people reverberate back on the events of their lives and take stock. Those who wait back on a life they feel was well-lived will feel satisfied and ready to face the end of their lives with a sense of peace. Those who look back and merely feel regret will instead feel fearful that their lives will end without accomplishing the things they feel they should have.

Outcomes

Those who are unsuccessful during this stage will feel that their life has been wasted and may experience many regrets. The person will exist left with feelings of bitterness and despair.

Those who feel proud of their accomplishments will feel a sense of integrity. Successfully completing this phase means looking dorsum with few regrets and a full general feeling of satisfaction. These individuals will attainwisdom, even when confronting death.

Strengths and Weaknesses of Erikson's Theory

Erikson'southward theory as well has its limitations and attracts valid criticisms. What kinds of experiences are necessary to successfully consummate each stage? How does a person move from one phase to the next?

Criticism

One major weakness of psychosocial theory is that the exact mechanisms for resolving conflicts and moving from ane stage to the next are not well described or adult. The theory fails to detail exactly what blazon of experiences are necessary at each stage in club to successfully resolve the conflicts and move to the next stage.

Support

1 of the strengths of psychosocial theory is that it provides a broad framework from which to view evolution throughout the entire lifespan. It also allows usa to emphasize the social nature of human being beings and the important influence that social relationships have on development.

Researchers accept found evidence supporting Erikson'due south ideas about identity and have further identified different sub-stages of identity formation. Some research too suggests that people who form stiff personal identities during adolescence are better capable of forming intimate relationships during early machismo. Other inquiry suggests, still, that identity formation and development continues well into adulthood.

Why Was Erikson's Theory Of import?

The theory was significant considering information technology addressed development throughout a person's life, not just during childhood. It besides stressed the importance of social relationships in shaping personality and growth at each point in development.

A Word From Verywell

It is of import to call back that the psychosocial stages are just i theory of personality evolution. Some research may support certain aspects of this theoretical framework, simply that does not hateful that every aspect of the theory is supported past evidence. The theory can, however, exist a helpful manner to think about some of the unlike conflicts and challenges that people may face as they go through life.

It is also easy to await at each stage of Erikson's theory and consider how it can utilise to your life. Learning about each phase tin provide insight into what you might face as you age. It can too help y'all reflect on things that may have happened in the past and help you see ways you might be able to improve your coping skills to better deal with today's challenges.