Discussion Forum

Erickson's Theory

Background information about Erikson

Erik H. Erikson’s was born in 1902 and died in 1994. He was born in Frank furt, Germany and moved to the United States in the early 1930s. While he was a young man, Erickson used to serve tutor to the children of Sigmund Freud associates. Accordingly, Erikson received training in psychoanalysis, while after he moved to the United Sates. He was an expert in the field of childhood psychoanalytic practices and he has done a significant number of investigations towards that field, as a result (Erickson, 1963), he began to evaluate a theory of affective or emotional development that completed the theory of Sigmund Freud. However Erikson theory was based on his own life experiences and what he leaned from Sigmund Fraud and Ana Freud. He name that theory as psychosocial theory because his theory combined three factors that have an influence on individual development, those are self-factor, the emotional factor and the social factor.

Erik H. Erikson

Short Introduction about Erickson Theory of Psychosocial Development

Erik Erikson's theory of psychosocial development is one of the best-known theories of personality in psychology. According to Cherry (2010), much like Sigmund Freud, Erikson believed that personality develops in a series of stages. Unlike Freud's theory of psycho sexual stages, Erikson's theory describes the impact of social experience across the whole lifespan. Erikson has developed the eight stages of human development. M. Lerner (2009) sates that within each of eight stages of development that Erikson specified we see the inclusion of an emotional crisis in development which is conceptualized in different terms. Moreover Erickson stages of human development theory leads empirically to the differential classification of people based on their age groups.  In addition Erickson psychosocial theory of development considers the impact of external factors, parents and society on personality development from childhood to adulthood.

Erickson Stages of Psychosocial Developments

1. Trust versus. Mistrust

According to Erikson, trust vs. mistrust is the first psychosocial crisis occurs to the babies during the first 18 months of their birth (0 to 18 months). During this stage babies begins to learn the ability to trust others based upon the stability of their caregiver (s). If the new born baby parents are very much caring for her, then she will start trusting her parents with every single little thing. McLeod (2008) argues that “if the care the infant receives is consistent, predictable and reliable they will develop a sense of trust which will carry with them to other relationships, and they will be able to feel secure even when threatened.” On the other side if new born baby parents are not giving enough care to the baby and not fulfilling her needs, then she will start mistrusting to her parents and all others. Mistrusting is something which leads to break the strong relationship between parents and the children’s. 

Erikson stressed the point that people do not, and should not, develop either complete basic trust or complete mistrust. Rather, a given person will develop a feeling that falls somewhere along this dimension (M.Lerner, 2009). According to Erickson if a person develops with complete trust, which would be as same as developing complete mistrust.  It is because if the person develops with complete trust then, that person would not realize the real dangers that exist in the world. (Example: the person would never go to look around while crossing the road, because of a belief that no driver would ever go to hurt or chick him or her.) This is because they believe that no matter how dangerous the situation is the world is surely going to save them in every danger that they face. 

On the other hand, if the person is develops with complete mistrust, then the person will never going to be comfortable in this world. No matter how good the situation is they will not be able to accept it, because they believes that, the world would definitely hurt him or her in every situation that they face. M.Lerner (2009) states that such a person would have absolutely no hope; he or she would feel that there would be no chance of anything but pain resulting from his or her interaction with the world. So it is necessary for parents to develop new born baby feelings that lies somewhere between the two points (between trust and mistrust). In addition Erickson believes that healthy ego developments will only precede if parents are able to develop more trust then mistrust. Moreover the success in this stage will lead to the virtual of hope. 

 

2. Autonomy versus. Shame and Doubt

Between the ages of 18 months to 3 years old the child will start develop physically, emotionally and become more flexible. A child between these ages wants to be more independent to them self. They want to move away from their parents and do everything’s by their own. Like, they will pick which toy they want to play with, they will make choice about what they want to wear, they want to help with their mother with cooking, etc. in other words children at this ages essentially wants to show others that, they have many skills and abilities to do certain things on their own. Such as putting clothes and shoes on their own, helping mother with cooking, playing with toys etc. those are the skills that demonstrate the child’s growing sense of independence and autonomy. According to Erickson at this stage parents have to support and encourage their children to do certain things on their own, because it will help them to increase their independence and they will become more confident and secure in their own ability to survive in the world. 

Erikson states it is critical that parents allow their children to explore the limits of their abilities within an encouraging environment which is tolerant of failure (McLeod, 2008). So that means parents should encourage their children to become more independence and at the same time they need to protect their children so that persistent failure is avoided. (For example: allow children to put cloths on their own, but help them if they were not able to put it on their own). On the other hand if parents don’t allow their child to do these things on their own then feeling of shame and doubt develops. Leain (2011) states that “if children are criticized, overly controlled, or not given the opportunity to assert themselves, they begin to feel inadequate in their ability to survive, and may then become overly dependent upon others, lack self-esteem, and feel a sense of shame or doubt in their own abilities.” In addition at this stage parents aims has to be “self-control without a loss of self-esteem” (Gross, 1993).  Success in this stage will lead to the quality of will.

 

3. Initiative versus. Guilt

Mostly energetic, rapid-developing years in a child’s life are between 3 to 6 years old. Around these ages children emphasize themselves more regularly. According to Bee (1992) it is a “time of vigor of action and of behaviors that the parents may see as aggressive". During these ages school becomes important part of every child lives. Children frequently start interacting with other children’s in the schools and out sides the schools. Therefore the main aim of this stage is to provide opportunities for children to explore their interpersonal skills through preliminary activities. According to McLeod (2008) “Children at this stage begin to plan activities, make up games, and initiate activities with others. If given this opportunity, children develop a sense of initiative, and feel secure in their ability to lead others and make decisions.” On the other side if children were not given any freedom to explore them self by controlling them though these activities then, children will develop a sense of guild. They may start feel like they were not capable of doing anything and therefore remain supporters, lacking in self-initiative.  

Moreover at this stage child begins to ask many questions to their parents and their related ones. If parents provide answers for their question then feeling of initiative develops and if the parents treat the child’s questions as unimportant, a irritation or embarrassing or other aspects of their behavior as frightening then the child may have feelings of guilt for begin irritated. According to Erickson Too much guilt can make the child slow to interact with others and may obstruct their creativity. So it is important to have a good balance between initiative and guilt at this stage. In additionally the success in this stage will lead to the asset of purpose in life.

4. Industry (competence) versus. Inferiority

From age six to 12 years, children begin to develop logic of self-importance in their achievement. At this stage, teachers play an important role of children’s life. Teachers, teach the children specific skills like, how to read, how to write and how to make certain things on their own, etc. McLeod (2008) argues that “it is at this stage that the child’s peer group will gain greater significance and will become a major source of the child’s self-esteem.” For these reasons, children’s see them through a challenging task at this stage and they feel good about what they have achieved. According to Erickson if children are encouraged and reinforced for their creativity, then children will begin to feel confident and active in their ability to achieve the target goals. If children were successful in achieving their target goals then the feeling of industry develops. 

However if  this creativity is not encouraged, if it is controlled by parents or teachers, then the child begins to feel inferior and doubting about his/her own capabilities and therefore the child  may not reach his or her potential. Moreover if child fails to develop these skills then they feel shame and they started feels like society is a challenging task for them and later children starts to develop a sense of inferiority. This is where children feel like they can’t achieve anything without depending upon anyone. According to Erickson again a balance between competence and modesty is necessary at this stage. “Success in this stage will lead to the virtue of competence (McLeod, 2008).”

 

5. Identity verses. Role Confusion

For children’s, their friends become more important than their parents during the age of 12 to 18 years old. This is where the transition from childhood to adulthood occurs. At this stage children become more independence on their own. They begins to look at their future in terms of career, relationships, families, etc. at this stage adult will think about him or herself and try to find exactly what they want to be in the future. Erickson has come up with two identities that involved in adult life, that’s sexual identity and the occupational identity. According to Bee (1992), what should happen at the end of this stage is “a reintegrated sense of self, of what one wants to do or be, and of one’s appropriate sex role”.

This is the stage where body shapes of teenager states to change. Erickson stated that teenager may feel uncomfortable with the changes occurs in their body for a while but later they can adjust and grow into the changes. According to Erickson if adult were explore to their body changes and find out what they exactly want to be in their future, then the sense of identity develops. They identified them self what they actually are. On the other hand if adult has difficulty to find themselves and they has mix-up  their future with different thoughts (like I don’t exactly know what I wants to be when I grow up) then, this can leads the role of confusion. “Role confusion involves the individual not being sure about themselves or their place in society (McLeod, 2008). Therefore at this stage, adult need to find what they want to be in the future in order to get success in their life.  The success in this stage will lead to the virtue of fidelity.

 

  

6. Intimacy versus. Isolation

Form the ages between 18 to 40 years adults, begins to share their life with others. Adults at these ages start looking for their lifelong partner. They start to find the best partner that they can spend their rest of life with.  McLeod (2008) states that “adults at these ages wants more  explore relationships leading toward longer term commitments with someone other than a family member.” If they found the right person that is perfect for his/her, then the feeling of intimacy develops. Successful achievement of this stage can lead to happy relationships and a sense of promises, safety, and care within a relationship (within their life partner).

However if adult is unable to find any right partner for them, then the feeling of isolation develops. They starts to feel like society are kind of avoiding them and because of that they will have fear to being in a relationship. These people sometimes feel lonely and depression, however they still don’t want get in a relationship because of the fear that, they again might get cheated. According to Erickson it is very important to find your lifelong partner and get start with your new life (married life) at these ages. In addition the success in this stage will lead to the virtue of love.  

7. Generativity versus. Stagnation

During middle adulthood (ages 40 to 65), we establish our careers, settle down within a relationship, begin our own families and develop a sense of being a part of the bigger picture (McLeod, 2008). The main aim of the adults at this stage is to make their children’s as a responsible person for the society. Parents at this ages will raise their children by teaching all the good manners, they want their children’s to be active their studies, they want their children’s to be productive at work, and become involved in community activities and organization. If parents are successful in developing their children then the feeling of generatively develops. They feel happy with what they have done for their children. 

On the other hand if the parents were unable to raise their children successfully and if they couldn’t make their children a better person in the society, then the feeling of stagnation develops. Parents start to feel like they have failed to develop their children life and they start to feel unproductive. Erickson states that success in this stage will lead to the virtue of care.

 

 

8. Ego Integrity versus. Despair

As we grow older (65 years and over) and become senior citizens, we tend to slow down our productivity, and explore life as a retired person (McLeod, 2008). It is during this stage we tend to look back to our life with sense of fulfillment and satisfaction. We start to look back to our life and see what we have achieved so far. If we successfully achieved all the aims of the above mention stages, then we feel life is completed and this is where the feeling of integrity develops. They will feel happy with what they have achieved in their life and start to thank about that.

On the other hand if the person look back to their life and feel guilt, because they wasn’t able to achieved any sense of satisfaction in their life, then the feeling of despair develops. They start to feel like they did not accomplish their life goals and they become disappointed with their life. This kind of feeling often leads the person to feel depression and hopeless in their life. 

According to Erickson the success in this stage will lead to the virtue of wisdom. Wisdom enables a person to look back on their life with a sense of closure and completeness, and also accept death without fear.

How Erikson’s Theory can be Applied in a Classroom Teaching and Learning:

Firstly in pre-school stage, teachers must provide students a chance to experience new things that are relative to their ages. For example teachers can take students outside the classroom and show things that are related to the topics and create the topic interesting to the students. In this way children will be able to interact their classmates well and they will learn the topic in different ways. It is very important for teachers to catch student’s attention at this stage, because children will be very curios to learning new things at this stage. Moreover this is the stage where students acquire to learn what is good and what is wrong. Therefore it is very important for teachers to teach students good and bad behaviors at this stage.

Secondly when children’s are in school (6 to 20 years old) teachers must encourage their student’s though different activities. Also teachers must provide positive comments for students work, because it will help students to build their self-confidents. Moreover in stage teachers can help students to choose their career. Teachers can tell students what are the fields that they are better and why they have to choose that field. If students have already chosen their career, then teachers can provide additional information about that particular field. To do this teachers can shows power point presentation (with advantages and uses of choose field), videos and even pictures.

Tiredly before students turn to adulthood, it is very important for teachers to make their students successful person in their life. No matter how difficult the situation is teachers must have to train their students to face that situation and solve it by their own. To do this teacher can conduct student’s awareness programs, which give information for students about how to get success in their life.  In addition teachers can also provide guidance to the students at this stage.