Conclusion

In conclusion of this article I would like to mention that, Erickson theory is fully based on five principles. He believes that all human have the some basic needs and individual development depends on reaction towards these basic needs. Everyone wants to achieve his/her basic needs in their life. Therefore Erickson concluded that human development progresses according to specific stages. He also states that each of those stages has crisis and those crisis must be dissolved before an individual can function successfully at the next stage.

Indeed, Erikson (1964) “acknowledges his theory is more a descriptive overview of human social and emotional development that does not adequately explain how or why this development occurs.” For example, Erikson does not explicitly explain how the outcome of one psychosocial stages influence personality at a later stage. However, one of the strengths of Erikson's theory is its ability to tie together important psychosocial development across the entire lifespan. Although support for Erikson's stages of personality development exists (McAdams, 1999), critics of his theory provide evidence suggesting a lack of discrete stages of personality development (Costa and McCrae, 1997).