My Thoughts On Erik Erikson’s Stages of Psychosocial Development
I‘ve been doing a lot of studying on Erik Erikson’s Stages of Psychosocial Development. The picture that I have provided above shows you what they are. I actually have made a groundbreaking discovery, and if you read this until the end you will see!
If we look at the first stage it is labeled: Trust vs. Mistrust. Infants must learn how to trust others, particularly those who care for their basic needs. They should feel that they are being cared for and that all their needs are met.
The second one is labeled: Autonomy vs Shame and Doubt. Children should be taught the basic ways of taking care of themselves, including changing their clothes and feeding themselves. If a child can’t take care of his own basic needs and continue to rely on others to take care of him, he may feel shameful when he sees that other kids of his own age are able to perform tasks such as feeding themselves.
Stage 3 is labeled: Initiative vs Guilt. With this stage, Children can learn new concepts introduced in school and are expected to practice these lessons in real life. They know that they can accomplish these tasks on their own, but if they fail to do so and end up asking for assistance from others, they may feel a sense of guilt.
Stage 4 is: Industry vs Inferiority. With this stage, children mature and their level of self-awareness increases. They understand logical reasoning, scientific facts, and other matters that are typically taught in school. Also, children tend to become more competitive with this stage. They want to do the same things other kids their age can do, if not better. When they make the effort to perform a task and succeed, they develop self-confidence. However, if they fail, they tend to feel that they are inferior to others.
Stage 5 is labeled: Identity vs Role Confusion. This stage is when children tend to find their self and the meaning of their person hood. They may also experience identity crisis as a result of the transition from childhood to adulthood.
Stage Six — Intimacy vs Isolation. People at this stage become worried about finding the right partner and fear that if they fail to do so, they may have to spend the rest of their lives alone.
Young adults are most vulnerable to feel intimacy and loneliness because they interact with a lot of people in this phase of their lives. Some young adults may even choose to spend the rest of their lives as singles.
Stage 7 is titled — Generativity versus Stagnation. Adults who are in their 40s and 50s tend to find meaning in their work. They feel like at this point in their lives, they should be able to contribute something meaningful to the society and leave a legacy. If they fail to achieve this, they feel like they have been an unproductive member of the society.
The last stage is labeled: Ego Integrity vs Despair. The people in this stage are in their 60s or older and they are typically retired. When they look back in their life, they feel content, as they believe that they have lived their life to the fullest. If they feel that they haven’t done much during their life, it’s likely that they will experience a sense of despair.
So those are the 8 social psycho crises stated in Erik Erikson’s Theory of Psychosocial Development. Now, I have made a discovery!
The same can be applied to an individual’s relationship with another person!
I’ll explain:
When you first meet someone, you are entering the Trust vs. Mistrust stage. You are getting to know the person and whether you should trust them or not. If you decide that you cannot trust the person, you cut the relationship right then and their.
After you have gained the person’s trust, you are going through a shame and doubt phase (typically). You are questioning your role in regards to that specific person, and you are trying to make your own decisions, even though they may be able to influence them (because you have trusted them).
Then, you might have an initiative vs. guilt experience with the other person. You might try to assert power or control over the other person (even in little increments) or them you. You might become the leader, whereas the other person becomes a follower of you.
After that comes the industry vs. inferiority stage. You might develop a sense of pride and competence in your skills. You might also be affected negatively or positively based on if you receive encouragement from the other person with whom your relationship is based.
Following that, there is intimacy vs. isolation. Depending on who this person you have formed a relationship is, you might become close with them. You might form a close, committed relationship with that person, and perhaps even marry them and have it become sexual. It is important that if it is a close, committed relationship, that you have a strong sense of personal identity. Studies have demonstrated that those with a poor sense of self do tend to have less committed relationships and are more likely to suffer emotional isolation,loneliness and depression.
The second to last stage is the Generativity vs. Stagnation stage. This stage, in regards to relationships is when people typically feel like they are contributing to the relationship. If you don’t feel that way, you will typically feel the exact opposite — unproductive and uninvolved in the relationship. If this is happening, it is probably best to cut the relationship because it won’t lead anywhere further from this point.
The last stage is Integrity vs. Despair. At this point, you both have possibly grown old, and have had the relationship for a while. At this point, you will probably reflect back on your relationship together and think about all of the good times you spent with the other person. You might decide on whether you are happy and satisfied with how the relationship played out, or whether you regret any of the things you did together. Those who feel proud of their accomplishments will feel a sense of integrity. Successfully completing this phase means looking back with few regrets and a general feeling of satisfaction. These individuals will attain wisdom, even when confronting death.
