Erik Erikson’s 8 Stages

 

 

Psychodynamic theorist Erik Erikson adhered to the Freudian concepts of Id, Ego and Superego and the existence of strong instinctual forces. However, he proposed that psychosocial development was more important than psychosexual development. The interactions of the child/teenager/adult with parents, siblings, friends and peers and other significant people - were considered the most important influences in shaping someone’s development.

 

Erikson, who trained with Sigmund Freud, built up his theory over 30 years. He gathered evidence for his theory while working as a practising therapist. According to  M Cole & S R Cole (1989), one of Erikson's favourite methods for testing his theory was - like Abraham Maslow in developing the Hierarchy of Needs - the biographical case study, using such famous men as Martin Luther and Mahatma Gandhi (1963). Erikson also studied child-rearing practices of the Sioux and Yurok Indians of North America who were experiencing great social change. His findings supported his ideas.

 

It differs from Freud’s Psychoanalytic Theory in three crucial ways...

1. While Freud’s main focus was on the unconscious effects of the sex and death drives - Eros and Thanatos - Erikson was concerned with relationships
2. Erikson looks at what can strengthen and weaken the Ego while Freud is concerned with  the conflicts the Ego has to resolve between the Id and the Superego
3. In contrast to Freud’s view of people locked in perpetual inner conflict, Erikson presented a more positive and optimistic view of human nature

 

However, just as Freud’s identification of drivers to express-self (Id) and sacrifice-self-to-conform (Ego and Superego) provide a starting point to understand how vMEMES oscillate between express-self and sacrifice-self-to-conform as they emerge hierarchically up Clare W Graves’ Spiral, so Erikson’s lifespan theory provides a developmental timeframe for the emergence of vMEMES - at least as influenced by Life Conditions in the external Environment and at least to early adulthood.

 

Erikson (1959) saw pyschosocial development as taking place in 8 stages, each of which is marked by a crisis brought on by conflict between the natural processes of maturation and the expectations of society. The resolution of each stage strengthens the selfplex. (Somewhat confusingly Erikson used  the term ‘Ego’ both in the very specific Freudian sense and in the more general sense of a concept of self - for which Integrated SocioPsychology substitutes ‘selfplex’.). According to Erikson, problems resolved at an earlier stage can be at least partially undone by later experiences. Similarly failure to resolve a current crisis satisfactorily can impact on development at a later stage.

 

Erikson’s 8 stages are summarised below:-

Some care needs to be taken in ascribing age-bands to each stage as Erikson himself varied them in different writings. (The Parenting stage is sometimes put as starting at 30 while the Maturity stage has appeared as starting at 60.)

 

STAGE 1: ORAL-SENSORY
Age: Infancy (Birth-1 Year)/Conflict: Trust vs Mistrust/Important Event: Feeding

The important event in this stage is feeding. According to Erikson, the infant will develop a sense of trust only if the parent or caregiver is responsive and consistent with the basic needs being meet. The need for care and food must be met with comforting regularity. The infant must first form a trusting relationship with the parent or caregiver, otherwise a sense of mistrust will develop.
Elements for a positive outcome
The infant's need for care, familiarity, comfort and nourishment are met. Parental consistency and responsiveness is essential for the sense of trust to develop.
Elements for a negative outcome
Babies who are not securely attached to their mothers are less cooperative and more aggressive in their interactions with their mothers. As they grow older, they become less competent and sympathetic with peers. They also explore their environment with less enthusiasm and persistence.
Examples
Babies will begin to understand that objects and people exist even when they cannot see them. This is where trust becomes important.

 

STAGE 2: MUSCULAR-ANAL
Age: Toddler Period (1-2 Years)/Conflict: Autonomy vs Doubt/Important Event: Toilet Training

According to Erikson, self-control and self-confidence begin to develop at this stage. Children can do more on their own. Toilet training is the most important event at this stage. They also begin to feed and dress themselves. This is how the toddler strives for autonomy. It is essential for parents not to be overprotective at this stage. A parent's level of protectiveness will influence the child's ability to achieve autonomy. If a parent is not reinforcing, the child will feel shameful and will learn to doubt his or her abilities. "Erikson believes that children who experience too much doubt at this stage will lack confidence in their powers later in life" ( A E Woolfolk, 1987).
Elements for a positive outcome
The child must take more responsibility for their own feeding, toileting and dressing. Parents must be reassuring yet avoid overprotection.
Elements for a negative outcome
If parents do not maintain a reassuring, confident attitude and do not reinforce the child's efforts to master basic motor and cognitive skills, children may begin to feel shame; they may learn to doubt their abilities to manage the world on their own terms. Children who experience too much doubt at this stage will lack confidence in their own powers throughout life. Erikson (1959) talked about “...the sinister forces which are leashed or unleashed, especially in the guerilla warfare of unequal wills; for the child is often unequal to his own violent drives, and parent and child unequal to each other.”
Examples
In this stage children begin to assume important responsibilities for self-care like feeding, toileting, and dressing.

 

STAGE 3: LOCOMOTOR
Age: Early Childhood (2-6 Years)/Conflict: Initiative vs Guilt/Important Event: Independence

The most important event at this stage is independence. The child continues to be assertive and to take the initiative. Playing and hero worshipping are an important form of initiative for children. Children in this stage are eager for responsibility. Erikson (1959) wrote: “Being firmly convinced that he is a person, the child must now find out what kind of person he is going to be...he wants to be like his parents, who to him appear very powerful and beautiful, although quite unreasonably dangerous.”

It is essential for adults to confirm that the child's initiative is accepted no matter how small it may be. If the child is not given a chance to be responsible and do things on their own, a sense of guilt may develop. The child will come to believe that what they want to do is always wrong.
Elements for a positive outcome
In order for a positive outcome in this stage, the child must learn to accept without guilt, that there are certain things not allowed. Children must be guilt free when using imagination. They must be reassured that it is okay to play certain adult roles.
Elements for a negative outcome
If children are not allowed to do things on their own, a sense of guilt may develop and they may come to believe that what they want to do is always wrong.
Examples
A four year old passing tools to a parent who is fixing a bicycle. Children at this stage will worship heroes. Pretend games are also common.

 

STAGE 4: LATENCY
Age: Elementary & Middle School (6-12 Years)/Conflict: Industry vs Inferiority/Important Event: School

"In this stage children are learning to see the relationship between perseverance and the pleasure of a job completed" (Woolfolk, 1987). The important event at this stage is attendance at school. As a student, the children have a need to be productive and do work on their own. They are both physically and mentally ready for it. Interaction with peers at school also plays an imperative role of child development in this stage. The child for the first time has a wide variety of events to deal with, including academics, group activities, and friends. The child also learns to take more responsibility at home. Difficulty with any of these leads to a sense of inferiority.
Elements for a positive outcome
It is essential for the child at this stage to discover pleasure in being productive and the need to succeed. The child's relationship with peers in school and the neighbourhood become increasingly important.
Elements for a negative outcome
Difficulty with the child's ability to move between the world at home and the world of peers can lead to feeling of inferiority.
Examples
In this stage children want to do productive work on their own. Students are able to water class plants, collect and distribute materials for teacher, and keep records of forms for teacher.

 

STAGE 5: ADOLESCENCE
Age: Adolescence (12-18 Years)/Conflict: Identity vs Role Confusion/Important Event: Peer Relationships

At this stage, adolescents are in search of an identity that will lead them to adulthood. Adolescents make a strong effort to answer the question "Who am I?" Erikson notes the healthy resolution of earlier conflicts can now serve as a foundation for the search for an identity. If the child overcomes earlier conflicts, they are prepared to search for identity. Did they develop the basic sense of trust? Do they have a strong sense of industry to believe in themselves?
Elements for a positive outcome
The adolescent must make a conscious search for identity. This is built on the outcome and resolution to conflict in earlier stages.
Elements for a negative outcome

If the adolescent can not make deliberate decisions and choices, especially about vocation, sexual orientation and life in general, role confusion becomes a threat.
Examples
Adolescents attempt to establish their own identities and see themselves as separate from their parents.

 

STAGE 6: YOUNG ADULTHOOD
Age: Young Adulthood (19-40 Years)/Conflict: Intimacy vs Isolation/Important Event: Love Relationships

In this stage, the most important events are love relationships. Intimacy refers to one's ability to relate to another human being on a deep, personal level. There is also the sense of having a joint identity. An individual who has not developed a sense of identity usually will fear a committed relationship and may retreat into isolation. It is important to mention that having a sexual relationship does not indicate intimacy. People can be sexually intimate without being committed and open with another. True intimacy requires personal commitment. However, mutual satisfaction will increase the closeness of people in a true intimate relationship.
Elements for a positive outcome
The young adult must develop intimate relationships with others. Not resolving this conflict leaves the young adult feeling isolated. The young adult must be willing to be open and committed to another individual.
Elements for a negative outcome
An individual may retreat into isolation if a sense of identity is not developed and will fear a committed relationship.
Examples
Giving and sharing with an individual without asking what will be received in return.

 

STAGE 7: MIDDLE ADULTHOOD
Age: Middle Adulthood (40-65 Years)/Conflict: Generativity vs Stagnation/Important Event: Parenthood

In this stage generativity refers to the adult's ability to care for another person. The most important event in this stage is parenting. Does the adult have the ability to care and guide the next generation? Generativity has a broader meaning then just having children. Each adult must have some way to satisfy and support the next generation. According to Erikson, "A person does best at this time to put aside thoughts of death and balance its certainty with the only happiness that is lasting: to increase, by whatever is yours to give, the goodwill and higher order in your sector of the world" (Erikson, 1974).
Elements for a positive outcome
To have and nurture children and/or become involved with future generations.
Elements for a negative outcome
An individual must deal with issues they are concerned with or it can lead to stagnation in later life.
Examples
In this stage an adult will be concerned with issues such as: the future of the environment, what kind of world will we leave the next generation, equality for all people, etc.

 

STAGE 8: MATURITY
Age: Late Adulthood (65 Years-Death)/Conflict: Integrity vs Despair/Important Event: Acceptance of one's own life

The most important event at this stage is coming to accept one's whole life and reflecting on that life in a positive manner. According to Erikson, achieving a sense of integrity means fully accepting oneself and coming to terms with the fact that life is temporary and ends in death. Accepting responsibility for your life and being able to undo the past and achieve satisfaction with self is essential. The inability to do this results in a feeling of despair.
Elements for a positive outcome
The adult feels a sense of fulfilment about life and accepts death as an unavoidable reality.
Elements for a negative outcome
Individuals who are unable to obtain a feeling of fulfilment and completeness will despair and fear death.
Examples
An aged person may find it necessary to reflect and analyse what they have accumulated throughout life and decide what offspring will receive from them upon death.