Erik Erikson s Eight Psychosocial Crisis Stages

Life Stage Age Range Maladapation Positive Disposition Negative Disposition Malignancy Basic Virtue and secondary virtue

1. Infant

0 to 1.5 years

Sensory Distortion
unrealistic spoiled deluded

Trust vs. Mistrust Children must come to trust that basic needs will be met by caregivers and that the world is a predictable and safe place. Otherwise, they will develop feelings of mistrust in others and the world.

Withdrawal
neurotic depressive afraid

Hope and Drive

faith, inner calm, grounding, basic feeling that everything will be okay - enabling exposure to risk, a trust in life and self and others, inner resolve and strength in the face of uncertainty and risk

2. Toddler

1.5 to 3.5 years

Impulsivity
reckless inconsiderate thoughtless

Autonomy vs. Shame & Doubt Children must acquire a sense of independence from parents and a belief that they can do things on their own. If children are overly restricted when asserting their independence, they will develop feelings of shame and doubts about their individuality.

Compulsion
anal constrained self-limiting

Willpower and self-control

self-determination, self-belief, self-reliance, confidence in self to decide things, having a voice, being one's own person, persistence, self-discipline, independence of thought, respon-sibility, judgment

3. Preschool

3.5 to 6 years

Ruthlessness
exploitative uncaring dispassionate

Initiative vs. Guilt Children must feel free to act, to create, to express themselves creatively, and to take risks. Children who are inhibited in these pursuits can become overwhelmed with guilt.

Inhibition
risk-averse unadventurous

Purpose and direction

sense of purpose, decision-making, working with and leading others, initiating projects and ideas, courage to instigate, ability to define personal direction and aims and goals, able to take initiative and appropriate risks

4. Schoolchild

6 to 12 years

Narrow virtuosity
workaholic obsessive specialist

Industry vs. Inferiority Children must come to feel competent in skills valued by society. They need to feel successful in relation to peers and in the eyes of significant adults. If they experience failure too often, they will come to feel inferior.

Inertia
lazy apathetic purposeless

Competence and Method

making things, producing results, applying skills and processes productively, feeling valued and capable of contributing, ability to apply method and process in pursuit of ideas or objectives, confidence to seek and respond to challenge and learning, active busy productive outlook

. . .

References: Early Childhood and Development A Multicultural Perspective by Jeffrey Trawick -Smith (Third Edition, Table 3 -2, p. 46) http://www.businessballs.com/erik_erikson_psychosocial_theory.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erik_Erikson

Erik Erikson s Eight Psychosocial Crisis Stages

5. Adolescent 11 to 18 years

Fanaticism
self-important extremist

Identity vs. Role Confusion Adolescents must develop a clear sense of self. They must acquire their own unique roles, values, and place in society. If they are unable to piece together these elements into a coherent view of self, role confusion results.

Repudiation
socially disconnected cut-off

Fidelity and Devotion

self-confidence and self-esteem necessary to freely associate with people and ideas based on merit, loyalty, social and interpersonal integrity, discretion, personal standards and dignity, pride and personal identity, seeing useful personal role(s) and purpose(s) in life

6. Young Adult

18-40 years

Promiscuity
sexually needy vulnerable

Intimacy vs. Isolation Young adults must be willing to risk offering themselves to others. An inability to give to another can lead to feelings of isolation.

Exculsivity
loner cold self-contained

Love and Affection

capacity to give and receive love - emotionally and physically, connectivity with others, socially and interpersonally comfortable, ability to form honest reciprocating relationships and friendships, capacity to bond and commit with others for mutual satisfaction for work and personal life, reciprocity (give and take) towards good

7. Mid Adult

30 to 65 years

Overextension
do-gooder busy-body meddling

Generativity vs. Stagnation Adults must gain a sense that they have contributed to the world in some lasting fashion. Through child rearing, civic deeds, or paid work they must come to feel they have in some way given to others. Those who do not achieve this sense may suffer stagnation a sense that there is no direction or purpose to one s life.

Rejectivity
disinterested cynical

Care and Production

giving unconditionally in support of children and/or for others, community, society and the wider world where possible and applicable, altruism, contributing for the greater good, making a positive difference, building a good legacy, helping others through their own crisis stages

8. Older Adult

50+ years

Presumption
conceited pompous arrogant

Integrity

vs.

Despair

Disdain
miserable unfulfilled blaming

Wisdom and Renunciation

calmness, tolerance, appropriate emotional detachment non-projection, no regrets, peace of mind, non -judgmental, spiritual or universal reconciliation, acceptance of inevitably departing

Older adults must come to feel great satisfaction with the events and accomplishments of their lives. They must look back on their experiences with pride and acceptance. Those who cannot feel this satisfaction as life draws to an end suffer great despair.

. . .

References: Early Childhood and Development A Multicultural Perspective by Jeffrey Trawick -Smith (Third Edition, Table 3 -2, p. 46) http://www.businessballs.com/erik_erikson_psychosocial_theory.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erik_Erikson