ERIK HOMBURGER

ERIKSON
Birth and Death:
Erik Erikson was born on June 15, 1902.
Died May 12, 1994.

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 Childhood:
• Erik Erikson was born in Frankfurt, Germany.

• His father, a Danish man, abandoned the family before he

was born. His young, Jewish mother later married a
physician, Dr. Theodor Homburger.

• A degree of uncertainty about personal identity and

direction apparently characterized Erik's childhood and
early adult years - not surprisingly given his circumstances -
which reflected and perhaps helped inspire his life work.

• His interest in identity developed early based upon his own

experiences in school. At his temple school, the other
children teased him for being Nordic because he was tall,
blonde, and blue-eyed. At grammar school, he was rejected
because of his Jewish background.
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 FREUD
Psychosexual Development

ERIKSON
PSYCHOSOCIAL
Development
His developmental theory of the "Eight Stages of Man"
was unique in that it covered the entire lifespan rather
than childhood and adolescent development.
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 Erikson’s Theory
• Erik Erikson was a follower of Sigmund Freud
who broke with his teacher over the
fundamental point of what motivates or drives
human behavior.
• For Freud it was biology or more specifically
the biological instincts of life and aggression.
• For Erikson, who was not trained in biology
and/or the medical sciences (unlike Freud and
many of his contemporaries), the most
important force driving human behavior and the
development of personality was social
interaction.
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 EPIGENETIC PRINCIPLE
“ Anything that grows has a grand
plan and…. out of this grand plan the
parts arise, each part having its time
of special ascendancy, until all parts
have arisen to form the functioning
whole”
-Erikson
There Is A Natural, Predetermined
Order To Development.

Each person develops through a

sequence of stages that emerge in 5
At each stage a person is confronted
with a CRISIS that must be resolved.
Each crisis is represented by a healthy
versus an unhealthy resolution that can
be represented as polar opposites on a
straight line.
Trust---------------------------------------------------------Mistrust

A person’s social environment has an

extremely important effect on how each
crisis is resolved!

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 Ego Identity
• One of the main elements of Erikson’s
psychosocial stage theory is the
development of ego identity.
• Ego identity is the conscious sense of self
that we develop through social interaction.
• According to Erikson, our ego identity is
constantly changing due to new
experience and information we acquire in
our daily interactions with others.

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 Ego Strength/ Quality
• Each stage in Erikson’s theory is
concerned with becoming competent in an
area of life.
• If the stage is handled well, the person
will feel a sense of mastery, which he
sometimes referred to as ego strength or
ego quality.
• If the stage is managed poorly, the person
will emerge with a sense of inadequacy..

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 Conflict

• In each stage, Erikson

believed people
experience a conflict
that serves as a turning
point in development.

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• During each period of life
the person has a
vulnerability for a specific
psychological crisis or
issue.

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All of the issues are present
throughout life.
That is, we all deal with them
throughout life, but we are
particularly vulnerable at
certain times.

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 During each of the psychological crisis, the
child either successfully deals with the issue
(has a positive resolution) or doesn’t (has a
negative outcome).
 Each stage involves a crisis of two opposing
emotional forces. A helpful term used by
Erikson for these opposing forces is 'contrary
dispositions'.

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• Erikson used the words 'syntonic' for the first-listed
'positive' disposition in each crisis (e.g., Trust) and
'dystonic' for the second-listed 'negative'
disposition (e.g., Mistrust). To signify the opposing
or conflicting relationship between each pair of
forces or dispositions.

• Successfully passing through each crisis involves

'achieving' a healthy ratio or balance between the
two opposing dispositions that represent each
crisis.

• Erikson called these successful balanced

outcomes 'Basic Virtues' or 'Basic Strengths'.

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• Where a person passes unsuccessfully through a
psychosocial crisis stage they develop a tendency
towards one or other of the opposing forces which
then becomes a behavioural tendency, or even a
mental problem.

• Erikson called an extreme tendency towards the

syntonic (first disposition) a 'maladapation', and he
identified specific words to represent the
maladapation at each stage.

• He called an extreme tendency towards the dystonic

(second disposition) a 'malignancy', and again he
identified specific words to represent the malignancy
at each stage.
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Psychosocial Stages of Personality
Development

• 8 successive stages over the

lifespan.
• Addresses biological, social,
situational, personal influences.

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THE STAGES
8. Integrity vs. Despair

7. Generativity vs. Stagnation

6. Intimacy vs. Isolation

5. Identity vs. Role Confusion (Diffusion)

4. Industry vs. Inferiority

3. Initiative vs. Guilt

2. Autonomy vs. Shame

1. Trust vs. Mistrust

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 COMPARISON OF STAGES
FREU D ERIKSON
• Genital 5. Identity vs. Role Diffusion
• Latency 4. Industry vs. Inferiority
• Oedipal 3. Initiative vs. guilt
• Anal 2. Autonomy vs. Shame & Doubt
• Oral 1. Trust vs. Mistrust

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ERIKSON’S ADULT STAGES

8. Integrity vs. Despair

7. Generativity vs. Stagnation (self-absorption)

6. Intimacy vs. Isolation

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 Stage 1: Basic Trust vs. Mistrust
• Birth to 18 months
• Totally dependent on others
• Caregiver meets needs: child develops trust
• Caregiver does not meet needs: child develops
mistrust
• Basic strength: Hope
– Belief our desires will be satisfied
– Feeling of confidence

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 Stage 2: Autonomy vs. Shame and
Doubt
• Ages 18 months -3 yrs
• Child able to exercise some degree of
choice
• Child’s independence is thwarted: child
develops feelings of self-doubt, shame in
dealing with others
• Basic Strength: Will
– Determination to exercise freedom of
choice in face of society’s demands
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Stage 3: Initiative vs. Guilt
• Ages 3-5
• Child expresses desire to
take initiative in activities.
• Parents punish child for initiative: child
develops feelings of guilt that will affect
self-directed activity throughout life
• Basic strength: Purpose
– Courage to envision and pursue goals

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 Stage 4: Industriousness vs.
Inferiority
• Ages 6-11
• Child develops cognitive abilities to enable
in task completion (school work, play)
• Parents/teachers do not support child’s
efforts: child develops feelings of inferiority
and inadequacy
• Basic strength: Competence
– Exertion of skill and intelligence in pursuing
and completing tasks
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• Stages 1-4
– Largely determined by others (parents,
teachers)
• Stages 5-8
– Individual has more control over
environment
– Individual responsibility for crisis
resolution in each stage

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 Stage 5: Identity vs. Role Confusion
• Ages 12-18
• Form ego identity: self-image
• Strong sense of identity: face adulthood with
certainty and confidence
• Identity crisis: confusion of ego identity
• Basic strength: Fidelity
– Emerges from cohesive ego identity
– Sincerity, genuineness, sense of duty in
relationships with others
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 Stage 6: Intimacy vs. Isolation
• Ages 18-35 (approximately)
• Undertake productive work and establish
intimate relationships
• Inability to establish intimacy leads to
social isolation
• Basic strength: Love
– Mutual devotion in a shared identity
– Fusing of oneself with another person

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 Stage 7: Generativity vs. Stagnation

• Ages 35-55 (approximately)

• Generativity: Active involvement in
teaching/guiding the next generation
• Stagnation involves not seeking outlets for
generativity
• Basic strength: Care
– Broad concern for others
– Need to teach others

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Stage 8: Ego Integrity vs. Despair
• Ages 55+
• Evaluation of entire life
• Integrity: Look back with satisfaction
• Despair: Review with anger, frustration
• Basic strength: Wisdom
– Detached concern with the whole of life

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 STAGE AND AGE
8. Integrity vs. Despair Old age (55/65-death)

7. Generativity vs. Stagnation Adulthood(35-55/65)

6. Intimacy vs. Isolation 20s (18-35)

5. Identity vs. Role Diffusion 12-18 (approx.)

4. Industry vs. Inferiority 6-12 (approx.)

3. Initiative vs. Guilt 3-6

2. Autonomy vs. Shame 18 months-3

1. Trust vs. Mistrust 0-18 months

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 SIGNIFICANT RELATIONS
8. Integrity vs. Despair humankind (my kind)
7. Generativity vs. Stagnation divided labor, shared
household
6. Intimacy vs. Isolation partners: friends, sex,
competition, cooperation
5. Identity vs. Role Diffusion peer and other groups
4. Industry vs. Inferiority neighborhood, school
3. Initiative vs. Guilt basic family
2. Autonomy vs. Shame parental persons
1. Trust vs. Mistrust maternal person
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 GOALS OF EACH
STAGE
Stage Ideal Achievement
8. Integrity vs. Despair Wisdom, Inner peace
7. Generativity vs. Stagnation Care
6. Intimacy vs. Isolation Love
5. Identity vs. Role Diffusion Fidelity
4. Industry vs. Inferiority Competence
3. Initiative vs. Guilt Purpose
2. Autonomy vs. Shame Will Power
1. Trust vs. Mistrust Hope
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Erik son 's Fr eud ia
bas ic vir tue and ma lad apta tion /
crisis n life s tag e / rela tion ship s / issu es
Erikson's Psychosocial Stages Summary Chart str en gth s ma lig nanc y
stages sta ges

in fa nt / mother / feed in g an d bein g Sen so ry D isto rt ion /

1. Tr ust v Or al Hop e and Drive
comf or ted , teethin g, s leep in g With drawal
Mistr ust

2. tod dler / paren ts / bo dily fu nction s,

Willp ow er an d Imp ul sivity /
Aut on omy An al toilet tr ain in g, mus cula r c on tr ol,
Self -Con tr ol Com puls ion
v Sham e & walk in g
Doubt
3.
pres chool / fa mily / exp lor ation and Pu rpos e an d Ru thle ssn ess /
Initiative v Pha llic
disc over y, adven tu re an d play Dir ec tio n Inhibition
Guilt
4. Indus try schoolc hild / scho ol, te ac hers, fr ien ds,
Co mp eten ce an d Nar row Vi rt uos ity /
v La ten cy neig hbou rhood / achievem en t and
Method Iner tia
Infer io ri ty acc omp lishmen t

Pu ber ty
5. Ide ntity ado lesc en t / peer s, group s, in flu en ces /
and Fid elity a nd Fa naticis m /
v Role res olvin g id en tity an d dir ecti on ,
Gen ita li Devotion Rep udi ation
Co nf usion bec omin g a g rown -u p
ty

you ng ad ult / love rs , f rien ds, wo rk

6. Intima cy (Gen ita l Lov e an d Pr om isc uit y /
con nec tion s / intim ate re lation ship s,
v Isola tion ity) Aff iliation Exc lus ivity
wor k a nd soc ia l lif e
7.
Gen er ativit mi d-a dult / child ren , c om mu nity / Ca re an d Over exten si on /
n/a
y v 'g iv in g ba ck ', help in g, co ntr ib utin g Pr odu ction Rej ec tivity
Sta gnation
8.
la te ad ult / so ciety, the wor ld, life / Wisd om an d Pr esu mp tion /32
Integ rity v n/a
me an in g and p urpose , lif e ac hievem en ts Ren unci ation Disdain
 Assessment in Erikson’s Theory

• Psychohistorical Analysis
– Application of lifespan theory to
lives of historical figures
• Psychological Tests:
– Instruments based on crises in
stages

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 Research in Erikson’s Theory
• Trust
– Early strong bonds with mother later were
more curious, sociable and popular
• Identity
– Strong identity associated with greater
cognitive and emotional functioning in college
students
– Crisis may begin later than age 12
– Continuing process over the lifespan
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 Research in Erikson’s Theory

• Generativity
– Evokes need to feel closer to others
– Correlated with extraversion, openness to
new experiences
– Likely to be involved in community, social
relationships

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 Research in Erikson’s Theory

• Maturity
– High ego integrity: spent much time reviewing
their lives
• Ethnic Identity
– Ethnic minorities: ethnic identity significant
factor in determining sense of self

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 Contributions of Erikson

• Personality develops throughout the

lifetime
• Identity crisis in adolescence
• Impact of social, cultural, personal
and situational forces in forming
personality

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 Criticisms of Erikson
• Ambiguous terms and concepts
• Lack of precision
– Some terms are not easily measured
empirically
• Experiences in stage may only apply to
males
• Identity crisis may only apply to those
affluent enough to explore identities

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 Conclusion
• Erikson’s 8-stage model of the human life cycle identifies particular
goals, challenges and concerns at each stage of life. According to
Erikson, the environment in which a child lives is crucial to providing
growth. It is relevant to modern life from several different perspectives,
for understanding and explaining how personality and behavior develop
in people.

• The idea that humans continue to change and develop throughout their
lives and personality is not exclusively found during early childhood
years is a very optimistic one. It is certainly a view that greatly assists
encouraging oneself and others to see the future as an opportunity for
positive change and development, instead of looking back with shame
and regret.

• Everyone can change and grow, no matter what has happened before.
And as ever, understanding why we are like we are-gaining meaningful
self awareness-is always a useful and important step forward. Erikson’s
theory along with many other concepts helps to enable this meaningful
understanding and personal growth. Given the modern pressures on
family, relationships and society, and the quest for personal
development and fulfillment, Erikson’s ideas are probably more 39
relevant now than ever. 
"Every adult, whether he is a follower or a
leader, a member of a mass or of an elite,
was once a child. He was once small. A
sense of smallness forms a substratum in
his mind, ineradicably. His triumphs will be
measured against this smallness, his
defeats will substantiate it. The questions
as to who is bigger and who can do or not
do this or that, and to whom—these
questions fill the adult's inner life far
beyond the necessities and the
desirabilities which he understands and
for which he plans."
Thank you!!
- Erik H. Erikson
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