“Hope is both the earliest and the most indispensable virtue inherent in the state of being alive. If life is to be sustained hope must remain, even

where confidence is wounded, trust impaired.“

- Erik Erikson (1902-1994)

Erikson’s Life-Span Psycho- Social Development Theory

Terminologies

• Psychosocial: describing the relation of the individuals emotional needs to the

social environment

• Developmental crisis: A specific conflict whose resolution proposes the way for

the next stage

• Industry: eagerness to engage in productive work. hardworking

• Identity achievement: strong sense of commitment to life choices after free

consideration of alternatives.

• Identity foreclosure: acceptance of parental life choices without consideration of

options

• Identity diffusion: confusion about who you are and what you want

• Moratorium: identity crisis, suspension of choices because of

struggles.

• Generatively: sense of concern for future generation

• Integrity: sense of self acceptance and fulfillment.

Terminologies

Assumptions’ of Erikson work :

1. People, in general have the same basic needs

2. Personal development occurs in response to these needs

3. Development proceeds in stages

4. Movement through the stages reflects changes in an individual’s motivation

5. Each stage is characterized by a psychosocial challenge that presents

opportunities for development

6. satisfactory resolution of each stage is a prerequisite for the next

7. These stages are can be compared to the building of a house

Life Events

• Developmental tasks: Any skill that must be mastered, or personal change that

must take place, for optimal development (e.g., learning to read and adjusting to

sexual maturity)

• Psychosocial dilemma: Conflict between personal impulses and the social world

• If a person does not resolve a conflict within a stage, they will not acquire the life

stage virtue.

1= birth to one

year old

2= 1-3 years old

3= 3-5 years old

4= 6-11 years old

5= 12-20 years old6= 21-40 years old

7= 41-65 years old65 Onward

Trust vs Mistrust

( 0- 1 year, infant)

Autonomy vs Shame & Doubt

(1-3 year, toddler)

Initiative vs Guilt

( 3- 5 year, Pre- school)

Industry vs Inferiority

(6- 11, Schooler)

Identity vs Role confusion

(12-20, Teenager)

Intimacy vs Isolation

(21-40, young adult)

Generativity vs Stagnation

(41-65, middle- age adult)

Integrity vs Despair

(65 onward, older adult)

Stages of Psychosocial Development

Stage One: Trust versus Mistrust(Birth–1)

- Children are completely dependent on others

- Trust: Established when babies given adequate warmth, touching,

love, and physical care

- Mistrust: Caused by inadequate or unpredictable care and by cold,

indifferent, and rejecting parents

- Trust developed through consistent love and support

• Because an infant is utterly dependent, the development of trust is based on the

dependability and quality of the child’s caregivers.

• If a child successfully develops trust, he or she will feel safe and secure in the

world. Caregivers who are inconsistent, emotionally unavailable, or rejecting

contribute to feelings of mistrust in the children they care for. Failure to develop

trust will result in fear and a belief that the world is inconsistent and

unpredictable.

• Strength or virtue gained from successful resolution of this stage conflict is hope.

• Trust Hope

Stage Two: Autonomy versus Shame and Doubt(1–3 years)

• Autonomy: Doing things for themselves

• Child begins to interact with environment independently if he permitted to

do what he capable to do autonomy will be develop.

• Independence fostered by support and encouragement

The key challenges the child faces relates to exerting independence

Toilet training is a vital part of this process. Erikson believes that learning to

control one’s body functions leads to a feeling of control and a sense of

independence.

Gaining more control over food choices, toy preferences, and clothing selection.

Children who successfully complete this stage feel secure and confident, while

those who do not are left with a sense of inadequacy, shame and self-doubt.

Maintain degree of freedom to interact with environment

Deny freedom to interact with environment

Shame

Autonomy

child doubt his ability shame

akin to rage turned inward

Stage Three: Initiative versus Guilt (3–5 years)

• Increase in psycho- motor ability

• Initiative to function by refuse help from parent and teacher

• By giving reasonable freedom to function independently child would develop

confidence and self- reliance

• Initiative: Parents reinforce via giving children freedom to play, use imagination,

and ask questions

Children are asked to assume responsibility for their bodies, their behavior, their

toys and their pets

They make enormous cognitive leaps, and those developing abilities provide the

impetus for exploration in all areas of their lives

Initiative is characterized by an exploratory and investigative attitude that results

from meeting and accepting challenges

Guilt: May occur if parents criticize, prevent play, or discourage a child’s

questions

Children who are given the freedom to explore and experiment with adults who

answer their questions tend to develop initiative

Those who are restricted and whose initiative is considered to be a problem tend

to develop a sense of guilt about pursuing their interests

Children who are successful at this stage feel capable and able to lead others.

Those who fail to acquire these skills are left with a sense of guilt and lack of

initiative.

Stage Four: Industry versus Inferiority (6–12 years)

• Industry: Occurs when child is praised for productive activities, such as painting

and building

• Inferiority: Occurs if child’s efforts are regarded as messy or inadequate

• Industry is the enjoyment of mastery and competence through success and

recognition of one’s accomplishment(s)

• Mastery comes from success and recognition

Through social interactions, children begin to develop a sense of pride in their

accomplishments and abilities.

Children who are encouraged and commended by parents and teachers

develop a feeling of competence and belief in their skills. Those who receive

little or no encouragement from parents, teachers, or peers will doubt their

ability to be successful.

If adults tap the natural curiosity of child and exploit them for educative

purpose it makes home and school pleasurable

Stage Five (Adolescence): Identity versus Role Confusion

• The conflict of this stage is identity vs role confusion

• Central issue for a adolescent is developing an identity

• The teenager must achieve identity in gender, politics and religion

• Identity refers to the organization of the individual drives consistent unique of

self

• It involves deliberate choices and decisions about work values and idiology and

commitment to people

• Peer relationship is important

• Developing a desire for independence from parents, achieve

physical maturity

• Conscious effort is make to answer the question of “Who am I?”

• Exploration of different paths to attain a healthy identity

They experience new sexual feelings and are not quite know how to respond,

they are frequently confused

• Identity: answering this question: “Who am I?”

• Role Confusion: Occurs when adolescents are unsure of where they are going and

who they are

• Those who receive proper encouragement and reinforcement through personal

exploration will emerge from this stage with a strong sense of self and a feeling of

independence and control. Those who remain unsure of their beliefs and desires

will insecure and confused about themselves and the future

• Fidelity emerge from adequate resolution of the ego- identity and role confusion

crisis

• Failure in integration leads to role confusion

Identity achievement and moratorium are healthy alternatives

Adolescent who cannot get past identity diffusion have difficulties in adjusting

Identity diffused adolescents and young adults give up their lives, or go along with

the crowd, likely to become drug abusers

Foreclosed adolescents become signed intolerant, dogmatic and defensive

1) Identity achievement

• Explore the realistic options, make choice and commit to pursue

• Few students achieve this status by the end of high school

• Identity once achieved may not be changing

2) Identity foreclosure

• Commitment without exploration

• Not experimented with different identities or explored

• Simply commit themselves to the goals, values and lifestyle of others

Four identity alternatives of Adolescent

Four identity alternatives of Adolescent

3) Identity diffusion

o Occur when individuals do not explore or commit

o Not firm direction, not reaching any conclusion

o Adolescent experiencing identity diffusion may be apathetic end withdrawn end

with little hope with the future life and rebellious

4) Moratorium

o Adolescent who are struggling with choices experience this

o Exploration with a delay in commitment

o They face identity crisis in moratorium

Stage Six (Young Adulthood): Intimacy versus Isolation

Can I give fully of myself to another?

This stage covers the period of early adulthood when people are faced with the

developmental task of forming intimate relationships

Giving for the sake of giving, without expecting something .

To have a relationship based on more than mutual needs.

Intimacy is willingness to relate to another person on a deep level. Those who are

successful at this step will develop relationships that are committed and secure.

• Intimacy: Ability to care about others and to share experiences with them

• Isolation: Feeling alone and uncared for in life

• A person with a firm sense of identity is prepared for intimacy, or giving the self

over to another

• Form positive, close relationships with others

Remember that each step builds on skills learned in previous steps. Erikson

believed that a strong sense of personal identity was important to developing

intimate relationships. Studies have demonstrated that those with a poor sense

of self tend to have less committed relationships and are more likely to suffer

emotional isolation, loneliness, and depression.

The young adult must develop their relationship or suffer feeling of isolation

Stage Seven: Generativity vs Stagnation(41-65 years)

• Generativity: Interest in guiding the next generation

• Creativity and productivity are essential features

• Generativity extends the ability to care of another person and involves in caring

and guidance for the next generation

• It refers to having and nurturing children.

• Family care occupies the central stage here

Stagnation: When one is only concerned with one’s own needs and

comforts

During adulthood, we continue to build our lives, focusing on our career and

family.

Generative adults try to contribute to the betterment of society by working for

principles such as a clean physical environment, a safe and drug-free social world

and adherence to the principles of freedom and dignity for individuals

Those who are successful during this phase will feel that they are contributing to

the world by being active in their home and community. Those who fail to attain

this skill will feel unproductive and uninvolved in the world. They are characterized

by apathy, pseudo intimacy, or self absorption.

Each adult must find some way to satisfy and support the next generation

Stage Eight : Integrity vs Despair

( onward 65)

• Contentment and satisfaction through life and work

• Integrity is achieved when you consolidate your sense of self and fully

accepting it’s unique and unalterable

• Those who are unable to attain a feeling of fulfillment sink into despair.

• Sense of acceptance of oneself and a sense of fulfilment.

• Integrity: Self-respect; developed when people have lived richly and

responsibly

• Despair: Occurs when previous life events are viewed with regret; experiences

heartache and remorse

People who accept themselves, conclude that they only have one life to live, live

it as well as possible and have few regrets are seen as having integrity

Life review and retrospective evaluation of one’s past

This phase occurs during old age and is focused on reflecting back on life.

Those who are unsuccessful during this phase will feel that their life has been

wasted and will experience many regrets. The individual will be left with feelings

of bitterness and despair.

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. They accept responsibility for the way they have lived and

accept the finality of death

Stage Crisis Positive outcome Result Negative outcome

1st year Trust vs mistrust Faith in the environment and future living

Hope Suspicion, fear of future events

1-3 years Autonomy vs shame & doubt

A sense of self control and adequacy

Will power

Feeling of shame and doubt-self

3-5 years Initiative vs guilt Ability to be a self starter to initiate one’s own activities

Purpose A sense of guilt and inadequacy to be on one’s own

6-11 years Industry vs inferiority

Ability to learn how things work , to understand and organize

Competency

A sense of inferiority at understanding and organizing

12-20 years Ego identity vs role confusion

Seeing oneself as a unique and integrated person

fidelity Confusion over who and what one really is

21-40 years Intimacy vs isolation

Ability to communicate to others, to love

Love Inability to form affectionaterelationship

41-65 years Generativity vs stagnation

Concern for family and society in general

Care Concern only for self one’s own well- being and prosperity

65 onward Ego- integrity vs despair

A sense of integrity and fulfillment, willingness to death

Wisdom Dissatisfaction with life, despair over prospect of death

Erik Erikson’s Eight Stages of Human Development

Pre- school years include Trust, Autonomy and initiative

Infant develops sense of trust if its needs for food and care are met with

comforting regularity and responsiveness from caregivers.

Autonomy vs shame makes the beginning of self control and self confidence

Children begin to assume responsibilities.

Parent must be protective not overprotective

Reinforce the child effort to basic motor and cognitive skills

Initiative adds to autonomy, guilty of undertaking planning and affecting a task.

Maintain a zest for activity.

Adult supersession and guidance.

If children not allowed to do things on their own they develop sense of guilt.

Elementary and middle school years ( industry vs inferiority)

Children develop a sense of industry.

They begin to see relationship between perseverance and pleasure of job

completed

School and neighborhood offer challenges that has to be balanced with those at

home

Child has to cope with academics, groups that leads to growing sense of

competence

Difficulty with challenges leads to inferiority.

Educational implications

Encourage industry in children:

- Make cues that students have opportunities to set and work towards realistic

goals

- Begin with short assignments, then move to long

- Check students progress with progress checkpoint.

- Help them to set reasonable goals, write down goals and keep a journal progress

of student

Give student a chance to show their independence and responsibility.

- Tolerate honest mistakes.

- Delegate to students task such as watering plants, monitoring computer labs,

grading homework.

Provide support to students who seem discouraged

- Use individual charts that show student progress

- Keep samples of earlier work so students can see their improvement.

- Give awards for most improved, most helpful and most hardworking.

Support identity in Adolescent

- Give student many models for career choices and other adult roles.

- Point out models from literature and history. Have a list of birthday of eminent

women and people who made contribution in the area of your study. Discuss

their accomplishment.

- Invite gust speakers describe how and why they chose their professions

Encourage initiative in pre- school children

A) Encourage children to make and act on choices.

- Selection of activity or game

- Avoid interpretation when they are doing something.

- Follow their suggestion

B) Make sure that each child has a chance to experience success.

- If mistakes are made show students how to clean up.

C) Encourage with a wide variety of roles

- Monitor children play than no one monopolize.

- Encourage to act an costumers.

D) Be tolerate of mistakes when children doing something on their

own

Help students to find resolves for personal problems.

-Encourage them to talk to school counselors

- Discuss potential outside services

Be tolerate of teenage fault as long as they don’t offend others or

interfere with learning

Don’t impose strife dress or hair codes

Give students realistic feedback about themselves

- Make them understand the consequence of these misbehavior of poor

performance

- Give students models answers or show them after students completed projects

for comparing with their work.

- Keep the roles separate from the persons as students are “ trying on” roles.

- Criticize wrong behavior without criticizing the student

- Foster identity formalism by providing experience like community science, real world

works….

What psychosocial crisis results in either a feeling of “love”?

Ego identity vs role confusion

Intimacy vs isolation

Generativity vs stagnation

Industry vs inferiority

Which psychosocial stage centres around integrating a new personality out of the

many changes taking place at this time in the individual’s life?

Ego identity vs role confusion

Intimacy vs isolation

Generativity vs stagnation

Industry vs inferiority

Which of these is NOT one of the "life stage virtues" of development according to

Erik Erikson?

Hope

Love

Honesty

wisdom

Erikson's theory states that if a person does not resolve a conflict within a stage,

they will not acquire the life stage virtue, but will be able to move on to the next

stage of development.

True

False

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