Erik Erikson Psychosocial Theory

ERIK HOMBURGER ERIKSON -Danish-German-American psychologist and psychoanalyst Born: 15-Jun-1902 Mother: Karla Abrahamsen Birthplace: Frankfurt, Germany Father: Dr. Theodor Homberger (stepfather) Died: 12-May-1994 Wife: Joan Serson -Coined the phrase “identity crisis” The development of identity is one of Erikson's greatest concerns in his own life as well as in his theory because of personal life experiences

ERIK ERIKSON’S THEORY ON PSYCHOSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT - believed that every human being goes through a certain number of stages to reach his or her full development, theorizing eight stages that a human being goes through from birth to death -there is an optimal time for each task. Our progress through each stage is in part determined by our success, or lack of success, in all the previous stages . Each of Erikson's stages of psychosocial development are marked by a task or a CRISIS, for which successful resolution will result in a favorable outcome - Favorable outcomes of each stage are known as VIRTUES - A MALADAPTATION occurs if there is: too much of the positive and too little of the negative aspect of the task -A MALIGNANCY occurs if: too little of the positive and too much of the negative aspect of the task

Stage (age) Psychosocial crisis I (0-1 ½ ) -TRUST vs MISTRUST infant II (2-3) -AUTONOMY vs SHAME AND toddler DOUBT III (3-6) -INITIATIVE vs GUILT preschooler IV (7-12 or so) -INDUSTRY vs INFERIORITY school-age child V (12-18 or so) -IDENTITY vs ROLE adolescence CONFUSION VI (the 20’s) -INTIMACY vs ISOLATION young adult VII (late 20’s to 50’s) GENERATIVITY vs -- middle adult STAGNATION VIII (50’s and INTEGRITY vs DESPAIR beyond) -- old adult

Significant relations

Psychosocial virtues

Maladaptations

mother

hope

sensory distortion

parents

Will/determination

impulsivity

family

purpose

ruthlessness

neighborhood and school

competence

narrow virtuosity

peer groups, role models

fidelity

fanaticism

partners, friends

love

promiscuity

household, workmates

care

overextension

mankind or “my kind”

wisdom

presumption

Malignancies Withdrawal Compulsion Inhibition Inertia (inaction/apathy) Repudiation (rejection/denial) Exclusion Rejectivity (lack of participation) Despair/disdain